AUGUST 16, 2021 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 35 LAcarGuy Keeps Rolling, Despite Rough Roads Auto dealership leans on experience, worldwide microchip shortage — was unlike slowly resolved. anything Sullivan had encountered, that doesn’t Despite 2020 losses that he claims were in adaptability in the face of challenges mean he wasn’t able to adjust. the millions of dollars, Sullivan has restored his “Forty-five years was never predictable,” work force to 665 employees, about two-thirds By TODD GILCHRIST Staff Reporter Sullivan said. “The car business has always had of the company’s pre-pandemic numbers. these fluctuations. So, if you couldn’t stomach And he and plans to open a 14th dealership ith more than six decades of ex- that, you wouldn’t be doing it for this kind of soon. “We’re getting ready for the electric perience in the highly competitive time.” changeover, which is going to be a very real auto dealership category, Sullivan Last year’s social justice demonstrations transition,” Sullivan said. “Profits are good W Automotive Group has learned a took a toll at LAcarGuy’s Toyota dealership in right now, and that’s because margins are up few things about adapting during challenging Santa Monica. In addition to business interrup- because product is down. We’re a very much a times. tions, the dealership had 23 cars stolen and saw supply-demand business. My focus is holding The Hawthorne-based company, better $400,000 in damage to its showroom. market share.” known as LAcarGuy, has leaned on its exten- An interruption in the global supply chain sive knowledge to help mitigate the impact of for microchips caused by Covid shutdowns, the pandemic on its business. along with a March fire and an earthquake that LAcarGuy reported $837 million in revenue affected one of the world’s major suppliers in for 2020, a decrease of almost 20% from 2019, Japan, forced Sullivan to shift his team’s focus according to Business Journal estimates. It to pre-owned vehicles. The move was designed ranks No. 30 on this year’s list of the largest to shore up dwindling stock on his lots and privately owned companies in Los Angeles alleviate the need for new cars to sell. County. LAcarGuy Chief Executive Mike Sullivan. After drawing down his initial surplus of SULLIVAN AUTOMOTIVE GROUP The decline, which illustrates the volatility vehicles from the early days of the pandemic, HEADQUARTERS: Hawthorne faced by many local businesses over the past 18 were onto something.” Sullivan elected to increase used car payouts FOUNDED: 1964 months, could have been even steeper without LAcarGuy operates 13 dealerships in to attract new customers and offset rising new BUSINESS: Auto dealership seasoned leadership from the LAcarGuy team. locations including Santa Monica, Hollywood, car costs. “If their car is worth $4,000, we pay CEO: Mike Sullivan Chief Executive Mike Sullivan said the Torrance, Lancaster and Hawthorne. The $5,000,” he said. “We’ve learned how to nul- EMPLOYEES: 655 company pivoted to digital sales and home de- company sells vehicles from Honda, Audi, lify that slightly inflating new car price with a REVENUE: $837 million in sales; $1084 billion pro- liveries in the early days of the pandemic, when Lexus, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota, Genesis and slightly inflating used car price, and consumers jected for 2021 with $632 million actual through July LAcarGuy was deemed an essential business Volkswagen. are not confused.” NOTABLE: Sullivan Automotive Group has six and allowed to operate at 25% staffing capacity. Sullivan’s father, Wilfred, started the Sales at Sullivan’s Santa Monica dealer- decades of experience and was passed from Wilfred “We really did get good at that,” Sullivan business in 1964, selling Volkswagens in Santa ships lingered at around 55%-60% of previ- Sullivan to his son, current CEO Michael Sullivan, and said of the company’s shift to alternate sales Monica. He brought his son aboard in 1976. ous levels until March, when the city fully most recently to Michael’s three children. platforms. “We did 350 (car sales) one month While the past year and a half — featuring reopened. And now he’s bracing for further out of all the stores, and we really thought we Covid-19 closures, social justice protests and a supply delays as the microchip shortage gets LARGEST PRIVATE COMPANIES NEXT WEEK Hotels, Meeting & Banquet Facilities THE LIST L.A. County-based; ranked by 2020 revenue Rank Company Revenue Profile Description Year Founded Top Executive • name • 2020 • employees • name • address • 2019 • offices • title • website (in millions) • phone Trader Joe's Co. Inc. $17,0001 NA specialty food and beverage retail chain 1958 Dan Bane 1 800 S. Shamrock Ave. $17,0001 NA CEO, Chairman Monrovia 91016 (626) 599-3700 traderjoes.com Capital Group Cos. 8,0002 NA investment management 1931 Timothy Armour 2 333 S. Hope St. 7,3001 28 CEO, Chairman Los Angeles 90071 (213) 486-9200 thecapitalgroup.com Harbor Freight Tools USA Inc. 6,500 23,000 tool retailer 1977 Eric Smidt 3 26541 Agoura Road 5,500 1,200 CEO Calabasas 91302 (800) 444-3353 harborfreight.com MGA Entertainment Inc. 6,0001 NA toy manufacturer 1979 Isaac Larian 4 9220 Winnetka Ave. 5,0001 NA CEO Chatsworth 91311 (800) 222-4685 mgae.com Wonderful Co. 5,0001 NA agriculture, food, beverages, consumer 1979 Stewart Resnick 5 11444 W. Olympic Blvd. 5,000 NA packaged goods Chairman, President Los Angeles 90064 Lynda Resnick wonderful.com Vice Chair, Co-Owner (310) 966-5700 Smart & Final Stores Inc. 4,1001 NA specialty food and beverage retail chain 1871 David Hirz 6 600 Citadel Drive 4,7421 NA CEO, President Commerce 90040 (323) 869-7500 smartandfinal.com Panda Restaurant Group Inc. 3,756 NA owner and operator of restaurant chains 1973 Andrew Cherng 7 1683 Walnut Grove Ave. 3,777 NA including Panda Express, Panda Inn and Peggy Cherng Rosemead 91770 Hibachi San Co-CEOs, Co-Chairs pandarg.com (626) 799-9898 1 Business Journal estimate. ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of the list, omissions and typographical errors sometimes occur. Please send 2 Information from Forbes. corrections or additions on company letterhead to the Research Department, Los Angeles Business Journal, 11150 N/A - Not Applicable NA - Not Available Note: Due to the right of privately held companies to withhold information, the Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles 90025. ©2021 Los Angeles Business Journal. This list may not be reprinted Business Journal makes no pretense of this being a complete list of all privately held companies in Los Angeles County. in whole or in part without prior written permission from the editor. Reprints are available from Wright’s Media (877) Unless otherwise noted, the information on this list was provided by the companies. Companies are ranked by 2020 652-5295. revenue. To the best of our knowledge, this information is accurate as of press time. While every effort is made to Researched by Joshua Niv Continued on page 36 031-35+LPC SR + List.indd 35 8/12/21 6:32 PM 36 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL THE LIST AUGUST 16, 2021 LARGEST PRIVATE COMPANIES Continued from page 35 Rank Company Revenue Profile Description Year Founded Top Executive • name • 2020 • employees • name • address • 2019 • offices • title • website (in millions) • phone United Pacific $3,2001 NA retail gas station and convenience store 1955 Joe Juliano 8 4130 Cover St. $3,700 1 operator CEO, President Long Beach 90808 (310) 323-3992 unitedpacific.com Hulu 3,0001 NA premium streaming television service 2008 Kelly Campbell 9 2500 Broadway 2,1001 NA President Santa Monica 90404 (310) 571-4700 hulu.com JM Eagle 2,7001 NA plastic pipe manufacturer 2007 Walter Wang 10 5200 W. Century Blvd. 2,4501 NA CEO, President Los Angeles 90045 (800) 621-4404 jmeagle.com Act 1 Group Inc. 2,3001 NA workforce management and human capital 1978 Janice Bryant Howroyd 11 1999 W. 190th St. 2,8001 NA technology CEO, Founder Torrance 90504 (310) 750-3400 act1group.com Westlake Financial Services 2,263 NA acquisition and servicing of automotive retail 1988 Don Hankey 12 4751 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 110 1,935 5 contracts Chairman Los Angeles 90010 (323) 692-8800 westlakefinancial.com Red Chamber Co. 2,2001 NA seafood supplier 1973 Ming Bin Kou 13 1912 E. Vernon Ave. 2,2001 NA CEO Vernon 90058 (323) 234-9000 redchamber.com Space Exploration Technologies Corp. 2,0001 10,000 aerospace contractor 2002 Elon Musk 14 1 Rocket Road 1,7001 NA CEO Hawthorne 90250 (310) 363-6000 spacex.com Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. 1,9501 NA manufacturer and distributor of semitractor- 1914 Paul Bennett 15 17295 E. Railroad St. 1,900 11 trailers CEO City of Industry 91748 (626) 965-1541 utilitytrailer.com Superior Grocers 1,7001 NA grocery store chain 1981 Mimi Song 16 15510 Carmenita Road 1,7001 NA CEO, Chairman Santa Fe Springs 90670 (562) 345-9000 superiorgrocers.com Guthy-Renker 1,7001 NA direct marketing 1988 Bill Guthy 100 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1600 1,7001 NA Greg Renker El Segundo 90245 Co-Chairmen guthy-renker.com (310) 581-6250 99 Cents Only Stores 1,6501 NA retailer 1982 Barry Feld 18 4000 Union Pacific Ave. 2,1941 389 CEO Commerce 90023 (323) 980-8145 99only.com Acco Engineered Systems 1,599 4,342 specialty contractor providing mechanical 1934 Jeff Marrs 19 888 E. Walnut St. 1,483 41 (HVAC & plumbing), electrical, building CEO, President Pasadena 91101 automation controls, process piping, site (818) 244-6571 accoes.com utility piping and industrial design, construction and service J.F. Shea Co. Inc. 1,5201 NA general contractor, homebuilder, heavy 1958 Peter Shea 20 655 Brea Canyon Road 1,6001 25 construction, property development and CEO, President Walnut 91789 management (909) 594-9500 jfshea.com Belkin International Inc.