For Jordan Stevens, a summer job between college semesters unexpectedly became a 22-year career in the automotive industry — and a path toward leading his family’s dealership into its next generation.
More than two decades ago, Jordan began working in the parts department at the family business in Tupelo, Mississippi. At the time, he had no intention of making a career in the automotive industry. But one opportunity led to another. He moved from delivering parts to working the parts counter, then into F&I, business development and sales management. Along the way, he even became the dealership’s unofficial IT person.
Today, Jordan serves as general manager of Crossroads Chevrolet GMC. His experience in nearly every corner of the business has shaped a simple philosophy: successful dealerships are built on people.
That people-first philosophy extends beyond the dealership itself. Crossroads invests in its employees and prioritizes giving back to the Corinth and Alcorn County community through its Crossroads CAN — Community Action Now — initiative.
As he prepares for the next chapter of his career, Jordan is also committed to continuing his own education. A recent graduate of the NADA Dealer Academy, he believes that growth requires leaders to keep learning, adapt to change and occasionally step out of their comfort zones.
We recently sat down with Jordan to learn more about his path through the automotive industry, the people who have shaped his career and his vision for the future of Crossroads Chevrolet GMC. The following are excerpts from our conversation.
How did you get started in the automotive industry?
I’ve been with the company for 22 years. When I started, my wife’s grandfather owned the company, and they had three dealerships. My wife and I were dating at the time, and I just needed a summer job between college semesters. I certainly didn’t think that job would become my career.
I grew up around an auto parts store because my grandfather owned one, so parts were familiar to me. I started as a delivery person, moved to the parts counter and then eventually went into F&I, where I spent several years.
Later, my father-in-law asked me to start a Business Development Center. I went through training and ran the BDC for about six years, handling internet leads, incoming phone calls and following up with customers.
From there, I moved into sales management while continuing to back up finance. Somehow, I also became the dealership’s IT person along the way. Eventually, all those experiences led me to become the general manager.
Who have been some of your most important mentors?
My first mentor was the dealership’s parts manager when I started in the business — and he is still our parts manager today. He took me under his wing and helped me grow both professionally and personally.
My father-in-law has obviously been a mentor along the way, too. Sometimes it can be difficult to separate family and business, so he intentionally steps back and allows our executive manager to mentor me. That removes the family connection from the equation and can make things easier.
Over the past six years, Crossroads’ executive manager has worked closely with me and taken a genuine interest in my development. Since I graduated from the Academy, he has developed a training program that is helping me dig deeper into dealership operations, management and leadership.
I’ve been fortunate to have different mentors at different stages of my career who were willing to invest in me.
You recently graduated from the NADA Dealer Academy. What did you take away from that experience?
I graduated from the NADA Dealer Academy, Class 485, this past July. On our first day, our director, Michael Hayes, told us to prepare for the longest, quickest year of our lives. He was absolutely correct.
One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of continuing to grow. The automotive industry is constantly evolving, and if you reach a point where you’re completely comfortable, you’re probably not evolving along with it.
And graduating from the Academy doesn’t mean the learning is finished. In fact, if you think you’re done learning in this industry, it might be time to box things up and go home. For me, the real training began after graduation.
What has allowed Crossroads to remain successful across generations?
It boils down to people — how we take care of our customers and our employees.
At our second annual Employee Appreciation Day, we actually shut down the dealership on a Saturday, rented a golf course and invited employees and their families to spend the day together.
We are fortunate to have many long-tenured employees at Crossroads. At the event, we recognized those who had been with us for 10 years or more; roughly 12 people reached that milestone. We also have many employees who have been here for more than five years.
You’re always going to have some turnover in any business, but we try to take care of our people and invest in them. I think that makes a difference.
Community involvement is clearly important to Crossroads. Tell us about Crossroads CAN.
Crossroads CAN stands for Community Action Now. Through the program, we give $2,500 every month to a local nonprofit. We also participate in toy drives, food drives and other efforts throughout the year, supporting organizations that serve everyone from children to older adults.
It’s really about letting our community know we’re here for them.
When the Alcorn County area was hit hard by an ice storm in January, and many people were without power, we were fortunate enough to be able to open. I spent two days outside cooking for anyone who wanted a hot meal, and if people could make it to us, they got as much food as they needed.
It wasn’t about selling a car that day. It was about taking care of our community.
We don’t do those things expecting something in return. We do it because it’s the right thing to do. Ultimately, we view ourselves as stewards of what we’ve been given. Our responsibility is to take care of our people — our employees, our customers and our community.
How have you been involved with the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association?
I’ve been involved with MADA since around 2009, when I began attending conventions with my father-in-law after my wife and I got married. The family’s involvement goes back much further than that.
But for me, one of the greatest benefits of MADA is networking and building genuine relationships with other dealers.
These aren’t simply names you see on a screen or piece of paper. You get to know people, and when they tell you, “If you ever need anything, reach out,” they mean it.
There’s healthy competition in our industry, and that’s not a bad thing. But having those connections and being able to help one another is incredibly valuable.
How do you approach work-life balance?
I haven’t figured it out yet.
There are always things at work that need to be done, and things at home that need attention. Both are always going to be on your mind, but what I’ve tried to learn is not to bring a bad day at work home. If something goes wrong with an employee, customer or vendor, my family shouldn’t have to deal with my frustration.
I’m not always perfect at it, but I try to be present for my family and leave my work problems at the door.
Tell us a little about yourself outside of the dealership.
My wife and I have been married for almost 20 years and together for nearly 25. We have two daughters, ages 15 and 9, who keep us on the go.
When I’m not working, I enjoy being outdoors. Whether I’m hunting or just working on my land, being in the woods gives me a chance to reset and get away for a little while. I enjoy fishing when I have the opportunity, and recently I’ve started playing some golf.
Family is very important to me. The most rewarding thing my career has given me is the opportunity for my wife to be a stay-at-home mom. She works harder than I do, without question, but being able to give our family that opportunity and have her home more with our daughters means a great deal to me.
