The Gingerich Family of Kokomo, owners of Chariot Automotive Group (CAG), was among the honorees when the Ivy Tech Foundation presented the 2024 Benefactor of the Year Awards at a gala event in Indianapolis.
The Benefactor of the Year Awards are presented annually to individuals, organizations, businesses and governmental units to recognize their financial contributions in support of Ivy Tech Community College and its students. Awards are presented by each of Ivy Tech’s 19 service areas.
Rex Gingerich, founder and CEO of CAG, and his sister, Lisa Gingerich Hearn, vice president of administration for the company, represented their family and the company in accepting the award.
"This recognition is a true honor,” Gingerich said. “Supporting Ivy Tech and its students has been deeply rewarding. I believe in the power of education to transform lives, and I am proud to contribute to the growth and success of future automotive professionals. Together, we are driving toward a brighter future where every student has the opportunity to succeed."
Dr. Ethan Heicher, chancellor of the Ivy Tech Kokomo Service Area, noted that the Gingerich family, and their automotive dealerships now linked under the umbrella of Chariot Automotive Group, have been strong supporters of Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Campus for 25 years.
“They are worthy recipients of this award, both as donors to scholarships, services, and facilities to benefit our students and the community and as close partners in skilling people for jobs in the automotive sales and service industry,” Heicher said.
Kelly Karickhoff, executive director of Resource Development for the Ivy Tech Kokomo Service area, acknowledged the Gingerich family’s support of the $3 million capital campaign to finish a transformation of the Ivy Tech Kokomo Campus in 2020. Gingerich served as a member of the leadership team for the successful fundraising campaign.
In recognition of their contribution, a classroom and laboratory in Ivy Tech Kokomo’s new Automotive Center were named in honor of their father and uncle, Ivan and Fenton Gingerich, long-time leaders in the automotive sales and service industry in Kokomo.
Gingerich and Hearn see how their support for Ivy Tech also works to support local workforce needs, including the workforce needs of CAG (which includes H.E. McGonigal Inc., Button Motors, Twin City Dodge, Academy Chrysler, Dodge Jeep Ram, and G&S Auto Parts). Like dealerships across the country, the ongoing shortage of qualified automotive technicians is one of the greatest challenges they face. The company and the College have partnered to train the next generation of employees.
The Ivy Tech/McGonigal/Button program in the new Automotive Center became the first automotive technician apprenticeship program that allows students to start while still in high school with students from the Kokomo Area Career Center enrolling in 2020. In 2023, the program expanded into the Chariot Automotive Institute based at the Academy dealership on U.S. 31 near Tipton.
CAG also partners with Ivy Tech to support its employees in leadership development opportunities, sales training and other hands-on skill-building programs that be applied toward Ivy Tech certifications and degrees in technology, business management, and sales.
“Ivy Tech’s mission is to serve as an engine of economic development for the State of Indiana,” Heicher noted. “We are incredibly pleased to be working with the Gingerich family and to have earned their support in our initiatives to improve training and upskilling for people throughout the Kokomo Service Area.”
Hearn said she and her brother are proud to continue the legacy of their father and uncle.
“We are committed to serving and supporting our community, just like they were,” she said. “By investing in education, we’re not just building careers – we’re fueling innovation and shaping the future of the automotive industry."
