Growing up on a farm, Jim Ellis was no stranger to hard work long before the founding of Jim Ellis Hyundai. He also simultaneously held down a milk and paper route, opened a concessions business at Grant Park, toiled at construction jobs, and ran a laundry route – quite the entrepreneur! By the time Mr. Ellis completed his general management degrees at West Georgia College and Georgia State University in 1957, he had also worked in real estate and as a prison guard, site foreman, and insurance and IBM salesman, along with various other jobs.
After serving two years in the U.S. Army, Mr. Ellis used his management knowledge and collegiate education to create his place in the automobile business, beginning with General Motors in 1960. During his tenure at General Motors, Jim was asked to relocate to the company's headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. Instead, he chose to continue raising his family in Georgia, and in 1965, Jim was hired at Chris Motors Volkswagen in Decatur.
In 1970, Jim Ellis and his wife, Billie, had an opportunity to establish their very own automobile dealership. They took the biggest financial plunge of their lives, sold several of their assets, used all their savings, cashed in Billie's retirement fund from over 15 years at Georgia Tech, and borrowed the balance to begin Jim Ellis Volkswagen in 1971.
This significant business risk paid immense dividends. Jim Ellis Volkswagen became a growing, thriving business over the following years. It expanded into a network of dealerships now known as Jim Ellis Automotive Group, and, as a result, the Ellis family has been able to offer employment to thousands of Atlanta residents while building a stable business for future generations of their own family to eventually manage.
The notion of family is ingrained in the culture of Jim Ellis Automotive Group. Jim Ellis was active in the oversight and management of Jim Ellis Automotive Group up until 2015. At that point, he stepped back and handed the reins to his son, Jimmy. With an appetite for expansion, Jimmy continued the legacy of his father and nearly doubled the size of the company in both dealerships and team members during his seven-year tenure as president and CEO.
Sadly, the company lost both its founder and CEO in late 2022, when Jim and Jimmy Ellis passed away. These unexpected losses spurred several family members – most of whom were already active in the automotive group – to step into new or expanded leadership roles within the company. For example, Jim's daughters, Karen Ellis Black and Kristi Ellis Cohron, both became corporate officers.
Third-generation family members also moved into leadership, including Wes Ellis (son of Jimmy Ellis), who became company president and CEO, Stacey Ellis Hodges (daughter of Jimmy Ellis), who now serves as Vice President of Group Support Operations and Corporate Directors, and Brooke Ellis Gatlin (daughter of Karen Ellis Black), who currently holds the title of Vice President of Human Resources.
The Ellis family even has a few fourth-generation family members who have entered the workforce at Jim Ellis Automotive Group. Brooke Gatlin's two children, Tyler and Ivie, both currently hold positions within the dealership network. Ivie completed a degree in business management and now works at Jim Ellis Volkswagen of Chamblee as a service advisor. Tyler completed sales training and is now a sales consultant at Jim Ellis Ford Sandy Springs.
Additional fourth-generation family members are likely to start careers in the organization their great-grandfather founded after completing their education. Extended Ellis family members like Jim Ellis' niece, Mickey Patterson, and her son, Andrew Roper, can also be found working within the company.
The key to every Jim Ellis Automotive Group success story is that our family-owned business follows a simple selling philosophy: Treat every customer like they're one of us. This commitment to serving our community as family members has become known as "The Jim Ellis Promise."
The Jim Ellis Promise is simply a way of emphasizing the higher level of service our customers can expect at any of our Georgia dealerships. When you choose Jim Ellis for your automotive needs, you'll meet team members who greet each customer with warm welcomes, strive to perform their jobs with precision, and respect each client's valuable time.
These guiding principles were a natural part of Jim Ellis's personality, and they have developed into a written business philosophy. Current and future generations of the Ellis family practice the Jim Ellis Promise daily to pay homage to their founder and provide the best possible auto care.
As of 2026, Jim Ellis Automotive Group has been in business for 55 years. During this time, the company has expanded from one flagship Volkswagen dealership in Chamblee to 22 dealerships, a collision center, a service center, and a commercial van center. Our locations now include Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw, McDonough, Marietta, Newnan, Sandy Springs, South Fulton, Union City, and Woodstock.
The Ellis family credits their thousands of loyal customers and hardworking staff for the company's many years of success and growth. Many things have changed over the past half-century, but Jim Ellis Automotive Group has held unwaveringly to its values and the customers it serves.
Jim Ellis Automotive Group is the largest family-owned and -operated auto network in Georgia. Recently, we added a CDJR store to our group! We have earned the Consumer Choice Award for business excellence for 23 consecutive years, and we currently employ over 1,700 team members and represent 21 iconic brands: Alfa Romeo, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ram, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.
The concept of giving back is something that Jim and Billie instilled in their children, and this core principle has carried on from generation to generation to become part of the Jim Ellis Automotive Group DNA. Through the Jim and Billie Ellis Foundation, the company has donated over $50 million to local organizations, and we're proud to keep that legacy going.
Each year, Jim Ellis Automotive Group raises money to support local organizations that help underprivileged children and women in need. One of our most popular fundraisers is our annual Holiday Giving Campaign. We receive nearly $65,000 per year from generous donors across Georgia, and the charities supported with these funds include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, the Empty Stocking Fund, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the Atlanta Children's Shelter, and MUST Ministries.
Whether it's donating to child education programs, supporting first responders, teachers, and women, filling local food banks, or helping organizations that provide shelter for the unhoused, Jim Ellis Automotive Group is dedicated to serving those in need.
Jim Ellis Hyundai is your local Jim Ellis Automotive Group dealership in Atlanta, GA. From the moment you walk through our doors, we hope you'll feel at home. Although we're extremely proud of our company's last 55 years of business, our sights are set on the future and how we can continually make the process of buying, selling, and servicing vehicles easier for our customers.
If you're curious about our stock of Hyundai vehicles, lineup favorites include the Elantra Hybrid for its commuter-conscious mileage, the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid for its gas and electric powertrain combination, and the IONIQ 5, one of our award-winning Hyundai electric vehicles that feels far more luxurious than its price tag. We'd love to welcome you into the Jim Ellis Hyundai showroom; stop by to tour our gorgeous gas, hybrid, and Hyundai electrified inventory.
We also make it a point to offer our best possible incentives, whether you're leasing or financing. We post our current Hyundai special offers online, but feel free to reach out to anyone on the Jim Ellis Hyundai team with questions. Our dealership works daily to abide by the Jim Ellis Promise, and we hope to see you soon so you can experience the difference for yourself.
Even as we look to the future, we're also celebrating our past and everyone who played a role in our success along the way. We are truly blessed and humbled to be part of the fabric of so many Georgia towns, and we sincerely thank you for learning more about our story. If you haven't yet, we hope you'll give Jim Ellis Automotive the opportunity to earn your business. Over 55 years of excellence – and we're just getting started!
