Trustee Spotlight
Douglas McDonald is CEO and Chairman of the Board of McDonald Automotive Group, a family, privately owned group of six dealerships and collision center in Littleton, Colorado. He is a second generation auto dealer and has seen his family-owned and operated business grow tremendously in the last 52 years.
Born and raised in the automotive lifestyle, he followed in his father's footsteps and shared his family's passion and devotion to the automotive industry. His father started selling Dodge automobiles in 1926 and then moved the family to Roswell, New Mexico in 1949. In 1958, the family was awarded the second Volkswagen franchise in New Mexico.
Studying for a geology degree at the time at Oklahoma University, he decided to switch to a business degree with a vision of owning a Volkswagen business. In 1964, he and his father were awarded the third Volkswagen franchise in Denver, Colorado. That VW store has grown from one new car franchise, to six — VW, Volvo, two Mazda stores, Audi and Hyundai.
Don graduated in 1961 from Oklahoma University with a B.B.A. where he met his wife, Linda, who graduated with a B.A. They married in 1960 and have five adult sons. They are grandparents to eighteen wonderful grandchildren.
He has represented his industry locally by serving as the Chairman of the Board, Vice Chairman and District Director of the Colorado Auto Dealers Association; nationally served twice as the Chairman of the U.S. Volkswagen Dealer Council; Time Magazine, in cooperation with the National Automobile Dealers Association, awarded him the 1991 Quality Dealer Award for Colorado; past president of the Arapahoe Kiwanis Club; and past president of the Green Oaks Home Owners Association; Board of Regents Colorado Christian University and Board Member of Orchard Road Christian Center and Marilyn Hickey Ministries.
In 1982, Doug and Linda joined Happy Church — Orchard Road Christian Center. They taught a premarital class at the church for six years. For the past 25 years, they have traveled with Marilyn Hickey on missionary trips to China, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, India, Argentina and Brazil.