Allan Vigil

is more than just the president and a successful owner of two local Ford

dealerships, he is also now a member of The University System of Georgia's

Board of Regents. Vigil was appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue and is looking

forward to the position.

"It's

a pretty interesting position and a good group of people," said Vigil,

who was sworn in last week. "I'm familiar with some of what they

do, but I'm going to have a lot of homework."

The Board oversees

two state colleges, 13 two-year colleges, 13 state universities, two regional

universities and four research universities in the state. The Board of

Regents is composed of 18 members who serve a term of seven years.

Though Vigil

is new to the Board of Regents, he does have experience in community service.

Not only has he served on both the Clayton County Chamber of Commerce

and the President's Roundtable of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce,

of which he has been a member since 1990, but he has also served on the

Board of Trustees for the Clayton College and State University Foundation

for the last 20 years. Vigil has also served on the Department of Public

Safety for two years.

While his work

with these organizations has earned him respect in the community, his

work with his dealerships has earned his the respect of his employees

and his customers. In fact, Vigil credits a large part of his success

to the loyalty of his staff.

"I've

been real fortunate in the fact that good people have stayed with me,"

said Vigil. "I gave them the opportunity to do what they do best."

Vigil began

working for the Ford dealership, formerly located on Tara Boulevard, in

1973. In 1982, he became the dealer and by 1990 he bought it outright.

As the dealership grew, it became apparent that they were landlocked and

had little room to expand.

He bought the

land at the current location on Mt. Zion Boulevard and started with the

body shop, followed by the new building. It has been open since March

and Vigil couldn't be happier with the way things have gone since then.

"We built

this facility for the long run," said Vigil. "We asked ourselves

what a great facility for employees and customers would be like. If employees

are happy, the customers are happy. It has been a great experience and

we're looking forward to having this first-class facility for years to

come."

Around the

time that the Mt. Zion Boulevard site opened, Vigil purchased the dealership

formerly known as Carolyn Ford in Fayetteville. This new dealership has

given Vigil a chance to have some long-time employees move up to management

positions. All in all, 20 employees have received the opportunity to advance.

"There

is not a lot of turnover here," explained Vigil. "A lot of these

people have been here a long time. We like to promote from within and

this worked out real well."

Before entering

the world of automotive sales, Vigil grew up in Tampa and attended the

University of Florida where he earned a B.A. in business administration.

After college, he enlisted in the Army, where he earned the rank of first

lieutenant and served as a transportation officer. For his service, Vigil

was awarded the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal.

After leaving

the Army, Vigil moved to Atlanta and has been in the area ever since.

He lived for a number of years in Fayette County with his wife, Bonnie,

and his children, Dawn and Michael. Vigil is building a house in Eagle's

Landing and will soon be a Henry County resident.

Vigil has led

an interesting life so far and the photos on the wall of his office prove

it. There are three sections of photos, many of them autographed, featuring

sports stars, racing stars and political figures and celebrities. Among

the racing memorabilia are photos and plaques with Vigil's friend Bill

Elliot.

When asked

if he has any other favorite pictures, Vigil states he is particularly

proud of his photo with General Norman Schwarzkopf, with who he has had

several conversations with over the years.

"I really

think Gen. Schwarzkopf did a lot to change the American public's perception

towards people in the service," said Vigil.

Vigil's Mt.

Zion dealership is one of the top 50 in the country and has won Ford Motor

Company's Triple Crown Award the past two years. Vigil was also the Businessman

of the Year in 2001 for the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

For now, Vigil

is looking forward to working with the Board of Regents and is also excited

about the new product cycle at Ford, especially the new F-150 coming this

fall. Add the upcoming college football season and the end of the NASCAR

season to the mix and there is a lot to be excited about.