ALTUS — The Billingsley family, long known for its southwest Oklahoma auto dealerships and community leadership, spread its wings into Altus earlier this summer.
The family bought the former Wilmes Ford dealership, which allowed Billingsley to expand its footprint into southwest Oklahoma with dealerships in Lawton, Duncan, Ardmore and Altus.
“The Altus location perfectly fits the Billingsley brand in that it is a single-point Ford area, about 30-45 miles from the Texas border and expands our service area further into southwest Oklahoma,” said Janie Billingsley, chief marketing officer for the company. “We now serve south central Oklahoma and west to the Texas border.”
Since closing the deal on June 30, the Billingsley family has received positive comments and reaction from Altus residents.
“Everyone seems to love that we are a family-owned and managed dealership. We have had so many residents from the Altus area reach out to welcome us into their community and we look forward to meeting many more,” Janie Billingsley said. “This was a location we desired for some time, and they (Wilmes brothers) decided it was time” to sell.
Altus had the correct demographics for the move, including a university, hospital and military base which is identical to Lawton where Billingsley has operated for years.
“It just fit our wheelhouse,” Janie Billingsley said. “We did a hard study on it. It helped us complete that area of southwest Oklahoma.”
Altus City Manager Gary Jones said he’s happy the Billingsley family has come to the city.
“It’s good to have vibrant dealerships like we do,” he said. “Billingsley is a strong supporter of southwest Oklahoma. I’m glad we were able to maintain the Ford dealership.”
Billingsley’s most recent expansion may not be their last.
“We are always interested in an expansion if the demographics and communities align with our business model. Being in a particular state does not limit us in our purchases,” Janie Billingsley said.
Although the Billingsley lots are not at pre-pandemic inventory levels, their vehicle sales “remain very strong and the service departments remain very busy. Altus has certainly been no exception,” she said.
Annual sales have grown and have hit the $200 million level at Billingsley while the auto dealerships employ 250 people.
Travis Billingsley opened his first dealership in Lufkin, Texas, in 1963. Auto sales became a family tradition when sons Mike Billingsley and Craig Billingsley joined the company after graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1979 and 1984, respectively. Mike and Craig are now co-owners of Billingsley Family of Dealerships.
The family business legacy continues for its third generation as Sabra Billingsley and Travis Wright excel in the insurance industry. Sabra, daughter of Craig and Janie Billingsley, earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and is an agent of Billingsley Insurance Group in Lawton. Wright, Sabra’s cousin, is an agent in Ardmore.
Grannon, Craig and Janie Billingsley’s son, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and is a graduate of the highly acclaimed NADA Dealer Academy. He currently serves as the general manager of Billingsley Hyundai of Lawton.
Exceptional customer service are not just words at Billingsley Ford, which is a two-time recipient of the most coveted Chairman’s Award and a multi-time recipient of the prestigious President’s Award. Receiving the first award in 1996, Billingsley Ford was one of only 114 of the nation’s more than 5,000 Ford dealerships nationwide, to be honored.