Daniel DeMersseman | The Valdosta Daily TimesAdam Smith, Matt Webb and Mykie Branham are service advisors at Prince Automotive of Valdosta.

VALDOSTA — It was a phone call Jay Prince was expecting.

Jay’s father, John B. Prince III, wanted him to join the family business. Jay was living in Atlanta and working as a certified public accountant.

Jay’s father had bought Valdosta Chevrolet. It was Jay’s job to turn it into Prince Automotive of Valdosta.

He had never worked as a general manager before but said his accounting experience helped.

“It took a while. Those first two years were a blur. I was working 60-70 hours a week. That’s about all I did,” he said.

Jay Prince also comes from a long line of car dealers. He was born John B. Prince IV in Tifton.

John B. Prince Jr., his grandfather, owned a dealership in South Carolina. When he died, Jay’s grandmother moved back to her hometown in Nashville.

Jay Prince’s father followed and opened Prince Automotive of Tifton. Jay’s father was 24.

“They won’t let you do that anymore,” Jay said of his father becoming a dealer at such a young age.

Prince celebrated its 50-year anniversary last year.

Through the years, Prince Automotive Group has expanded into Valdosta, Albany and Douglas, including a small used car lot on U.S. Highway 84.

Prince expanded its primary Valdosta store in 2015. The facility nearly doubled the capacity of its former service department, including 11 additional service stalls and air-conditioning.

Jay Prince became Georgia Automobile Dealers Association chairman for 2017-18 in July. His father served as chair from 1980-81.

Along the way, Jay Prince has served as GADA secretary, treasurer and convention committee chairman.

As chair, Jay Prince presides over hundreds of car dealerships all over Georgia. GADA’s primary functions include lobbying for the Georgia car industry in Congress and conducting community service projects, he said.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to give back to the industry that’s been so good to us,” he said.

Jay Prince is vice president of Prince Automotive Group but his primary responsibility involves running the Valdosta dealerships.

“The good thing about being our size is we get to see what works at our other dealerships. We do allow our dealers to make some of their own decisions. We have over 1,000 vehicles to choose from,” he said.

Jay Prince has served as chair of the Greater Valdosta United Way board and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. He has also served on the First State Bank and Trust board, Lowndes Associated Ministries to People board and the Azalea City Kiwanis Club, among others.

Jay Prince was named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2010.

The chamber has awarded Prince Automotive small business of the year and Cox Enterprises named Prince Automotive Georgia’s 2004 Family Business of the Year. Prince Automotive of Valdosta, Tifton and Albany regularly win a category of Best of South Georgia in The Valdosta Daily Times.

Prince Automotive Group has also been named to the University of Georgia’s Bulldog 100 three different years for being one of Georgia’s fastest growing businesses.

Prince Automotive of Valdosta is located at 4450 North Valdosta Road.

The service and parts department is open 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Sales is open 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays.

Sales can be reached by phone at (866) 560-9556; service and parts: (866) 567-4746.