july2017

178 179 AT A GLANCE THE NAPLETON AUTOMOTIVE GROUP WHAT: An automotive dealership with 32 locations in six states WHERE: Headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois WEBSITE: www.ednapleton.com THE NAPLETON AUTOMOTIVE GROUP SECOND TO NONE SINCE 1931 T he Napleton Automotive Group, with headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, Illi- nois, was founded in 1931, when Edward W. Napleton opened his first automo- tive business on Chicago’s South Side with a $700 loan. “My great-grandfather opened a Buick sub-service station, which was not a full-sized new car dealer- ship, but he was allowed to service Buicks out of there,” says Kristen Napleton, Vice Presi- dent of Corporate Development, and a fourth-generation family member. “Shortly after that, my grandfather opened a DeSoto store where he worked for many years. In 1961, my family found out via a radio announcement, that The Napleton Automotive Group