The Colbourne Auto Group was founded by Rodney Colbourne two and a half years ago when he purchased pre-existing Ford and Chrysler dealerships in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Since then Colbourne Auto has added a used car dealership called Colbourne Station to round out the offering. 

Six months after the purchase, Colbourne recruited Brad Jacobs from the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation to join the Group as General Manager. Jacobs had worked in the charitable sector for 21 years, serving as CEO of the Foundation for the past eight. 

                        Brad Jacobs, GM Colbourne Auto Group

“I had built a relationship with Rodney through the Foundation, as he and OTS were very generous supporters,” said Jacobs. “That led to an opportunity to jump on board at Colbourne Auto and it was something I had always wanted to do - to apply my skills and leadership experience in the private sector."

Jacobs' introduction to the auto industry was anything but standard, as it coincided with the start of the COVID pandemic, and the resulting lockdown and supply chain disruptions. However, starting up a new business while dealing with these challenges may have yielded benefits to Colbourne Auto Group in the long run. 

“Being a fairly new business, we were starting with a clean slate," said Jacobs. "As we were developing our systems and processes, we were adapting to the pandemic at the same time. I think it’s made us stronger and more flexible, which will help us be successful in whatever the next phase of the auto industry looks like.”

Although Colbourne Auto Group is approaching its third anniversary and represents brands with a long history, Jacobs still thinks of the company as a startup.

“Because of the pandemic, nothing has been normal in the industry or in the world for the past two years,” said Jacobs. “We are still learning every day and I believe that our openness to change will enable Colbourne Auto to better serve our customers and grow into the future.”

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