About Pritchard | Century of Commercial Vehicle Excellence

About us

Over A Century of Excellence

W.S. "Walt" Pritchard began selling automobiles in 1913. Over 112 years later, the company remains owned and operated by 4th and 5th generations of the Pritchard Family.

Pritchard Family Group Photo

1913

Welcome to Pritchard Family Auto Stores, family owned and operated since 1913. Our founder, Walter S. Pritchard, and his wife, Jennie, valued family and community above all else. And Northern Iowa was the community they chose to raise their family and their auto business. The Pritchard Family Auto Stores is a story of five generations who have loved family, community, and the automotive industry.

Today

Since then, the dealership group has expanded to eight North Iowa locations and is continued to be owned and operated by 4th and 5th generation of the Pritchard family. To all of you – our friends, our family, our community, thank you for being part of our story. With special thanks to our extended family of employees, many of who have been with us through multiple generations of their own families! As we celebrate over 110 years of service in the industry, we continue to focus on providing a quality automotive experience from start to finish. We’re committed to our communities and our customers for generations to come!

Pritchard History Collage

Our values

How we work at Pritchard

Our shared values keep us connected and guide us as one team.

Loyalty

For over 100 years, our commitment to the well being of our employees, communities, and customers has remained unwavering.

Relationships

We invest in our people by providing training, education and opportunities to succeed. We go the extra mile for our customers and coworkers. We strive to take ownership of opportunities for improvement in our businesses and in ourselves.

Integrity

Integrity is the foundation of any long-standing company, including our own. Embodied first by our leadership team, we choose to do the right thing at every level of our company.

Work Ethic

We believe old fashioned hard work often separates the good from the great. At Pritchard Family Auto, we go the extra mile for our customers and coworkers, all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Passion

Passion fuels each of the other 5 Core Values. We find passionate people to be more productive, more resourceful, and more fun to work with. Sound like you? You’ll find yourself at home at Pritchard Companies.

Innovation

We strive to take ownership of opportunities for improvement in our businesses and in ourselves. Likewise, our companies are dedicated to investing in employees who take initiative and raise the bar.

Our Purpose

Provide Value, Expertise, and a Seamless Transportation Experience.

We leverage our deep industry expertise and national networks to save our customers time and eliminate transportation headaches.

Our Plan

Build a legacy of trust and excellence.

Over a century of consistent integrity and hard work has earned Pritchard Family Auto trust and respect in the automotive industry. However, we believe legacies can't be rested upon – they must be continually built and maintained. Year after year, we continue to build trust by serving our customers with excellence.

Honors And Awards

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Top Workplaces!

Pritchard's has been honored to receive a number of awards and recognitions, including being named one of Iowa's Top Workplaces! This award is based on employee responses in an anonymous survey about subjects including work-life balance, values, training, communication and leadership.

Employers of Choice

We received the Globe Gazette 'Employers of Choice' award, nominated by employees and voted on by community leaders. We also received Readers' Choice Awards for Best Auto Service, Best New Car Dealer, Best Truck Dealer and Best Used Car Dealer.

CarGurus

CarGurus recognized us with a Top-Rated Dealer Award, based on consumer reviews left on CarGurus. We value this award, because it comes directly from our customers!

Ford Hometown Hero Award

Our CEO, Joe Pritchard, received the Ford Hometown Hero Award. The award recognizes the 'best of the best' dealers for their outstanding commitment to customers, community and employees.

Business of the Year

We received the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce 'Business of the Year' award, given to companies who demonstrate outstanding service in a professional field while striving for improvements to the community.