About Donald Foss
Donald Foss was an American entrepreneur and business development professional who served as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Credit Acceptance, a leading subprime car finance company. Donald’s legacy in the automobile industry spans 55 years and began in 1967 when he opened his first car lot in Detroit where he sold primarily to customers who did not quality for more traditional financing. Donald quickly became known within the industry for his innovative business model which would empower him to become one of the world’s largest used car dealers. Donald founded Credit Acceptance in 1972 and, under his leadership, the company grew into one of the natin’s largest subprime auto lenders providing auto loans and supplementary financial products well known for its innovative approach to business. Donald Foss served as CEO until 2002 and was Chairman of the Board until his retirement in 2017.
Donald Foss has been recognized for his contributions to the auto industry and personal philanthropy through a variety of awards over the course of his career. A few include the Entrepreneur Shares Global 400 leadership Award (2010), Lifetime Achievement Award from Metro Detroit Chapter of the Michigan NIADA (2003), and Innovative CEO in the Top Small Companies in America issue of Forbes (1996). Donald was also a proponent of giving back to his community through scholarships and additional opportunities and created the Don Foss Annual Scholarship in 1998 and the Don Foss Endowed Scholarship in 2015 to provide over 600 students with scholarships as they pursued automotive careers at Northwood University.
Colleagues of Donald Foss uphold that he was a professional who led by example. Don spoke to the important responsibility leaders and executives have to contribute positively to their fields and the next generation of talent and dedicated his career to creating an automotive landscape where individuals of all walks of life could flourish. Don’s keen attention to detail, person-first approach to business, and ability to lead teams ready to surmount any challenge or obstacle stand out as reasons he has built such a lasting reputation within his industry. Those who have worked with him note that professionals like Donald Foss do more than adapt to their areas of expertise, they impact the trajectory of their industry through their tenacity, innovation, and commitment to excellence.
What to Expect from Donald-Foss.com
Donald-Foss.com is a resource for learning more about the life, legacy, and contributions of successful entrepreneur and business development professional Don Foss. Those who have worked with Donald or had the privilege to know him in his personal life maintain that he was an individual who cared greatly about his industry and the people that make up his community. To this end, this website aims to provide readers with a more complete understanding of the philosophies, insights, expertise, and legacy of Don Foss that truly set him apart from others. Below are a few of the types of content that readers can expect from future content inspired by Donald Foss’s life and legacy.
Biographical Information
While many know bits and pieces about Donald Foss, Don’s colleagues and loved ones acknowledge that there is much more to the man than a simple search can possibly provide. Readers can expect that future content will comprehensively explore the life and legacy of Donald Foss. This includes everything from his life before becoming a successful businessman, the steps that he took to contribute to innovation within the automotive industry, information on some of Don’s interests, and more. Through these posts, Donald-Foss.com hopes to show readers a bit more about the man and his mission.
Professional Insights
Donald Foss was well known for his profound ability to lead both new and experienced professionals to success within the competitive automotive industry. While Don may no longer be with us, his various insights and missions live on and continue to inspire individuals within the automotive space to reach new heights. Donald-Foss.com will, therefore, include a variety of content that explores Donald’s interest in positively contributing to the automotive industry that may be valuable to existing professionals. This includes inside looks at some of Donald’s most prolific contributions to the industry, information on some of the missions and philosophies Don lived by in professional circles, and more.
Charitable/Scholarship Resources
During his time as a professional, Donald Foss was a major supporter of giving back and continuously donated through charitable endeavors and scholarship resources for students. Future content will explore a few of Donald’s charitable endeavors over the years as well as include insights on his mission to create a more accessible and inclusive automotive landscape for students and young professionals. Content will also feature information from Donald’s charity foundation and future plans for the organization to better support individuals in need within the Detroit community and beyond.
More from Donald Foss’s Memorial Page
Donald Foss’s loved colleagues, peers, and loved ones acknowledge that he was a professional who embodied everything a great leader should stand for throughout all of his endeavors. They realize that there may be individuals interested in learning more about Don’s legacy and will use this site as a resource for sharing comprehensive insights on his life, career, and interest in giving back to the community. Future posts will include topics such as Don’s biography, information on the early stages of Donald Foss’s career, scholarship information, and more.
Interested in learning more about the legacy of Donald Foss and more? Tune in to this site for frequent posts inspired by the life and career of Don Foss.