A graduate of the College of Business, David Ferri ’22 serves as the sales manager for Gunther Volkswagen and Gunther Volvo of Delray Beach. A dedicated, self-starter, Ferri began his career with Gunther during his freshman year at Florida Atlantic, juggling 60-70 hour work weeks with his college studies.
Ferri spoke about his experiences, and how Florida Atlantic helped guide him to early career success.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you get involved with the dealership early on at Florida Atlantic?
David: I needed to find a way to pay through school. I noticed that in high school, a lot of people were driving Volkswagens, so I went to my local Volkswagen dealership and came in there with my resume in hand.
I didn’t call ahead. I just walked into the dealership, asked for the manager, then said, ‘Hi, my name is David, and I would like to apply.’ It really was just me walking into the opportunity. They interviewed me, and the manager at the time said, ‘I really can’t make a hire at the current moment due to your schedule,’ saying that I would have to come in later.
I met with Mr. Gunther, himself, who then created a custom schedule that they’ve never done in the 50 years of the company to allow me to work through college. Thankfully, Florida Atlantic offered early morning classes, so I could go to class in the morning and then go to work at night. I was working about 60-70 hours a week.
I remember one night, I stayed in there until 2 a.m. I had to deliver the car and paperwork to the customer who lived in in Miami to make the deal, because that’s how I paid for my schoolbooks. That’s how I paid for everything, so I was extremely dedicated. I started off as a salesman, and then over the eight years, ended up running the dealership now.
How do you think Florida Atlantic set you up for success?
David: I actually use the management skills and techniques that I learned in class. I remember my professor giving one example: “If you’re working with a coworker and they’re being competitive, how do you manage that?” I actually ended up using that in real world situations, because at the time, I was working with coworkers that were double, triple my age, so to be able to use those management skills was phenomenal.
Also, Volkswagen rolled out electric vehicles. I took a tax class at Florida Atlantic, and I used what I learned about tax regulations in sales, because you get a tax credit when you buy an EV. I learned that in college and it helped me sell EVs, because I was able to say ‘Hey, this is going to help you, and this is what I learned in school.’
What’s your favorite part of your job?
David: Being able to work with a team, because I used to be that team member, and now I get to help lead the team. I really see it that ‘we’re all a team’, and without my sales guys, I have nothing. I learned that philosophy in school as well. It really helped, because I’ve watched managers fail because they didn’t see themselves as a team player. I truly do like being a part of a team and help guide them to success.
