Building a Legacy One Partnership at a Time

COVER STORY | By M.G. Angulo  | Photography by Nesossi Studios –

200-strongWhen Ron Ewer purchased the former long-standing Dub Miller Ford automobile dealership on Highway 59 in Rosenberg and opened his own dealership — Legacy Ford — in November 2005, a new era began in Fort Bend County.

Ewer had a clear vision for the solid foundation he wanted to build in Fort Bend, and in the past 10 years, he’s meticulously transformed his vision into a reality. One might say Ewer has created a Legacy of service, both to his customers and to his community.  Even after he acquired the 62,000-square-foot, $6.5 million building that featured a Quick Lane service center, a café and a large waiting area featuring two VIP lounges, Ewer took a step further and provided employment for the entire prior workforce of Dub Miller, thereby opening up job opportunities in Fort Bend.

Legacy Ford’s longstanding employees  Gene Hoot, Gilbert Galvan, Francisco Rauda, Tammy Pirring, Ron Ewer and Ronnie Basham.

Legacy Ford’s longstanding employees Gene Hoot, Gilbert Galvan, Francisco Rauda, Tammy Pirring, Ron Ewer and Ronnie Basham.

Ewer’s goal was simple: To create an extended family at Legacy Ford, one that would build tight connections to the community and maintain the traditions of the area. Ten years later, Ewer has clearly achieved his goal.

Today, Ewer is even more ambitious than his 29-year-old self who worked his way from cleaning cars at a dealership in Dallas, Texas to working in the finance department of that particular dealership. He’s also wiser and more experienced than he was when he moved to Houston, Texas in 1997 to open the Planet Ford dealership, which he ultimately became partner of in 2000 and built into the largest Ford dealership in the nation. Ewer’s ambitions only grew when he sold his interest in Randall Reed Ford and Planet Ford and branched out on his own to open Legacy Ford.

Legacy Ford’s leadership team:  Tony Storie, Salvador Travino, Patrick Sexton, Robert Rappaccioli, Jason Lucas, Brad Johnson and Ron Ewer.

Legacy Ford’s leadership team: Tony Storie, Salvador Travino, Patrick Sexton, Robert Rappaccioli, Jason Lucas, Brad Johnson and Ron Ewer.

In 2011, Ewer expanded Legacy Ford with a 15,000-square-foot body shop and 10 service bays featuring the latest in technology in efforts to provide a higher-quality work at a faster pace, and when the customer shopping trend began to change from visiting the dealership to pursuing deals online, Legacy Ford met its customers on the World Wide Web. Not only did the dealership begin posting prices and photos of its vehicles online, it also created an app for Apple and Android users giving them the ability to shop whether they were at home or not.

Customers are always the focus of every one of Ewer’s decisions, and because of that, Legacy Ford has been named a four-time winner of the Ford Motor Company’s Presidents Award — a prestigious award, which is based upon outstanding customer feedback. Legacy Ford has earned the Top 100 Ford Dealerships award six times, and starting in 2010, it was honored as the state’s only Motor Trend Certified Advantage Dealer. In 2010, Ewer was awarded Business Person of the Year by the Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance.

More Than Just a Dealership

Ron and Juliana Ewer.

Ron and Juliana Ewer.

The legacy Ewer built isn’t based solely on recognition from selling high-quality vehicles and offering superior services.  He was determined to stand for something more profound as any good businessman does, and to say the least, Fort Bend has benefited greatly from Ewer’s determinations.

Former Rosenberg Mayor Vincent Morales said Legacy Ford deserves credit for enhancing the economy in Rosenberg. “During my four years as Mayor, we saw Legacy Ford grow its customer base with its marketing outside of just Rosenberg,” Morales said. “Targeting customers in other surrounding communities brought awareness to what Rosenberg had to offer in shopping, dining and living options. This attraction of customers that may never have come to Rosenberg otherwise added to our economy, along with possible consideration of relocating just for what Rosenberg had to offer. We appreciate not only the impact Legacy Ford had on our economy but their generous investment back into the community making it a better place for all.”

A Trusted Partner

Legacy Ford’s service and body shop team members Ron Ewer, Alicia Rodriguez, Thomas Hlavinka, Gerald Powell, Eric Munson and Patrick Sexton.

Legacy Ford’s service and body shop team members Ron Ewer, Alicia Rodriguez, Thomas Hlavinka, Gerald Powell, Eric Munson and Patrick Sexton.

Legacy Ford is more than a family-owned community dealership; it has grown into a symbol of trust and support for Richmond, Rosenberg, Sugar Land and all surrounding communities and has become one of the most trusted business partners for nonprofits, school districts and charities. Each year, the dealership donates more than $130,000 to over a dozen nonprofits in Fort Bend, and its employees volunteer at almost all of those nonprofits during work and personal time.

“Legacy Ford strives to be involved in long-term relationships with the community, and not simply a donor there to toss money around and disappear tomorrow,” said Ewer. “Legacy is here to provide financial support, but we are also here to be involved and continue to support on many levels.”

Ron Ewer, Jennifer Leonetti and Omar Mata at Ridge Point High School’s 2015 homecoming game. Each year, the purple jacket members gather on the field to crown the homecoming royalty, a tradition that began with Ewer in 2012.

Ron Ewer, Jennifer Leonetti and Omar Mata at Ridge Point High School’s 2015 homecoming game. Each year, the purple jacket members gather on the field to crown the homecoming royalty, a tradition that began with Ewer in 2012.

From abused children and senior citizens to local students and the disabled, Legacy Ford has found ways to improve lives throughout Fort Bend in a big way. Supporting schools and youth has been an important part of Ewer’s Legacy. Not only did Legacy Ford enter into a long-term partnership with Lamar Consolidated ISD and construct the district’s marquee, it also sponsored a new score board for Needville ISD’s high school. In 2010, the dealership raised thousands of dollars for Foster High School programs, simply because Ewer felt the struggling economy was making school fundraising hard, and school programs shouldn’t suffer because of tough times.

As residents of Sienna Plantation, the Ewer family has served as a 10  year sponsor of youth sports in the community, and they were among the first to step up and support Sienna’s new high school: Ridge Point High School. Ewer was the first honoree in the Purple Jacket Team, and Legacy participated as the fireworks sponsor. Juliana is currently serving in her fifth year as the Panther Pride Booster Ball Chair raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school, and she served four years as the team mom for the Ridge Point High School Varsity Swim Team. Legacy has also entered into a 10 year agreement with Sienna Plantation LID and has pitched six scoreboards in Sienna fields.

Two years later, Legacy did the same thing for George Ranch High School, and when the Lamar Consolidated High School Band announced it was invited to play at Carnegie Hall but had many students who were having a tough time raising the money to participate, Legacy Ford swooped in again by joining with various community partners to host a band benefit. Ewer personally took calls at the dealership from anyone who wanted to help with the fundraiser, which was held in the Legacy showroom. “Being involved with the community and to support Fort Bend County has been a top priority for Legacy Ford since day one,” Ewer said.

Amy Crane, Patrick Sexton, Ron Ewer and Wesley Kocian at Texana Center’s space-themed Reaching for the Stars Gala.

Amy Crane, Patrick Sexton, Ron Ewer and Wesley Kocian at Texana Center’s space-themed Reaching for the Stars Gala.

This past summer, Legacy Ford was awarded the Frank M. Adams Community Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. The award is given to a company that distinguishes themselves as people who love, care and show compassion for people with intellectual disabilities. Legacy earned this award through its partnership with the Texana Center, a nonprofit organization that provides behavioral health care and developmental disabilities services, where the dealership also leads on the center’s Community Advisory Board.

In the past six years, Legacy has sponsored and attended scores of Texana events, hosted events in its showroom to benefit the center and has employed Texana clients. During his speech at the Texas Council on Community Centers’ Annual Conference in Houston, which is where Legacy was given this award, CEO of Texana Center George Patterson expressed his gratitude for the Legacy Ford attitude and his board member, Ron Ewer.

“Nominating Legacy Ford for this award is just a small way in which we and all of the Texas Community Centers can say thank you,” said Patterson. “I can think of no other company that deserves this award more than Legacy Ford. We hope that our community partnership will continue for many years to come.”

Fort Bend Child Advocates, the American Red Cross-Greater Houston Chapter, the Fort Bend Women’s Center, Arc of Fort Bend, the Fort Bend Hispanic Heritage Forum, Fort Bend Rainbow Room, the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Rosenberg Police Department can also attest to the support Legacy Ford has offered over the years.

Ron Ewer and Patrick Sexton delivering meals to  a client of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.

Ron Ewer and Patrick Sexton delivering meals to
a client of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.

Legacy also contributes to the Rosenberg/Richmond Girls Softball Association and the Rosenberg National Little League Association, and since 2009, Legacy has hosted a donation drive for the community that benefits the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Chances are if there is a community fundraiser happening, Legacy Ford is a sponsor.

There just aren’t many businesses like Legacy Ford, said Manuela Arroyos, CEO of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, which has partnered with Legacy Ford for years. In addition to donating vehicles to the nonprofit to deliver meals, Legacy Ford also serves in leadership positions on the nonprofit’s board and the dealership’s employees have delivered meals themselves. “Our partnership with Legacy Ford goes beyond what most business partners do,” Arroyos said.

And partnerships describes not only their community support, but Legacy Ford’s team.  Since joining the Legacy team, General Manager Patrick Sexton, wife Emma and family have supported the Ewer’s vision every step of the way. “Patrick is a partner who has made it possible to do everything we have done,” said Ewer.  “He and his family are very involved in our community outreach, and he shares our vision at Legacy.”

Symbol for Success

The Ewer men: Brandon, Ron and Cameron.

The Ewer men: Brandon, Ron and Cameron.

Aside from the financial and community-strengthening impact Legacy Ford has had on the Fort Bend community, Legacy has been a symbol of business done the right way. Former Rosenberg Mayor Joe Gurecky (1999-2011) has witnessed Legacy’s impact on the community from the very beginning. “When Ron arrived in Rosenberg, he immediately began building long-term relationships with not only his customers but with important organizations in our community,” said Gurecky. “As a business leader, he has used his skills to better Rosenberg by serving in many leadership roles. Ron is definitely a role model for businesses in our community, and we are proud that he chose Rosenberg to build a legacy we can all appreciate.”

“I believe to be a successful businessman, as well as a husband and father, you must always have time for what you put first,” Ewer said. Priorities, like his family, always get Ewer’s devotion. He’s been married to his wife Juliana for 20 years and both of them volunteer at various organizations throughout Fort Bend. The couple has two teenage boys, who spend plenty of time with their father hunting, playing sports and traveling. Brandon is a swimmer at Rider University in New Jersey, and Cameron is a junior at Ridge Point High School.

“My goal,” Ewer said, “is to have a healthy balance and never neglect my family or my community in the pursuit of success.”

The first 10 years of Legacy Ford can definitely be called a success, but what do the next 10 years bring for this business steeped in the traditional values of community and family? “We will continue to do what we have done and increase our reach to help even more organizations and individuals in Fort Bend,” said Ewer. “I feel that we have learned what works and what doesn’t work, and I hope that our community will continue in their support so we can continue to pay it forward.”


200-strongCelebrating 10 Years Strong

To celebrate a decade’s worth of service to the community and its presence in Fort Bend, Legacy Ford owners Ron and Juliana Ewer and General Manager Patrick Sexton and wife Emma have invited the public to join them at an anniversary celebration at Legacy Ford, located at 27225 Southwest Freeway in Rosenberg on Friday, November 20th at 5:30 pm.

Aside from the free food and drinks at this community-wide celebration, Legacy Ford will give away a new Ford Mustang and donate $10,000 to a Fort Bend nonprofit.  To register to win the Mustang, visit www.legacyfordtx.com, email elucas@legacyfordtx.com or connect with Legacy Ford on social media.

The $10,000 donation is open to all Fort Bend 501(c)(3) nonprofits. A committee will vote on applications and a representative of the nonprofit must be present at the event to win. The funds must also stay in Fort Bend County.

For more information about Legacy Ford’s “Ten Years Strong” celebration or to obtain an application for the $10,000 giveaway, contact Eloise Lucas at elucas@legacyfordtx.com.