Jesse Schuchard
Managing partner and general manager
Eide Ford-Lincoln

• Years in automotive retail: 14
• First auto retail job: Sales consultant, Eide Ford-Lincoln, 2012

Jesse Schuchard didn’t grow up in the dealership business. In fact, when his then-fiancée suggested he apply at Eide Ford-Lincoln in Bismarck, N.D., in 2012, his first reaction was that he didn’t know anything about cars. He learned quickly. Schuchard rose from sales consultant through accessories manager, finance, Internet sales and sales management before becoming general manager in 2021. Along the way, he developed a reputation for experimenting with processes colleagues sometimes call him a “mad scientist” and using the results to drive growth. That approach helped Eide Ford-Lincoln sell 2,256 used vehicles in 2025, a figure Schuchard said ranks the Ford dealership high nationally.

Schuchard emphasizes speed and transparency: Fresh trades are photographed and listed online before reconditioning, then photographed again when completed. Weekly used-vehicle recon meetings for troubleshooting and problemsolving keep vehicles moving through the process, while dedicated employees oversee reconditioning. He’s applied the same processdriven approach to fixed operations, where service employee income increased 53 percent from 2021 through 2025. Increasing employee earning potential is among the accomplishments Schuchard said he values most.

He also pushes to create opportunities for employees. He’s championed schedules that give employees more weekends off, including four-day workweeks for finance staff, while continuing to grow the business. “It’s not what I’m most proud of that’s going to show up on the financial statement,” he said. - Nancy Dunham