Leadership Insights

About Brett Sutherlin

Brett Sutherlin is a prominent figure in the automotive industry, recognized for his innovative approaches and leadership. He currently serves as the Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Sutherlin Automotive Group, a second-generation family-owned dealership network renowned for its significant growth and profitability. 

Sutherlin’s journey in the automotive sector began during his formative years, working within his family’s dealership operations. He pursued higher education at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, specializing in Automotive Marketing. 

In 2009, Sutherlin founded fusionZONE Automotive, a company dedicated to providing advanced digital marketing solutions tailored for automotive dealers. Under his leadership, fusionZONE evolved into one of the nation’s largest automotive digital marketing providers, serving over 2000 dealership clients. The company was later sold to Primus Capital in October 2017. 

Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Sutherlin has been featured in various media outlets, sharing insights on dealership operations and sales strategies. Notably, he appeared on the “Car Dealership Guy Podcast,” where he discussed transforming dealership operations and sales culture within Sutherlin Automotive Group. 

Sutherlin’s expertise extends to digital marketing and dealership technology, areas where he has implemented innovative strategies to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency. His contributions continue to influence the automotive industry’s evolution, particularly in integrating digital solutions within traditional dealership frameworks.

In the last 10 years Sutherlin has collectively been involved in 20 + businesses with Billions of dollars in annual revenue and has exited many businesses for over $500,000,000 collectively.