Carlos B. Hart
Carlos Hart has been involved with the automobile business for most of his life. His father, Jeff Hart owned, Hart Motor Company, the Oldsmobile dealership in Salem and, at age 9, had him sweeping floors and running errands. By the time of graduation from Andrew Lewis High School in 1946, he had been involved in everything from washing cars to riding a three-wheel Harley for parts pick-up to delivering cars to customers. During World War II, with no cars to sell, his job was cleaning the inside of busses used for transporting defense workers.
Following high school, Carlos received an associate degree from Greenbrier Military School in 1948 and a B.A. degree in business from Elon College in 1950. Soon after graduation he was employed by Farmers National Bank in Salem. However, with the war in Korea underway, later that year he entered the Air Force for pilot training and attained the rank of first lieutenant in the course of flying a variety of aircraft, including the F-86 Sabre, F-89 Scorpion and the F-94 Starfire. He was an all-weather jet interceptor pilot in the 74th. Fighter Squadron stationed at Presque Isle, Maine. Later transferred to the headquarters of the 32nd. Air Division in Syracuse, New York, he was operations officer in charge of the flight line. While there, he met his bride-to-be, Patricia Louise Rolbielki, who was also serving in the Air Force as a radar operator.
Upon discharge from the service in 1955, he entered his father’s business as manager of used car sales. In 1957 he was promoted to sales manager for new cars, in 1947, was named president of Hart Motor Company and appointed dealer by the Oldsmobile Division of general Motors.
During those early years, with only 18 employees, the company was located in a two story building at 400 East Main Street, in Salem, that had very limited space for the servicing and parking of automobiles. As he progressed with the firm, Carlos planning for new and greatly enlarged quarters. His plans became a reality with the purchase of a new site in 1973 at 1341 East Main Street. Since then more land area has been acquired at this location and both a GMC truck and Kia franchise added. Dollar Rent a Car, at the Roanoke Regional Airport, is now a part of Hart operations as is the Saturn of Roanoke Valley Dealership at 1022 East Main Street. In all, Hart now has over 100 employees, and Carlos is quick to share credit with them for making the company so successful.
He has also been active in community affairs having served as: president, Salem Kiwanis Club; lieutenant governor, Capitol District of Kiwanis; president, Roanoke Valley Automobile Dealers Association; president, Virginia Automobile Dealers Association; chairman, Roanoke Merchants Association and, board member, Salem/Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Salem Presbyterian Church; a member of Taylor Lodge No. 23, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; member, Sons of the American Revolution; and currently serves on the board of Salem Bank and Trust.
Carlos and Patty have four sons; Carlos Jr., Greg, Daniel, and Jim. They have five grandchildren and are proud of the fact that the third generation is now active in the family business.
In recognition of his outstanding career achievements, Carlos Bowers Hart was among the charter members inducted into the Salem Alumni Hall of Fame established by the Salem Educational Foundation and Alumni Association in 1996.
