It all started with Bruce Axelson sweeping floors at a car dealership in his younger years.
After working his way up to buying his first dealership in Melfort, Sask., in 1974, he recruited all of his family to join him at his new business. The nationwide company, now called the Capital Automotive Group, has continued throughout the generations.
“We’ve expanded from there (Saskatchewan) into Regina, other provinces and the states,” says Andrea Axelson, a director at the company and Bruce’s daughter.
Her father died in 2021 after a battle with cancer, but Axelson says he’s left a big impact on the province.
“He was the chief enthusiasm officer is what people called him, and people really miss him,” she said. “He was very involved in the community.”
Through the company, the Axelson family have made ongoing contributions to various local sports teams, the Salvation Army, the Roughriders Foundation and the Ronald McDonald House.
“When they (Ronald McDonald House) opened their first house in Saskatoon, he was one of the first donors, and when we found out there was going to be a Ronald McDonald house here (near Regina), that was kind of another way to carry on his legacy. We felt it would be very important to the city to be contributors there,” she said.
“It’s important to me to carry on his legacy because he was such a well-respected, well-known man. Happily gave his time not only to his staff, customers, friends, but also Saskatchewan runs very deeply in our roots, so it was a really natural progression to just carry that on.”
“We have it in writing that we’re going to give back, we’re going to contribute to the health of this province and city. We don’t just want to have it in writing, we want to make sure that we do what we say we’re going to do.”
Watch the video at the top of the page for the full story.