Compton Auto Dealership Owner Wins SBA Award

WASHINGTON —  Brett Mitchell, who took over a bankrupt Chevrolet dealership and turned it into a $15-million-a-year business, Monday received the Small Business Administration award for the young entrepreneur of the year.

Mitchell was 26 in 1985 when he opened Brett Mitchell Chevrolet in Compton. The dealership now has 65 employees and ranks first in overall customer satisfaction among 170 outlets in the regional area, he said during an interview after he and other SBA award winners were honored at a White House ceremony at which President Reagan spoke.

Mitchell also has been active in community affairs, donating a Chevrolet Camaro as a raffle prize to raise funds to buy uniforms for the Compton marching band. He also formed a foundation to help provide golf instruction and organize tournaments for Compton high school students.