24 | NOVEMBER 14 • 2024 
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amaroff Auto Group may look 
different today from its initial 
1969 founding by Marvin 
Tamaroff, the local Jewish auto legend 
who passed away in 2021, but its core 
values remain unchanged.
“Our grandfather, Marvin, taught us 
that if you take care of your employees 
and customers, the rest 
will come,
” says Tamaroff 
Auto Group vice presi-
dent Jason Tamaroff, who 
manages the business 
alongside his cousin (and 
Marvin’s fellow grandson), 
president Eric Frehsee.
Tamaroff and Frehsee, 
42 and 39, are the third 
generation of the Tamaroff 
family to run the brand, 
which has expanded with 
a sister group, Jeffrey 
Automotive Group, for a 
total of six locations across 
Metro Detroit. The original location 

on 12 Mile and Telegraph still stands.
Perhaps best recognized with its 
iconic “Tammy the Elephant” statue, a 
bicentennial elephant that greets cus-
tomers outside the flagship Southfield 
location (now Tamaroff Honda), 
Tamaroff Auto Group has long been a 
staple of Metro Detroit’s auto industry 
and the Jewish community.
For Marvin Tamaroff, who consid-
ered elephants good luck — especially 
elephants with their trunks raised in 
the air — Tammy has remained an 
enduring mascot and symbol of hope.

STANDING THE TEST OF TIME
Jason Tamaroff and Frehsee, who were 
both introduced to the business at a 
young age, were always inspired by 
their grandfather, who many remem-
ber as a kind and generous man.
Marvin Tamaroff was a philanthro-
pist who supported Jewish Federation 
of Detroit and many other local char-
ities. In fact, it was not uncommon to 

find upwards of 100 letters thanking 
him for his many donations in his 
mailbox.
Frehsee, for instance, recalls making 
a book in kindergarten about what he 
wanted to be when he grew up. It fea-
tured a drawing of himself wearing a 
suit with a briefcase (Gameboy inside) 
stating that he wanted to be a car deal-
er, just like his grandfather.
“My family never pushed me into 
the auto business, but I always loved 
cars,
” he explains. “It was a natural fit 
for me.
” Likewise, Jason Tamaroff felt 
compelled to join the family business.
Running a large-scale auto group 
is no easy feat, especially in today’s 
day and age of inflation and rising 
cost of living, but Tamaroff says his 
grandfather’s words about taking care 
of employees and customers still rings 
true today. It’s why the business contin-
ues to thrive.
“We’re blessed to have some very 
tenured team members who have been 
extremely loyal to our family — and 
us to them — over the years,
” he says. 
“We have team members celebrating 
10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and even 40-year 
anniversaries with us. Likewise, we 

have customers that have bought 
20-plus vehicles from us and have 
had their vehicles serviced by us for 
decades.
”
While business has certainly 
changed from its early days, especially 
with the growth of online car shop-
ping, Tamaroff says the auto group has 
remained relevant by sticking to its 
core values.
Those values are being dedicated to 
customers, family-oriented, team play-
ers, committed to integrity and main-
taining the ability to always evolve. 
Of course, staying with the times 
has also been essential to the contin-
ued growth of Tamaroff Auto Group, 
which specializes in new and used 
vehicles.
“It really gave us an opportunity to 
update our facilities and bring them 
into the 21st century,
” Frehsee says 
about joining the company with his 
cousin, Jason Tamaroff. “We updated 
our infrastructure and our IT needs 
and, most importantly, updated our 
technology.
“By doing those three things,
” he 
adds, “we were able to attract a differ-
ent generation of talent.
”

Third-generation Tamaroff uto Group 
leaders keep the business going strong.

More Than 50 Years Later, 
the Tamaroff Legacy Lives O

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BUSINESS

Jason 
Tamaroff

Eric 
Frehsee