Frank, Zollie
Zollie S. Frank (1908-1990) was known to Chicagoans as "Z" Frank, the man said to have sold more Chevrolet automobiles than any dealer in the world.
Never one to appear or be heard on his television and radio advertisements, Mr. Frank relied on savvy marketing, gifts of ice cream pies, cuff links. or silver dollars for customers and the slogan "Z Frank before you buy" as the catalyst for his businesses at 6116 N. Western Avenue, which moved to 6060 N. Western, and 2050 W. Peterson Avenue, and .
Mr. Frank, of Winnetka, was born in Dayton, Ohio, where he once worked in the produce business with his father. In 1935, he moved to Chicago.
Zollie wasn't only a Chevrolet dealer.
In 1939, Zollie Frank and Armund J. Schoen became partners and based their new business (originally called “Four Wheels”) on the strategy of supplying cars to businesses and providing the support services required for their effective operation. This unique approach to vehicle use and management marked the beginning of a new business and a new industry: automobile fleet leasing. Wheels now has 69 years of experience in the industry with annual sales volume approaching $3 billion. And their business is still 100% fleet leasing and management. The company's growth has been strictly internal; that is, business earned through diligence and good service, with no outside acquisitions of other domestic leasing companies.
Wheels is a privately-held corporation operating under parent company, Frank Consolidated Enterprises, which is ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the 200 largest private companies in the United States. Ownership has always been part of senior management, and they have had only two presidents in the company’s history – founder, Zollie Frank, and the current president, Zollie's son, Jim Frank. This stability has ensured that, while the methods of doing business, the products themselves and the ways in which services are delivered have changed, their core values remain constant.
Z Frank's opinion held great sway at Chevrolet, to wit:
The Vega's styling was judged conservative, clean-lined and timeless. GM styling studio's main influence was the 1967-1969 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe AC, and the Chevrolet Camaro/Corvette studio grafted a 1970 Camaro-like egg-crate grille and Chevy-style dual taillights. The original approved clay model had small rectangular front parking lights below the bumper. One morning John DeLorean (GM Vice President and Chevrolet General Manager at the time) brought Zollie Frank, the owner of the world’s largest Chevrolet dealership ("Z" Frank Chevrolet in Chicago) into the styling studio to show him the clay and get his thoughts on the design.
Frank looked at the painted clay model, walked around it, then stood in front of it for a minute or so, and said: “Get rid of those wimpy-looking parking lights – they should be big, round things that look like European driving lights”. DeLorean turned to the studio chief, told him to make the change Zollie wanted. The modelers were put to work on large, round lamps and DeLorean and Zollie came back later that day to approve the change. DeLorean mentioned to the studio chief as they were leaving that “Zollie sells more Chevrolets than anyone else on earth – he knows what the customers like.” The car went to production exactly as it was revised that afternoon.
