Relay Hill Auto, a family-owned and local automotive repair enterprise in Colorado, is proud to announce Hotchkiss Auto Repair has been named best auto repair shop in Denver metro.
Relay Hill is a family office focused on strategic investments into differentiated small businesses and commercial real estate. The mission-driven group has a diversified focus on opportunities across Colorado and Texas
The enterprise has a mission to build community in and around its portfolio of businesses and real estate interests. Social impact is foundational to its investment and operational approach. The group has a belief that ownership of assets comes with a responsibility to stakeholders, including but not limited to employees, customers, vendors, and neighbors
Relay Hill Auto (RHA) aims to protect INDEPENDENT neighborhood repair shops serving local communities. Branded chains, investor-backed “independent” shops, and dealerships view customers as dollars and cents, while considering employees as a means to an end. RHA, in contrast, works to build multi-generational relationships with FAMILIES. Moreover, the well-being of team members is a top priority as the enterprise offers lifelong careers, rather than a transient job. As the baby boomer generation of shop owners retire, they can feel confident RHA management will build upon the LEGACY of exceptional customer service while investing in innovation and technology.
Properties and structures provide an OPPORTUNITY for commercial activity that ultimately binds a community together. Relay Hill Properties (RHP) is committed to acquiring urban and suburban real estate across Colorado and Texas that is central to the WELL-BEING of a community. Real estate managers have a responsibility to foster greater engagement locally between municipal, business, and neighborhood interests. The organization also recognizes the scarcity of industrial and trade service properties in urban environments. RHP intends to support and invest in the infrastructure critical to RESPONSIBLE entrepreneurial and service activity in residential areas.
The strength of Relay Hill Auto begins with extraordinary tradespeople who founded generational brands. With excellence and integrity as guiding principles, RHA leads these businesses with an unwavering belief in personnel development and collaborative team culture. The automotive strategy aims to deliver the highest quality of hospitality and service to customers by realizing efficiencies and increasing transparency. This is achieved by leveraging advanced technologies and prioritizing a continuously improving operational model.
The organization believes local businesses should be tailored to their own community such that traditional neighborhood service centers are valued above cookie-cutter national brands. Valuing people over profits is the guiding light of the enterprise. The Relay Hill Cooperative is an innovative opportunity to build a national support network of exceptional locally owned automotive service facilities.
BUILD trust with extraordinary service
and hospitality
OFFER unmatched capabilities with technical excellence
IMPROVE lives by prioritizing people
and collaboration
Commercial real property facilitates numerous functions not limited to producing goods, offering services, providing spaces for activities and connectiveness, social functions, as well as other types of commerce
Neighborhoods succeed with thriving real property
The enterprise and its team members continues to partner with, identify, and pursue opportunities that contribute to a better world. This is achieved through our core functions as well as philanthropic efforts. There are four major categories of impact for the organization.
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Transportation | Consistent with our core competency, RHA recognizes the challenges faced by many individuals and families start with unreliable transportation. Moreover, vehicle ownership for at-risk communities can be one contributing factor to greater financial independence. |
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Health | Malnutrition, disease, and access to care create barriers for educational pursuits, maintenance of employment, and a healthy lifestyle. These realities perpetuate a cycle of poverty and often times disproportionately impact minority communities and women. |
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Community | Facilitating safety and a voice for everyone in the neighborhoods we service is part of our mission to build community. We value diversity, inclusion, and a healthy debate of ideas. These characteristics advanced connectivity between people and creates greater empathy across society. |
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Education | Knowledge is the key to addressing many of the challenges faced by society. Relay Hill encourages educational pursuits across children, adolescents, and adults. Giving humanity the opportunity to learn and think critically provides not only earning potential, but also an informed citizenry. |
Our team benefits from extraordinary professionals with diverse experiences in management consulting, mergers & acquisitions, executive roles in private and public enterprises, operational and property management, compliance and HR training, and various managerial roles across sectors. The group prides itself on both its’ depth and breath of leadership and knowledge
Shiju leads the firm’s strategic mission to build community across its service areas and within its portfolio businesses. He sources and executes all M&A opportunities both on the business and property sides of the organization. Shiju is active in daily operations and possesses trade certifications with the industry-leading Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Moreover, he represents the organization across numerous local and national networks of industry professionals and entrepreneurs.
Across his career, Shiju has advised, underwrote, or participated in over 100 transactions totaling over $13 billion. His last six transactions were as an owner-operator-proprietor. Earlier in his career, Shiju was an investment banker at Lazard (Houston) and JPMorgan (New York City), focused on M&A and debt capital markets. He currently splits his time between Colorado and Texas.
M.S. in Mineral and Energy Economics, Colorado School of Mines
M.S. in Economics and Management, French Institute of Petroleum – IFP
B.B.A. in Finance, McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin
B.A. in History & Religion, College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin
Tom leads the founding portfolio brand of RHC and continues supporting the strategic and operational direction of the firm. Tom’s background is in national and international multi-unit operations management. He began his career in the automotive industry, then spent time in retail sporting goods, consumer electronics, finance, and commercial and residential construction. As a senior operations executive, he has overseen company-owned and franchise business operations for locations in 63 countries worldwide. Tom has also worked as a management consultant and has provided strategic and operational training to companies both large and small across the U.S.
Tom graduated summa cum laude from Regis University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He also holds SHRM-SCP certification as a senior human resources professional.
Jon supports the management efforts of the firm’s most important asset, its people. He acts as a leader in HR initiatives including but not limited to coaching, career tracking, training and development, and team building. Spanning three decades, he has become an industry expert specialized in the automotive aftermarket and powersports. Jon maintained leadership roles across all major verticals of the industry including fixed operations, parts, and service. He has factory training and experience with Ford, GM, Mopar, Audi BMW, Mercedes Benz, plus the major Japanese and Italian original manufacturers.
Jon graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology.
Lenny leads the largest unit of RHC portfolio companies and brings a tremendous career of experience in the automotive service and repair industry. He started within the industry in the 1980s at a growing brand in the Pacific Northwest after serving in the Army. He was honorably discharged with a [blank] rank. Lenny ultimately was promoted within the organization to General Manager and oversaw a 42-location operation that was subsequently sold. Thereafter, he owned and operated his own independent repair shop for nearly two decades before joining Relay Hill as a Senior Manager.
Roxanne is instrumental in supporting the operational and administrative requirements of both RHA and RHP across all portfolio companies and properties. Along with Shiju, she co-leads the firm’s social impact initiatives. Her prior experiences include the management of both small businesses and a portfolio of commercial and residential properties in Denver metro. Roxanne also received her bachelor’s degree in finance in Colorado.
Relay Hill Auto, a family-owned and local automotive repair enterprise in Colorado, is proud to announce Hotchkiss Auto Repair has been named best auto repair shop in Denver metro.
According to new FBI statistics, Colorado now leads the nation in auto theft per capita. And in terms of cities, Denver is second only to Bakersfield, California.
Ready to be inspired by a shop owner that came from the merger and acquisition realm? Why did he choose our industry? What fresh perspective does he have? I’m with Thomas from Hotchkiss Auto Repair and his passion about people and training is infectious.
Denver—Shiju Thomas isn’t your typical new shop owner. With a background in private equity and investment banking in the oil and gas fields, Thomas says he came to the service and repair industry in a “happenstance” way.
On the wall facing Colfax in front of Hotchkiss Auto Repair is a new mural, with amusing and whimsical depictions of many local landmarks that help make Denver, Denver.
We are eager to find the best business and property opportunities in
Texas & Colorado consistent with our mission and values