Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2013 | Page 26

MEGA
By Kerry Pipes

Tuned for Growth

Former electrical engineer now oversees 93 Precision Tunes

D

avid Grimaud grew up in
the car repair business. His
father, Joe, operated a Midas
shop in Alexandria, La., where
David spent many days working as a
teenager. “It really taught me a lot
about budgeting and business management,” says the 52-year old today.
Grimaud, however, had a passion for
electronics that led him to earn a degree in electrical engineering from
LSU and begin a career in Dallas in
the mid-1980s.
Grimaud soon realized that he liked
“being the boss” and that he wanted
to operate a business of his own. In
1987, his father, who was overseeing
37 Precision Tune Auto Care franchises in South Carolina, welcomed
his son into the family business with
open arms and a few new responsibilities—like expanding the territory and
growing the number of units.
Today, Grimaud is president of
Precision Tune’s largest area develName: David Grimaud
Title: President
Company: Grimaud Enterprises, Inc.
No. of units by brand: This is a loaded question
because of the way we do things. Grimaud Enterprises
has been an area developer (subfranchisor) of Precision
Tune Auto Care since 1979. Today there are 93 units
under the GEI umbrella. Grimaud family members
and partners own/operate 51 of those franchises.
Each of these franchises is owned by an individual
S Corporation. They are lumped into groups around
operating partnerships as follows: Mike Scott and
his partners own/operate 22 franchises in Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, and Texas; Mark Hall and his partners
own/operate 12 franchises in South Carolina; I and
my partners own/operate 12 franchises in Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, and Utah; Greg Grimaud and
his partner own/operate 5 franchises in Oklahoma;

24

Multi-Unit Franchisee Is s ue I, 2013

Joe Grimaud and his partner own/operate one store in
Georgia.
This philosophy goes back to Joe Grimaud,
the founder of GEI. He was one of the first area
subfranchisors and franchisees of Precision Tune. He
had been a franchisee of Midas, but preferred being an
area developer so he could grow the business. In that
role, he would bring partners on board who would be
the operating franchisee back to GEI. This philosophy
has been carried forward by me.
Age: 52
Family: Maureen (wife), Marilyn (daughter, 26, married

to Kaleb), Geoff (son, 22, married to Natalie); no
grandchildren—yet!

Years in franchising: 25
Years in current position: 21