Matt McGovern started the McGovern Automotive Group in 2016 with only a laptop, table and chair, and mobile phone. The very first dealership was the Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram store at 777 Washington Street in Newton, and from the early days of the company and in the neighborhood, Matt has been a supporter of the John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton for all that the Club does to support the families of Newton.

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But Matt McGovern didn’t grow up around cars; he grew up around cows. From about the time he advanced from crawling to walking, Matt worked on his family’s farm with his father, uncle, grandmother, and assorted other part-time workers as the seasons waxed and waned at McGovern Farms. In those early years, the milk pails were nearly his height, and the hay bales dwarfed him. But his young age and small size didn’t make him falter. As he told his father early on, he always wanted the “ ‘rucks and ‘ractors in my yard!” and he traded pre-dawn calf care with his sisters if they would just make his bed each morning. Eventually, Matt worked after school, on weekends, and all summer long, rain or shine, and truly lived the work ethic of “no days off” at the farming business his grandfather had started in 1947. This all-hands-on deck regimen essentially left little room for playing sports or other after-school activities, and while he has always loved the game of baseball, the most baseball he had time for as a kid was playing catch with his uncle George on their lunch breaks. Matt remains a lifelong sports fan, particularly of our amazing Boston teams and is now often an enthusiastic cheerleader at his two sons’ games.

It is his strong work ethic and commitment to family and community that drove Matt to start his own business, McGovern Automotive Group, only 10 short years ago. Integrity, hard work, and looking out for others are at the core of the values that Matt embodies and shows to his employees every day.

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“We have a habit of always taking care of others, whether our customers, coworkers, or members of our communities. It adds a lot of meaning to our work, and that's what makes working at McGovern extremely rewarding.”

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Matt believes that these core values help everyone reach their full potential, much like the cornerstone of the mission of the Boys and Girls Club of Newton: helping children reach their full potential. “The communities we operate in are at the heart of everything we do and play a big role in who we are. This is why we find it so important to give back and support them.”

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Matt and McGovern Automotive Group have been proud supporters of the John M. Barry Boys and Girls Club of Newton since the company came into existence, serving as an annual partner together with other like-minded, inspirational Newton-based companies and individuals.