About Chastang Ford
85 Years of Service & Experience
The Chastang family’s history in the auto industry dates back three generations and over eight decades to 1933 when Louisiana native Claude Chastang decided that the family business of being a carpenter wasn’t for him and instead found a job selling vehicles in downtown Houston. Claude paused his auto career to serve in the military but eventually returned to Houston and continued to work in the industry that he loved up to the age of 88. Selling cars quickly became a family passion, so it was only natural that Claude’s sons and eventually his grandchildren would follow him into the business.
Claude’s son Joe Chastang started delivering parts at 14. He worked his way up from the warehouse to the sales floor, becoming a sales manager at 25 years old and eventually general manager for a series of dealerships. COO Patrick Chastang’s earliest memories include playing “car dealership” with his Hot Wheels, lining them up in order of value. Like his father, he worked his way up through virtually every department before taking over operations in 2017. Joe’s wife Mary, brother John and daughter Mandy have also worked at Chastang over the years in different roles, making this a true family business.
In 1994 Joe Chastang bought Volvo White GMC of Houston, located in the current Chastang Ford building at 6200 North Loop East, which was the largest Volvo truck dealer in the nation. When the owner of a nearby Ford dealership retired, Chastang bought the business, moved it to his location, and re-opened as Chastang’s Bayou City Ford. In under a decade, the dealership known as Chastang Ford became one of the top 100 commercial and fleet vehicle Ford dealerships in the country, with 85 percent of sales coming from repeat or referral clients. In 2015, the business grew once again by acquiring Chastang Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram at 1212 S. Velasco St. in Angleton, Tex.
“The things I remember most about working with my dad are his passion for the job and for the people he worked with. They respected how hard he worked and his honest approach to management,” says Patrick Chastang. “What I like best about our business is seeing the personal relationships our team builds with our customers. One of my favorite aspects of the type of business we do is helping new customer buying their first commercial vehicle-we will break things down, ask the customer how they are going to use the vehicle, visit the business, go through the entire process, and make sure we get the company in the right vehicle. That’s how we like to do business.”
At Chastang Auto Group, we are committed to growing our business responsibly by building long-term relationships with our employees, customers, and community. That means we value our employees for the quality of their character and their work, we do right by our customers who trust us to know our product, and we have a passion for our community and are invested in its success. From the moment you walk in the door, you aren’t just a number to us; you are part of the Chastang Family.
What Should Commercial Customers Look For in a Ford Dealer?
Patrick Chastang, GM at Chastang Ford in Houston, shares about what a commercial customer should look for in a Ford dealership.
Meet the Chastangs
Joe Chastang
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Chastang Automotive Group
Joe has been in the dealership business for more than 40 years, holding various positions at different dealerships from parts delivery to dealer operator. He purchased the Lone Star Truck Center Volvo and GMC Truck in 1993. After selling that franchise in 2003, he opened Chastang Ford. A native Houstonian, Joe attended the University of Houston and, except for three years in Dallas, has spent his entire life in the Houston area. He and his wife, Mary Chastang, have two children, Patrick and Mandy, who are involved in the family business. Joe supports various charitable organizations, including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Board of Directors (2003 to present). He is a longtime member of the University of Houston Corbin J. Robertson Society and the Bill Yeoman Special Contribution Award (2009).
Patrick Chastang
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Chastang Automotive Group
Patrick has been involved in the family business for nearly 25 years, serving in various positions from Sales and Service Porter to Service Advisor to Vehicle Salesperson to General Sales Manager, and he is certified by the Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals. Patrick graduated from Kingwood High School and received his B.S. in Merchandising and Industrial Distribution from the University of Houston. He is a life member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. Patrick and his wife, Meredith, support an array of local charities with a particular focus on Bo’s Place, which offers no-cost grief support services to Houstonians, where Meredith will serve as Board Chair in 2018. In 2018 Patrick and Meredith became parents to William “Mac” Chastang.
Mandy Chastang Venghaus
Chief Financial Officer, Chastang Automotive Group
Mandy started with the family business in 2009, holding various positions throughout the dealership as part of a management training program before being named CFO in January 2017. Mandy received her B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from Trinity University and attained her CPA license in 2009. Before joining Chastang, she served as an Audit Associate at PwC. Mandy is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and has served on the Parade Committee since 2008 and the Wine Committee since 2011. She lives in Houston with her husband, Dennis, and their sons Joe, Carter, and Tyler
