David Fischer Sr. on juggling an ambassadorship and a life-changing deal Print The last year has been eventful for David Fischer Sr., to put it mildly. At the same time as he was working as U.S. ambassador to Morocco, he was dealing with an offer to buy large chunks of his family business, the Troy-based Suburban Collection, by the Lithia Motors dealership chain.
Fischer, the chairman of Troy-based Suburban Collection Holdings, talked with Crain Communications CEO KC Crain about that deal to sell most of the company's dealerships, his experience in Morocco and why diversification really mattered for a company that once sold Studebakers and Oldsmobiles — brands that no longer exist — that grew to encompass 33 automotive franchises. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.