The Thomas Dodge Family of companies is an example of a family business which has made a significant commitment to Long Island, to growing and thriving here - proving that entrepreneurial success is still a viable Long Island activity. Now expanding for the third time, the Thomas Dodge Family started some 17+ years ago with the Thomas Dodge Corp. of NY, a Dodge, Subaru and Suzuki dealer in Port Jefferson Station. The company is now expanding into Thomas Automotive to sell certified, pre-owned automobiles in Medford. The family of companies is owned and operated by Thomas Mammolito. He has been in the automotive sales and service business for almost his entire life and has received management training and certifications from both GM and Ford. Tom's family, wife Rosanne and son Thomas R., are now also involved in the businesses, making them a truly family run enterprise and following in the Long Island tradition of home grown, family operated entrepreneurial endeavors. Tom started Thomas Dodge in 1991. In 1995 he was approved for an SBA 504 loan by Long Island Development Corporation (LIDC) to purchase the initial company real estate. Ultimately, Chrysler Financial funded the entire project but Tom kept in touch with LIDC and, in 2003, when he decided to expand, used an SBA 504 loan from LIDC to purchase nearby land and buildings to serve as the leasing, used car division and vehicle storage for the operations. 2007 has now seen another expansion of this growing family of companies- with the addition of the retail sales of pre-owned autos. And, once again, LIDC is assisting in the financing with a second mortgage SBA 504 loan behind a first mortgage from Unity Bank. The project involves 1.8 acres with a 25,000 ft. building on Rte. 112 in Medford. 18 jobs will be created. Unity is providing a 50% first mortgage. LIDC is providing a 40% second mortgage and the company is injecting just 10% of total project cost including soft costs. With the assistance of the LIDC financing programs, the Mammolito family once again is demonstrating its entrepreneurial spirit, and willingness to expand and invest in the Suffolk County, Long Island community. Thomas Dodge/Automotive is being recognized for its Long Island spirit with the Small Business Award from the LI Business Development Council, LI's oldest economic development networking organization. The Mammolitos' received the award at LIBDC's annual conference in Montauk in September. When helping to present the award, LIDC lender Steve Goad commented: "It really is a pleasure to help recognize a homegrown LI-based business, active in its community, hiring local residents, expanding to serve the needs of Long Islanders. These types of small businesses are the backbone of our economy and help to keep it strong." Congratulations to Thomas Dodge/Thomas Automotive and the Mammolito Family for your entrepreneurial spirit! Roslyn Goldmacher is a licensed real estate broker in N.Y. as well as president / CEO and founder of The Long Island Development Corp. & The Greater N.Y. Development Co., New York, N.Y.