TRADE TALK
CAR PASSION DRIVES GINO TO SUCCESS
From selling hot pies at the footy to running a large automotive aftermarket business, IM Group’s Gino Ricciuti has always excelled IM Group’s Gino Ricciuti knew he was destined to work in the automotive industry right from when he fell in love with cars during the Dandenong street meets as a teenager. “From working at the service station through to spending my teenage years hanging out with my mates at the ‘Dandy’ drags on the weekends, my love of cars has been reinforced over the years,” he said. Born in Oakleigh in 1967 to Italian parents, Gino was the second of four children. He grew up in Springvale and went to the Sandown Park Primary school and then onto Clayton Technical school in the early ’80s. He started part-time work at the age of 13 pumping petrol at the local Caltex service station on Springvale Road after his school day. At the same time, he was selling newspapers on the side of the Princes Highway on Saturday mornings and selling hot pies to the football crowds at VFL Park in the afternoon. “These experiences clearly showed me that I wanted to be in a sales role in some capacity,” Gino said. Gino’s first full-time position was as a phone salesperson at HM Gem engines in 1987 when he was 18 years old. Being part of a rapidly expanding company and industry provided him with numerous career opportunities.
“I took the approach of jumping in feet first where I could, even though at the time I was probably under-qualified,” he explains. “I took on a role as a marketing manager in the early ‘90s without formal qualifications, but I then completed a marketing diploma at night school to gear up for the role. The management of HM Gem offered a lot of support and had great faith in me during this time.” It wasn’t long before Gino found himself at a crossroads in his career. “Once I’d completed my time at HM Gem, I was deciding between two roles in the automotive industry,” he says. “One was in a large corporate organisation; the other was with Injectronics (now IM Group). At the time Injectronics was a privately owned company. “I was looking for a role where I could add value and make a tangible difference. So, I chose to work for Rex Vandenberg at Injectronics. “I know I made the right decision, and I have enjoyed working with this company and being a major part of its outstanding growth major part of its outstanding growth for the last 17 years.” However, it hasn’t always been plain sailing. “There was a time as a manager where I should have trusted my initial instincts. I ended up choosing what might have been considered the easier path and the repercussions come back to bite me. I learnt a lot from that incident, mainly about backing myself,” Gino says.
There has been a lot that Gino has learnt about himself over the years. “I value being genuine, honest and open. I feel these are my strengths in dealing with people both in and out of the workplace,” he says. “Having worked in the industry for over 35 years, the longevity of my career is something I’m extremely proud of and I’d consider that a great strength.” So what would today’s Gino tell his younger self? “The main points I would try and emphasise would be that hard work and loyalty are still highly valued in today’s automotive industry. Plus a positive attitude also goes a long way to protecting and strengthening your brand,” he says. In fact, Gino believes a good attitude is “100 percent” the best attribute a prospective employee could have. “Someone with a good attitude and work ethic makes a great team member. Skills can be taught and enhanced on the job,” he says. Gino enjoys watching his AFL team, Carlton, play – even though results have been slim lately. “Unfortunately, they haven’t given me much joy over the recent years. I also love horse racing and getting to the track with mates is always fun,” he says. “I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends, whether it be going out to dinner or a backyard BBQ. I’m a people person and enjoy having friends around.” Gino has been with his partner, Elizabeth, for eight years. He has a five-year-old son Oscar, who he says “keeps me on my toes.” “Whilst having a young child at my age can be exhausting, I really wouldn’t change it for the world. There is always something happening and I love watching Oscar grow and learn,” he says.
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Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine July 2021
