Fitzgerald Auto Malls becomes Montgomery County’s first certified Green Dealer

Fitzgerald Auto Malls earned Gold-level certification in Montgomery County’s Green Business Certification Program, becoming the county’s first certified Green Dealer. The recognition underscores growing pressure on auto retailers to prove measurable environmental practices to customers and local governments.

Why it matters: - Fitzgerald Auto Malls is now Montgomery County’s first certified Green Dealer. - The Gold-level certification gives the company a formal environmental credential in a market where sustainability can influence customer choice and community standing. - The certification also signals that auto retailers can be evaluated on measurable environmental practices, not just marketing claims.

What happened: - Fitzgerald Auto Malls announced on August 21, 2026 that it earned Gold-level certification under the Montgomery County Green Business Certification Program. - Bethesda Green administers the program in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection. - The certification makes Fitzgerald Auto Malls Montgomery County’s first certified Green Dealer.

The details: - The program recognizes businesses that show an ongoing commitment to lowering environmental impact. - Eligible efforts include energy efficiency, waste reduction, recycling, environmentally responsible purchasing and sustainable business practices. - Businesses are certified at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. - Fitzgerald Auto Malls said the recognition reflects years of effort by employee-owners across its locations. - Rob Smith, president of Fitzgerald Auto Malls, said the certification reinforces values the company has held since 1966. - Fitzgerald Auto Malls operates across Maryland, Pennsylvania and Florida. - The company said it maintains ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. - Fitzgerald Auto Malls became an employee-owned company in 2023.

Between the lines: - The Gold certification adds third-party validation to the company’s environmental claims. - The focus on employee-owned effort suggests sustainability is being positioned as part of day-to-day operations, not a one-time initiative. - The timing fits a broader retail trend: buyers and local communities increasingly expect proof of environmental performance.

What’s next: - Fitzgerald Auto Malls is likely to use the certification as part of its local brand positioning in Montgomery County. - The company said it will continue aiming to make a positive difference and leave the earth better than it found it. - The dealership group’s next challenge is sustaining the operational changes required to keep and potentially build on the certification.

The bottom line: - Fitzgerald Auto Malls now has a formal sustainability credential that separates it from other dealers in Montgomery County and gives customers a clearer signal about its environmental practices.