Gary Rogers: Rogers Automotive, Lehi History & Family Legacy | Roots & Branches

Gary Rogers shares his journey from the old Lehi Hospital to founding Rogers Automotive on State Street. A story of family business, three generations, and watching Lehi grow from 8,000 to 100,000.

Gary Rogers: Rogers Automotive, Lehi History & Family Legacy | Roots & Branches

Gary Rogers shares his journey from the old Lehi Hospital to founding Rogers Automotive on State Street. A story of family business, three generations, and watching Lehi grow from 8,000 to 100,000.

Gary Rogers on Building Rogers Automotive, Lehi's Small-Town Roots, and a Three-Generation Family Legacy

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Born in the Old Lehi Hospital

Falling in Love with Automotive Work

The Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest

Stepping In for His Father

Founding Rogers Automotive in 1992

The Car No One Else Could Fix

Saturday Projects in a Box

Hero Day and the Cutaway Engine

Historical Insights About Lehi

Community and Legacy Themes

Memorable Quotes

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Gary Rogers Lehi Utah Interview - Roots & Branches of Lehi Podcast

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From the old Lehi Hospital to State Street's most trusted automotive shop, Gary Rogers shares how family, hard work, and community connection built a business that grew alongside a city of 8,000 into a community of nearly 100,000.

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In this episode of Roots & Branches of Lehi , host Ryan Harding sits down with Gary Rogers , the founder of Rogers Automotive, to explore a life deeply intertwined with the mechanical and human fabric of Lehi, Utah. Born in the old Lehi Hospital and raised in a family with deep Pleasant Grove and Lehi roots, Gary eventually returned to Lehi as a young adult—drawn back by family ties, community familiarity, and the desire to build a life close to home. His journey from a young boy watching his father teach automotive classes for General Motors to becoming the founder of one of Lehi's most trusted automotive shops reflects the entrepreneurial spirit that has shaped so many businesses along State Street.

Over three decades, Gary built Rogers Automotive into a place where neighbors gathered, problems were solved, and relationships were built. From the days when Lehi had only 8,000 residents to today's bustling community of nearly 100,000, his shop became a cornerstone of local commerce. His story highlights the evolution of automotive technology, the challenges of small business ownership, and the power of multi-generational family involvement in a community that values hard work, loyalty, and service. His reflections offer a window into Lehi's growth, the importance of local businesses, and the enduring value of community connection—one repaired engine, one loyal customer, and one family bond at a time.

For anyone interested in Lehi, Utah history , State Street businesses , local entrepreneurship , automotive repair legacy , or family-owned businesses in Utah County , this interview provides essential historical context and a warm, personal perspective on how one family business grew alongside a transforming city. Whether you remember the old Lehi Hospital, the days of Saturday projects in a box, or the changing landscape of Main Street and State Street, Gary's story will resonate as a piece of living Lehi history.

Prefer to listen? This episode is also available on the Roots & Branches of Lehi podcast on <a href="https: <a href="https:

Gary Rogers

Founder of Rogers Automotive; long-time local business owner; community mentor in automotive education

1950s–2020s (childhood through retirement)

Ryan Harding

Every homeowner starts somewhere. Whether you are just beginning to dream, getting financially ready, or already touring homes — this simple tool helps you understand your next best step.

Gary Rogers begins his story by revealing he was born in the old Lehi Hospital, where his aunts worked as nurses. Though he spent much of his childhood in Salt Lake near the mouth of Parley's Canyon, his family's roots in Pleasant Grove and Lehi ran deep. The old hospital stands as a symbol of the tight-knit medical and family networks that once defined the community—a reminder that many Lehi families have multi-generational ties to the area's institutions.

Gary describes watching his father teach automotive classes for General Motors, saying he "just really fell in love with it" while helping set up training rooms. His father went from being a warranty adjuster to an instructor for Chevrolet new car products. Gary spent evenings at the GM training center watching his father prepare classrooms, absorbing a passion for working with his hands that would define his entire career.

As a high school senior at Skyline High School, Gary competed in the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest, where only two students from each high school in Utah were selected. Contestants had one hour to diagnose deliberately planted problems in brand-new Chrysler Plymouth cars. Gary and his teammate placed second in the state, missing first place only because one spark plug wire wasn't clipped in exactly the way judges wanted, resulting in a 20-minute deduction.

After his father suffered a stroke while working as a salesman for Sun Electric, Gary took over half of his sales territory covering from Salt Lake to southern Utah. This allowed his father to continue working locally while maintaining his employment with the Chicago-based company. Gary spent 18 years with Sun Electric, selling and training mechanics on automotive diagnostic equipment across the state, before the company was bought out by Snap-on Tool Company.

After the buyout, Gary made the leap to open his own shop. He describes the experience as "very scary" with "a lot of the unknown," particularly around business fees and taxes. But he felt confident in his skills and his vast network of contacts across Utah dealerships, mechanic shops, and colleges. He found a building on State Street that was part of an old wrecking yard—once owned by actor Wilford Brimley—and went into partnership with his father-in-law to purchase it. What began as a frightening gamble became a 30-year institution.

Gary tells the story of a car towed all the way from Sanpete County after three shops in Nephi and Mount Pleasant failed to get it running again. The vehicle had hit a deer and died. After many late nights spent thinking through the problem—because daytime was too busy for deep diagnostics—Gary discovered a tiny sheared pin on the camshaft that had thrown off valve timing. The shops before him had assumed it was electrical. It was a triumph of persistence and diagnostic logic, even if the financial return was minimal.

In the early years, when Lehi had only 8,000 residents, Rogers Automotive was open on Saturdays. Farmers brought in tractors for repair, and residents brought what Gary calls "projects in a box"—disassembled equipment they couldn't put back together. The shop did whatever the community needed, from farm equipment to household assembly. Eventually, the demand grew so much that one day off wasn't enough, and Saturdays became a thing of the past.

Gary's daughter, a second-grade teacher at River Rock Elementary, invites him and his wife to "Hero Day" each spring. Gary brings a small Briggs and Stratton lawn mower engine that he has cut away and painted in different colors so children can see the internal parts move. He cranks it over and explains how engines work. Recently, he added a model bicycle with an electric motor to introduce the kids to the future of automotive technology alongside the gasoline engines he grew up with.

Gary Rogers' interview reveals rich details about how Lehi has changed across seven decades. These insights help preserve the memory of a city in transition:

Throughout the interview, several broader themes emerge that reflect the values shaping Lehi's identity:

This episode connects to the broader Roots & Branches of Lehi archive. Explore these related topics to deepen your understanding of Lehi's history and community:

To enhance this community profile, consider adding these visual elements to the historical record:

Ryan Harding: Welcome to Roots and Branches of Lehi, the podcast where we get to know the faces, stories, and lives that make up our community. I'm Ryan Harding, and I started this podcast as a way for us all to connect with the people we live alongside. Growing up in a small town, I learned that connections go beyond blood. They're built through shared experiences, friendships, and the moments we celebrate together. Each week, we'll sit down with someone new from Lehi to share their unique story, their passions, and what they love most about living here. So whether you've been here for years or just arrived, join us as we deepen our roots and reach out to our branches one story at a time.

Ryan Harding: Welcome Gary Rogers to Roots and Branches of Lehi, where we get to know you a little bit better and just we'll get to know you. So this will be a good opportunity. Talk to me a little bit about yourself. You grew up in Lehi. Where you from originally?

Gary Rogers: I was born in the old Lehi hospital. My aunts were nurses there. And so my mom wanted to have the kids there. But I actually grew up in Salt Lake. In Salt Lake. Yeah. Up by the mouth of Parley's Canyon. My whole life till I was 18 up there. It seemed like we got more snow. And living up there by the mouth of Parley's Canyon, it was we got a lot of snow and it was always fun to play in the winter. As a kid and had to walk to school because they didn't have bus service. Was close enough but far enough away. But yeah, it was a great place to grow up and have fun and enjoy it up there.

Ryan Harding: And so what did your dad do for work? What he originally he had a shop? Before World War II over where Olive Garden is over in American Fork. He went into service and when he came out the owner of the place had rented out to someone else so he had no place to work. So he bought a shop in Lehi. Right next to Verns where the overpass is for the high school. Built a shop there and work there for a few—I don't know four, five, six years. Had the business there and then went to work for General Motors. And the Chevrolet division. So, because they had several different divisions and that's probably where I got my start or my interest, my love of automotive was being around that because he started out as a warranty adjuster and then he went into being an instructor for the Chevrolet new car products and stuff.

Gary Rogers: So he was always training and I was involved as a kid being watching him help set up the classes and do that kind of stuff and I just really fell in love with it, interested and always like working with my hands and making things and doing things. And that's how it's all evolved and through school and high school they had they called it the Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest. That for seniors they only picked two from every high school in the state to participate in it. And we placed second. And they actually put bugs in the car and then we had to figure out what the problem was and how to fix it and take care of it. And so we had a fun time doing that.

Gary Rogers: I've always had an interest in automotive and loved it. And so I did that all my life. They just took it like just an old car. No, they were brand new cars. Brand new cars. They were brand new Chrysler Plymouth. Don't basically set it up and did it. Took brand new cars and they would put like a bad spark plug in it or a bad spark plug wire or missing components or whatever and we had an hour to figure out what it was and get it running correctly. So, that's super cool. Yeah, it was fun.

Gary Rogers: Do they still do that or no. No. Fork started a thing like that, but no, none of them do it anymore. Just expense and everything. But it was a great experience for high school kids to be able to learn how to do it. And they had many to isolate who's going to be in the finalist. They had little classes in each high school until they picked the two from each high school to participate in it. And so me and another guy were the ones for Skyline. I went to school at Skyline High School in Salt Lake. And we took second place, which was cool. But that is cool. We just missed it cuz one of the spark plug wires wasn't clipped in the way they wanted it and so they docked us 20 minutes for that. But yeah, I enjoyed that.

Gary Rogers: I started working at a shop in Salt Lake, an alignment shop called Bob Stoie Company. They're not around anymore, but just basically cleaning and doing odd things. And then they showed me more about the alignments and brakes and stuff and kind of trained them in. I worked there for two years and then Sears fashion place opened up. And automotive department and I went to work for them and worked for them for three and a half years. And I did everything there. So, I was one of their lead techs there. Even though I was young, sure, I could do most everything that a lot of them couldn't do because my dad's experience teaching and training me. And as well as just doing it, everything else. So, it worked out good.

Ryan Harding: It sounds like your dad obviously had a big impact on you then as far as because you said you did get to follow him around and do, you know, be a part of things.

Gary Rogers: They had a they call it the training center. It was a big building where they actually had the different divisions separated out and they'd do classes. All the automotive dealerships would send technicians up there to do the training and he would be the one training. So at night he'd have to set up for the next day. So I would go with him up to the training center as he was setting things up and got to experience that. So it was fun to spend time with him and stuff. Good father son bonding time but also hey you're developing a skill you probably didn't even know at that time you were going to use long term right probably was probably just hey I like hanging out with dad right and and it was good.

Gary Rogers: I was going to say he worked for them for 16 years and then he went to work after that to for a company selling automotive test equipment sun electric. And I was working at Sears for the three years and he had a stroke and they needed someone to help him to take part of his area because he covered basically from Salt Lake all the way south. In Utah and he was as a salesman selling automotive diagnostic equipment. And so I went to work for Sun Electric taking part of his area selling automotive diagnostic equipment. So I had to sell it to the dealers to the mechanic shops. Gas stations, people like that. And then I'd have to train them on how to use it to figure out the problems on the cars.

Ryan Harding: Wow. So you you took so you said after his stroke and stuff like that you took over some of his job then.

Gary Rogers: Really yeah. And it was a nationwide company and they were based out of Chicago, Illinois. And so I worked for them but basically they split his area because he couldn't handle it all. So I took half of the state and he took the other other half of the so he could stay local. And so he was still employed then. He still got to do his job but not as big an area. But not as big of an area. That's really cool that that I don't think that happens very a lot of times. It's hey sorry you can't do this or somebody but to have the son step in that's unique. The company was good to work for took care of him and me. And he only worked for him for about another three—it was four years after that after I had started for him before he retired just because his health was bad. But I worked for him for 18 years. Wow. You worked for that company? Sun electric. For yeah. For 18 years. And then they were bought out by Snap-on Tool Company. And at that point in time, I what am I going to do? I was a salesman, but I knew how to work on cars and do that cuz I had to train them how to do it and everything else. So, you hadn't lost those skills.

Gary Rogers: And so, that's when I decided maybe it's time to open my own shop and do my own thing. So, that's when in in 90 they bought us out in '92 and I made the decision, okay, we're going to open up Rogers Automotive. And so that's when I started Rogers Automotive and and been working at that up until two and a half years ago. So I put my 30 years in. Yes, you did. With Rogers Automotive. And at that point in time, I basically turned it over to my son Michael. Who is running it now. And it's pretty unique because his son is working there now, too. Oh wow. So you got multi-generational. I hope that it's going to be a three generation thing. Oh, that's awesome. So, we'll see. You never know.

Ryan Harding: Was your grandfather interested in in He was actually a principal. Of the high school over in Pleasant Grove. And so, he had no automotive interest or desire in it at all. And I don't know where my dad got the interested in it, but he liked it. And I liked what he did. And I just I've enjoyed working on things and doing things all my life.

Ryan Harding: Did any of your siblings take on your dad's? No. So, I have three sons. One of them, my oldest one, is taking over the business. And the other one likes playing in the dirt. He has his own construction company. Like it loves the dirt. And the other one is into it. So technology and stuff like that. But yeah, none of them had any interested in taking over the business.

Gary Rogers: Every one of my kids have had a chance to work at the shop. Either cleaning or bookkeeping or whatever. So talk to me about that for a bit. Let's from a family perspective. So obviously you said so one son has followed you into this, but the other two not so much. But you were still able to use that business to to help teach your kids some skills, right?

Gary Rogers: Yeah, they like I said, they've all had a chance to work there. The girls, they did cleaning, but a little bookkeeping and stuff cuz my wife helped with the books and stuff. So, they've all learned a skill from it. And it was good. It's not something they wanted to pursue as a career. but they had a chance to work, make some money, and be able to see what it's all about, how family businesses ran and everything. So, it's worked out good. And I've had some of my grandkids work there, too, to make a few extra bucks. Oh, I love that. Good on you for giving them that opportunity. But at the same time, again, we all have different interests. My dad was in the med medical field, and I loved his job, and I I wanted to be like my dad, but I had no interest in medicine. like blood and guts just didn't appear, but I wanted it to cuz I liked I loved my dad and I liked what he was interested in. But just personally, I was more businessminded. I enjoyed that kind of stuff.

Ryan Harding: Let's go back to 1992 93 shop. So talk to me just somebody that's interested in starting a business. How scary to do that?

Gary Rogers: Very scary. Yeah. There was a lot of the unknown and a lot of things as you get into it. Oh, I didn't know I had to pay this fee or that tax or this. So, there's a lot of that. But I wasn't really afraid of not being able to fix the cars because not only did I feel like I had the skill set to do it, but have been working through basically the whole state of Utah with contacts with with other shops, dealerships, school teachers, colleges, all of that. I knew that if I ran into a problem like that that I had a resource to go to to be able to find out. But the business part of it was a little bit different. But there again, I had as when I worked for Sun Electric selling equipment stuff, I'd gone into a lot of different shops from a single one bay garage owner to multi-level dealerships, Larry Millers, all of those kind of places to sell equipment. And so I really looked at it and said, "What's working here and what's not working?" So I was able to take that information and those skill sets basically into my own business to help set it up which has been it was a good help good start.

Ryan Harding: That makes a lot of sense and that that is sometimes what happens for entrepreneurs is whether they have another position typically you don't start from high school and then start your own business right everybody wants that but it just doesn't happen. I think you're speaking to a point of hey you got to see how other businesses were run and then you copied the parts that you liked into your own businesses is what happened.

Gary Rogers: Yeah. And back in '93 when I first started into it, computers were just starting to come about and stuff. They had been out for a few years, but that was one thing I knew that I wanted to do was make sure everything was done on the computer for tracking and paperwork. Instead of having to fill out all the journals and track it and do all of that because I had seen both going into the shops. And so, you were ahead of your time or at least right on the the forefront of it. Yeah. That was interesting when I first started my shop and the word got out to the other shops in the area. Some were really happy and others weren't so happy, of course.

Gary Rogers: And I had one come to me and say, "Why don't you just come work for me instead of you opening your own shop?" No, I don't want that. I'm good. Thank you. So, when you started, did you start, was it just you or did you have some employees, too? When originally when I first started, my father-in-law had basically retired from Kennot and was doing construction on his own and he was getting older and he just felt he was looking for something different, too. And I says, "Why don't you come in with me and you can do the parts up in the front counterpart and I'll take care of the service in the back." So, he thought that maybe that would work out okay. And it was pretty overwhelming where he had never really used computers or looked up parts and books or anything. He lasted four months and said, "I'm done. I'm done. Retirement is for me. I'm good." It was a good experience to bond with him a little bit more and stuff, so it worked out. But so it was just me and him at first. And then my son was in high school. After school, he would come down and help with different things. And I managed for about three or four months on my own. And then I finally hired another person to help me out and stuff. And he was okay, but he didn't have the skill set that I needed. And so I ended up working harder to repair his problems and stuff.

Gary Rogers: As time went on, then we hired another guy that worked out pretty good and learning experience as time goes. So that is always the hard thing with employees is you're trying to replicate yourself and some of these guys aren't you to your point, having to repair his problems. And what about the building? Was that like from a cost perspective? I'm assuming there was some initial outlay to to I don't know if you bought or rent the building at first. We found the building. It was on State Street and it was part of an old wrecking yard body shop. That had closed up and the building sacked on a different angle. And so it wasn't real visible from State Street. But it wasn't too bad. So anyway, come to find out Wilfr Brimley owned it. Oh, the movie star. And my father-in-law had done some work for him on his ranch that he built here in Lehi. Water lines, sewer lines, and stuff like that. So he knew him pretty good. So, we talked to him and found out that it was his wife that owned it cuz they were splitting. And so, we went and talked to her and she said, "Why don't you just rent it until you find out if it's going to work?" And I said, "No, I that's that's a good idea, but I don't want to go down that road. I want if it does work, you know, you're going to raise the price. I just want to have it. It's to be mine." So, him, my father-in-law and I went in partners on the building. And bought it. And then, of course, after he decided it wasn't for him, then I've bought him out of all of that. But, yeah. So it it was a little scary going into it.

Gary Rogers: Again, risk. I mean, there's but greater reward, too. Obviously, you owned the business then. So, I did a lot of remodeling on the building because it's by the tracks up there. Union Pacific used to go by and it was so loud. So, we closed all the windows in on that one side of the track. And made the building more usable for what we needed it for. And it worked out good. And we did that for quite a few years. And then in 2009, the corner mark that was next to us. Okay. a little convenience store. They got shut down selling to underage and and I had expressed several times to him that if you ever do close up, I'm interested in your building and stuff. And and we had used his parking lot anyway, a lot of it. And so he approached me and says, "Yeah, I'm done. I'm out of here." So I bought that building in 2009. So now I have two buildings on State Street there, which gave us better exposure and more parking and stuff, too. And that worked out better. And then we started to hire a few more employees and have a few more headaches and things, but it's been good.

Ryan Harding: So, you just retired two and a half years ago, but how did where did you end up as far as employees go and stuff like that?

Gary Rogers: We had seven, counting myself when I retired, and that's about where they're at right now, too. Awesome. So, it's working good. And it would be nice to have more, but we just don't have any room to put anybody else. We got eight eight stalls to work in. And with with four people out in the shop working the stuff, I have four out in the shop, one service writer, and then kind of the guy that bounces between it all and there's just not enough room for everybody.

Ryan Harding: What kind of work do you do then? Is it just routine stuff or is it like, hey, diagnosing major problems and stuff like that?

Gary Rogers: General automotive repair and we do Asian and domestic. We don't get into any European and but we get in we get a lot of other shops problems. Sometimes we even get a few that the customers get frustrated at the dealer and they bring them into us. And we find the problems. Electrical problems and other things that some people are just having a hard time trying to figure out. We take our skills and sometimes it takes a while but we do figure it out and usually I can't think of any time we've just thrown our hands in there and said we're done with this car. We've been able to work through it to the end.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about that. What obviously you get a thrill out of that that being able to say that, right? That hey, no, we always solve the problem.

Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's a challenge, but but is a it's a good feeling when you're done because you feel like I accomplished that. Sometimes you look at it and go, man, that wasn't worth it. Do I need the brownie points to say I accomplished it when I needed the money to pay the bills and everything else? Cuz sometimes the money Yeah. You're not getting paid much more for finding this out, but it's I just want to figure it out. That's like when we first started the first few years, Lehi was small. We only had 8,000 people in the town. So, it wasn't a big town. So, we basically had to take in do whatever they wanted to do, whatever they needed us to do. I remember several times we were open Saturdays when we first opened, too. That seemed like it was everybody's project. They'd bring it in a box and say, "I can't put this together. Can you put it back together for me?" And it finally got to the point that one day off a week wasn't enough. So, we closed Saturdays, too. But yeah, it was good people. We did a lot of work, farm equipment and everything else and really and now it's progressed to the point that we can pick and choose a little bit more of our work. We don't work on farm tractors anymore. And we don't we do engines. We don't basically overhaul them because it's it's easier for us just to take one to someone the manufacturers rebuilt and we'll install it and get it running. because there's a lot of companies out there that specialize in rebuilding it and then we install them. Why? I mean, we can do that, but it's not cost effective. From a cost perspective, right? You got to go with where you're making the money. Exactly. And like some of the older cars, fortunately, there's a couple of other shops in town that will work on some of the older cars. because you just can't get parts for them and it just takes so much time away from making money on something else. To fix a a 1960 car. So, we just have to look at what's cost effective, where we can make the money that we need to make and get the customers happy and going.

Ryan Harding: Talk to me about just automotive in general. You said 1993, we're now 2025. You said computers were at the beginning. Now, we now cars are computers. So talking about how automotive has changed over that what 30 years.

Gary Rogers: Yeah, it's changed a lot because now we have a lot more computers on the cars. Everything's electronic. Everything is interfaced. Even the window levers switches to roll the windows up and down all go through a body control computer. And if you don't have the equipment to program that switch to the body control, you can put a new switch in, but it still won't do anything. So, it seems like we're constantly upgrading on our diagnostic equipment to be able to do it, too. And just like the emission program, they're changing the emission program. Come January 1st on the equipment that we're using right now won't be used anymore. We had to buy all new equipment, everything to pro to proceed next year with the program.

Ryan Harding: And what's changing, I guess, on that?

Gary Rogers: It used to be when it first came out, we always had to do a tailpipe probe where you put the machine in the tailpipe and you look at the gases coming out of the car. It's getting to the point in 95 they changed and went to what they call OBD2, onboard diagnostics too. Which is where you plug the connector into the vehicle and the machine analyzes the computer on the car. And the computer on the car is what's monitoring all the emission devices. And if anything's out of normal, then it sets the check engine light comes on, the little check engine light, and then the car won't pass emissions. And so now 93, we've been 30 years plus. And and the cars in 95, everything had to do it. So we don't need to even do that anymore. So they're not going to have an exhaust probe for the tailpipe anymore. It's all going to be computer. going to have a tablet that you basically plug into the diagnostic connector on the car and the computer on the car is going to tell the tablet, I'm good or I got a problem here, I got a problem there. And so it's interesting. It's technology changes. Just constantly. And so you're having to constantly adapt. As you do the business and stuff, equipment and knowledge and everything else. So, so we do take a few classes now and then on stuff to that the manufacturers provide to be able to look like electric cars, computers on the cars and things like that. So, we have to stay on top of that, too.

Gary Rogers: Rogers Automotive, Lehi History & Family Legacy | Roots & Branches