Jay Cimino

A rapport with Colorado Springs's thriving military community has proven to be vital for Mr. Cimino's enterprises. In a 2011 interview, he even estimated that local military personnel and their families account for 60% of his companies' business.

The Phil Long Community Fund, in collaboration with the Denver Broncos, built the playground in America the Beautiful Park. As a result, the park now contains a street named Cimino Drive (dedicated in 2003). His hometown of Trinidad opened the Jay Cimino Downtown Family Park and Playground in the summer of 2007. In 2011, Cimino was honored by Wards Auto with a Top 500 Dealer Profile. The aforementioned Mount Carmel Health, Wellness and Community Center has also thrust Cimino into the local spotlight. Because of the center's contribution to Trinidad and the surrounding area, the Pikes Peak chapter of the American Red Cross selected Cimino as the humanitarian of the year for 2013.

Jay Cimino was born in 1936, and grew up in Trinidad. He followed his high school career with a brief stint in the United States Marine Corps before deciding to pursue higher education. Cimino began college at Trinidad State Junior College, and ended at the University of Denver. The October after college graduation, he was married to sweetheart Emily Roitz. He then dove headfirst into the automotive industry with a management position at B. F. Goodrich. His Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration was most famously put to use, however, when he partnered with automotive magnate Phil Long. Together, the entrepreneurial tag team expanded Phil Long Ford into an entire chain of successful dealerships. When Long died in 2001, Cimino continued to acquire and discard dealerships for the sake of the larger corporation.