Long Island auto dealer Jack Weidinger has donated $25,000 to Suffolk County Community College’s Automotive Technology program, a contribution that will help expand training opportunities for students preparing for careers in the automotive service industry.
Weidinger, president of the Weidinger Automotive Group and immediate past chairman of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, presented the check on Wednesday alongside students at the North Bay Cadillac GMC Service Center in Roslyn.
The donation comes as Suffolk Community College moves forward with plans to double the size of its automotive program to meet rising demand for skilled technicians. The program currently enrolls 260 full-time students in its two-year course of study.
“I’m proud to support Suffolk Community College’s efforts to create more opportunities for the next generation of automotive professionals,” Weidinger said in a statement. “The need for highly skilled technicians is greater than ever, and this program is helping students launch successful, well-paying careers right here on Long Island.”
Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, said the contribution highlights the important role dealerships can play in workforce development.
“Jack’s leadership and commitment to education have always stood out,” Schienberg said. “This donation reinforces the important partnership between local dealerships and educational institutions to address the growing demand for technicians. Suffolk’s expansion will open doors for hundreds of students and strengthen the entire automotive industry in our region.”
Weidinger is a third-generation auto dealer whose family began selling luxury vehicles on Long Island in 1938. After earning a finance degree from Lehigh University and an MBA from Columbia University, he joined the family business in 1996.
Today, he oversees a group of dealerships that includes North Bay Cadillac, North Bay Buick GMC and Jaguar Land Rover Freeport. Beyond his automotive work, he supports several charitable organizations, including the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Tunnel to Towers Foundation and Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association’s annual Operation Warm Coat Drive.
Suffolk Community College, the largest institution in the State University of New York system, operates New York’s largest automotive technology program. Its graduates often move directly into jobs with area dealerships, repair centers and manufacturers.
Founded in 1910, the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association represents franchised new car and truck dealers across the New York metropolitan area.
The organization advocates on legislative, regulatory, and consumer issues, promotes workforce development, and produces the New York International Auto Show. Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association members generate an estimated $67.6 billion in economic activity and support more than 67,000 jobs in the region.
