A Jacksonville, Florida native, Jack Hanania attended Wolfson High School and Jacksonville College before beginning his automotive career as a salesman in 1983. By the following year, Jack had quickly advanced to become one of the youngest managers in the business at age 25.
After working in the automotive industry for 18 years, Jack purchased his first dealership, Acura of Orange Park, and founded Hanania Automotive Group. Today, Hanania Automotive Group is a leader in Northeast Florida auto sales and has grown to include a collision center and seventeen brand franchises including Audi, Acura, Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, INFINITI, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Subaru, and Volkswagen. Each dealership offers new and used models as well as vehicle maintenance services.
The Hanania Automotive Group has also been listed as the Jacksonville Business Journals’ Number 1 Volume Dealer in North Florida for three consecutive years. With continued growth in sight, the auto group ventured out of the Jacksonville market, opening dealerships in Estero, Florida; Miami, Florida; Birmingham and Alabama.
Committed to brand advancement and dealer growth, Jack served as President of the Audi Dealer Advisory Council from 2009-2013, and has also served as President of the Acura National Dealer Advisory Board.
Jack and his wife Debbie have two sons, Jack Jr. and Mark. The Hanania family are all active members in the local community. Jack is a member of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce and the Jacksonville Civic Council, where he advises the mayor on various city matters. Jack was a previous board member of the YMCA and currently serves as an executive board member of the Within Reach Foundation and supports local and national charities, including the Mayo Clinic, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, K9s for Warriors, American Cancer Society, Cystic Fibrosis, Dreams Come True, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, United Service Organization, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Blue Angels, Catholic Charities, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Concert on the Green, and River Garden just to name a few. Jack has also helped raise over 10 million dollars for the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
Hanania also served as the official Automotive Partner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. As the Jaguars celebrated their 25-year anniversary and the NFL celebrated their 100-year anniversary during the Jaguars v. Saints game in October 2019, Jack served as Honorary Captain and was recognized alongside the first player to be drafted by the Jaguars.
In continuing to preserve the heritage and history of Jacksonville, Jack is a member of the local steering committee that focuses on revitalizing and developing the city. Towards this effort, Jack purchased the Dyal-Up Church in 2017 and Title & Trust Company of Florida Building in 2020. Jack believes that the community is the cornerstone of his business and giving back is paramount.
