Leo Bunnin
Board Member
Owner of Bunnin Automotive Group
Leo Bunnin is a third- generation auto dealer who has owned numerous dealerships over his forty-plus years of automotive experience. Bunnin returned to Ventura County in late 2019 when he purchased Santa Paula Chevrolet and renamed it Bunnin Chevrolet of Santa Paula. He coupled that location with his other Chevrolet dealership in Santa Barbara and in August 2020, purchased Wm. L. Morris Chevrolet in Fillmore, renaming it, Bunnin Chevrolet of Fillmore. Also, within the dealership, Bunnin has re-opened the long -time local favorite eatery which is now called, Leo’s Café where customers can eat and socialize on the showroom floor among classic and late model autos. Leo employs over 125 area residents in his three dealerships and has a high sense of responsibility when it comes to “giving back” to the communities he serves.
Bunnin Chevrolet of Santa Paula was named “Large Business of the Year 2020 by the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce after only one year of purchasing the dealership there. Many local and county wide organizations have also benefited from Leo’s generosity. Area Boys and Girls clubs, Support for the Kids, Senior Concerns, as well as Police and Fire protection. Just recently, Leo pledged support to Santa Paula’s own, National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and the tremendous work they do.
Leo has a long history for support of the health community in Ventura County. He is a past recipient of the St. John’s Healthcare Foundation Catherine McAuley lifetime achievement award. Other notable recognitions include Oxnard’s Man of the Year and 3-time GM Dealer of the Year. Pepperdine University Arts has also honored Leo for his continuing support. Leo now spends much of this time traveling between his three dealerships in Santa Barbara, Santa Paula and Fillmore each and every day.