Forty Under 40: David D. Nelms

David Nelms, 31, wasn’t thinking about entering the automobile industry when he left Fayetteville for college.

Instead, aiming for a career in broadcast journalism, Nelms enrolled at the University of Kansas, where he eventually earned a degree in a program that would come to be known as business communications.

Upon graduation, Nelms moved to Portland, Ore., where he landed a job handling produce for a chain of natural food stores. He also managed a 110-acre organic pear and apple orchard.

But about three and a half years ago, home beckoned. Nelms returned to Fayetteville with the intention of coordinating construction of the new automobile supermarket planned by his family’s company. Ultimately, that project was put on hold, and young Nelms stepped in to assist in sales and marketing.

Currently, he’s general operations manager for the company, which includes Honda, Acura, Chevrolet and Lincoln-Mercury franchises.

Now, as the company prepares to finally embark on that major building project, Nelms is ready to see it finally come to fruition.

In his spare time, Nelms is active in the Ozark Off-Road Cyclists group, which promotes safe use of trails by cyclists.