People > Everything
West Herr Ventures is guided by the foundational principle that people are everything in automotive retail. The quality of the team will determine the quality of the dealership. And our mission is to help put tools and innovation in the hands of these people to make their days better.
We started Ventures because the technology founders building the future of automotive need more than capital. They need a partner who understands the people. And a partner that has stood on the showroom floor, written the F&I deal, ordered the parts, and answered the late-night service call. We bring seven decades of that operating experience to every check we write.
Nationally focused.
How we partner
We are patient, founder-friendly, and operator-led. We'll never optimize for ownership at the expense of the company. We take board seats only when asked, and we measure our value in pilots launched and customers introduced — not in slide decks delivered.
Auto Group History
West Herr was founded on a simple promise: treat every customer like they're our only customer. That same standard guides WH Ventures. We promise founders fast yeses, faster nos, candid feedback, and a network of operators who actually pick up the phone.
Operator-led, from the showroom to the boardroom.
Matt Lasher
Over 20 years of direct auto retail experience across the full stack of the industry — from working at an OEM, to a large dealership group, to launching and running a successful SaaS business serving automotive dealers nationwide. Matt knows what founders need because he's been one.
Scott Bieler
Limited Partner, WH Venture Fund 1
Over 40 years of experience running one of the largest automotive groups in the country. Scott started as a salesman in 1975, became President in 1997, and has been majority owner since 2000 — growing West Herr from a single dealership into a 60+-location, 3,200-employee powerhouse and the largest auto group in New York State.
Full bio at westherr.com