Richard Herod III has many “firsts” in his career, including being the first openly gay executive of a Twin Cities auto brand and the first openly gay motorsports dealer in the country. In addition to paving a path for representation in an industry not often associated with the LGBTQ community, Herod’s leadership as the public face of the brand has pushed White Bear Mitsubishi (WBM) to achieve market-share goals, including its ranking as the No. 2 Mitsubishi dealer in the nation, an industry-recognized honor from Reputation’s 800 Award. WBM is a partner of the annual Twin Cities Pride Festival. Herod puts the same effort into his community efforts, serving as a board member for several groups including Quorum, Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce.