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# Mercedes dealer honored for community service
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/mercedes-dealer-honored-for-community-service/
- Published: 2003-11-25T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:16:11.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Venice, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

The owners of Santa Monica-based W.I. Simonson Mercedes-Benz, one of the largest auto dealerships in Southern California, were recently honored for their community service by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.

The event, the Rising Stars Gala, was held on Nov. 14 at the Century Plaza Hotel. This year’s honorees also included Andy Garcia, Serena Williams, Hillary Duff, Verna Harrah, Jose Navarro and Pam Dawber.

Dealership owners, Judy Rehwald Richards, Francie Rehwald and Bill Rehwald, have been part of a long standing family tradition of supporting a wide range of area organizations.

Some of those organizations include The American Heart Association (for which they received the 2002 Women’s Legacy Family of the Year), Project Angel Food, The Venice Family Clinic, Santa Monica/UCLA Hospital, Santa Monica YMCA & YWCA, John Wayne Cancer Institute at St. John’s Health Center, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Meals on Wheels, Human Rights Campaign, Santa Monica High School, the Santa Monica Symphony and the Santa Monica Historical Society. They also host an annual Red Cross blood drive.

As the grandchildren of founder William I. Simonson, the Rehwalds represent the third generation of same family ownership, one of the few auto dealers with that history. The Rehwalds’ mother, Mary Simonson Rehwald, one of the first female Mercedes-Benz dealers in the U.S., served as CEO and president of the company from 1976 until her death in 2002\. It was recently named the largest women-owned business in Los Angeles County, ranked by 2002 revenues, by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

The annual Rising Stars Gala honors members of the community who, through their energy, courage and spirit, have touched the lives and hearts of many.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 25, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/112503.pdf?ref=smdp.com)