Founder Biography

Ernie Boch, Jr.

Ernie’s automotive career began in the 70’s when he began working for his father, who was already an icon in the New England auto industry. For the next 20 years, Ernie gained inside knowledge of how an automotive empire operates and how it grows. Since the passing of his father, Ernie, Jr. has taken the business to greater heights through his dynamic vision and innovative business model.

Though successfully running the family business has been the reward, his underlying passion has always been music. Ernie graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1982 and now sits on the school’s advisory board, staying closely involved with the musical community in Boston. In 2006, Ernie brought some very talented friends together to create his own blues-rock band, Ernie and the Automatics.

Ernie founded Music Drives Us, a Boch family foundation that supports music education, preservation and awareness throughout New England. Investing $2 million of his own funds, he put together an all-star board of advisors and reached deep into the underserved communities to ensure that everyone has access to music. By providing grants to individuals and groups in the area, the foundation supports all facets of music insuring his mission of music education, awareness and preservation continues to thrive throughout New England. It was not until he saw the results from his own investment that he looked into other sources of funding from strategic partnerships for the project. Those results have impacted numerous individuals and groups throughout the region, in early education, music therapy, marching bands and instruments and uniforms, music mentors, free concerts, and specialty scholarships. View our list of grant recipients.

While forming Music Drives Us, Ernie Boch was able to find nine other individuals as passionate as himself to help the foundation takeoff. Read about our Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.