# Dan Brettler

> Dan Brettler founded Car Toys in Bellevue, Washington, in 1987 and co-founded Wireless Advocates in 2004. He built a retail career around mobile electronics, service and installation, while working with his wife Cindy on Seattle housing and philanthropy. A former United Way of King County board chair, he helped support Brettler Family Place and received the organization’s Beacon Award with Cindy in 2019. Car Toys entered Chapter 11 in 2025; by 2026 he described himself as its former chairman and CEO.

- **Role:** Founder and former Chairman and CEO of Car Toys
- **Organizations:** Car Toys, Wireless Advocates (closed December 2022), Brettler Family Foundation, United Way of King County, Committee to End Homelessness in King County / All Home
- **Education:** University of Vermont
- **Known for:** Founded Car Toys and expanded it across Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Texas., Car Toys reported 48 locations and 830 employees in 2017., Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, wholesale/retail category, 1998 (Car Toys historical timeline).

## Career timeline

- **1981** — Moved to Seattle and began working at Pacific Stereo in Tacoma after college.
- **1982** — Joined Northwest Auto Sound; later became vice president of sales and marketing.
- **1987** — Opened the first Car Toys store in Bellevue on April 1.
- **1998** — Recognized by Ernst & Young as Entrepreneur of the Year in the wholesale/retail category, according to Car Toys’ historical timeline.
- **1999** — Car Toys recapitalized with investors including TA Associates and expanded into Colorado.
- **2000** — Car Toys entered Texas; United Way dates the Brettler Family Foundation’s establishment to this year.
- **2004** — Co-founded Wireless Advocates.
- **2005** — Gave the As the Customer Turns keynote at NWEN Entrepreneur University.
- **2007-2008** — Chaired the United Way of King County board.
- **2011** — Brettler Family Place opened with 51 permanent family homes at Magnuson Park.
- **2019** — Received United Way’s Beacon Award with Cindy Brettler.
- **2022** — Wireless Advocates closed on December 5.
- **2023** — Began lending to Car Toys in May.
- **2025** — Car Toys filed for Chapter 11 on August 18.
- **2026** — Car Toys’ bankruptcy plan was confirmed in March; Brettler subsequently used the title former chairman and CEO.

## Achievements

- Founded Car Toys and expanded it across Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Texas.
- Car Toys reported 48 locations and 830 employees in 2017.
- Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, wholesale/retail category, 1998 (Car Toys historical timeline).
- United Way of King County board chair, 2007-2008.
- Supported permanent family housing at Brettler Family Place with Cindy Brettler and nonprofit partners.
- Shared the 2019 Beacon Award for Visionary Philanthropic Leadership with Cindy Brettler.

## Latest updates

- **2026-01** — Car Toys’ disclosure statement reported completed sales involving 33 stores and three annexes, with an inventory-adjusted combined price of $12,151,936.
- **2026-03** — The Car Toys bankruptcy plan was confirmed on March 12. A Reverb podcast episode published the same day featured Brettler discussing his entrepreneurial career.
- **2026-04** — In a public recommendation for CFO Kim Nelson covering her service through April 2026, Brettler signed as founder and former chairman and CEO of Car Toys and Wireless Advocates. The recommendation itself is undated.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-brettler-9ba00ab6

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/dan-brettler
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-20