NEW ORLEANS (Jan. 27, 2017) - Robert Nuss, president of Nuss Truck Group in Rochester, Minn., was named 2017 Truck Dealer of the Year, an annual award presented by the American Truck Dealers (ATD), Heavy Duty Trucking and Procede Software. ATD is a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association.
 
Nuss took center stage to receive the award at the 54th annual ATD Convention and Expo, which runs from Thursday, January 26, through Sunday, January 29, in New Orleans.
 
The three-time Truck Dealer of the Year nominee joked that he wouldn't win. He thanked his family and colleagues.
 
Katie Hopkins, executive vice president of Truck Centers, Inc., in Troy, Ill., was runner up. The other nominees were James Carello, president of Regional International Corp. in Henrietta, N.Y.; Gary Nicholas, president/CEO of Nicholas-Wyoming Valley Truck Sales, Inc., in Luzerne, Pa.; and Zach Wagner, CEO of Gateway Truck & Refrigeration in Collinsville, Ill.
 
They were nominated by state, metro and national association leaders. A panel of professors from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business analyzed the nominees' dealership performances, industry leadership and civic contributions.
 
The ATD convention runs concurrently with the NADA Convention and Expo. More than 23,000 new-car and -truck dealers and their managers, as well as dealers from more than 30 countries, auto-industry executives and exhibitor staff are expected to attend.
 
Founded in 1917, NADA celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year.