TIME recently announced the nominees for the 2025 TIME Dealer of the Year award. The award, sponsored by Ally Financial, celebrates franchised new-car dealers for exceptional business performance and outstanding community service. Dealers are nominated by members of the Automotive Trade Association Executives.
A panel composed of faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan chooses TIME Dealer of the Year finalists from each of the four NADA regions. The panel selects the national winner from the finalists. The winner will be announced on Saturday, Jan. 25, on the Main Stage at NADA Show 2025 in New Orleans.
As the award’s exclusive sponsor, Ally will contribute $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Ally will also give $5,000 donations to each of the four regional finalists’ favorite charities, as well as contribute $10,000 to the charity selected by the national winner.
“Each accomplished candidate is nominated by either a state or local association of franchised new-car dealers for their outstanding performance as automobile dealers and as valued citizens of their communities," says Gary Gilchrist, 2024 NADA Chairman. "I thank TIME and Ally for recognizing these representatives of the thousands of quality dealers across the country. They represent the very best of our profession and are an inspiration to us all."
The 49 nominees for the 57th award are:
- Erick Anderson, President, Placer Subaru (Helena, Mont.)
- Shawn Ball, Dealer Principal, L&S Toyota of Beckley (Beckley, W.V.)
- Sean P. Baxter, President, Kayser Ford Inc. (Madison, Wis.)
- Michael Brown, Owner and President, Empire Toyota of Huntington (Huntington, N.Y.)
- Brandon Campbell, General Manager, KarMART Volkswagen of Maui (Kihei, Hawaii)
- Kirk Carroll, Dealer Principal, Carroll's Auto Sales (Presque Isle, Maine)
- Jim Casey, President, Halladay Motors (Cheyenne, Wyo.)
- W. Kevin Collins, President and Owner, Bill Collins Ford (Louisville, Ky.)
- Rick Curia, Dealer Principal , Ken Nelson Auto Group (Dixon, Ill.)
- Daniel Dagesse, Co-owner and Chairman, Nucar Automall of Tilton (Tilton, N.H.)
- John Deery Jr., President, John Deery Motors (Cedar Falls, Iowa)
- Shaun Del Grande, Chairman and Dealer Principal, Del Grande Dealer Group (DGDG) (San Jose, Calif.)
- Brady Dolan, CEO, Dolan Lexus (Reno, Nev.)
- Ivette Dominguez Drawe, President , Alpine Buick GMC (Littleton, Colo.)
- Matt Einspahr, General Manager, Einspahr Auto Plaza (Brookings, S.D.)
- Raymond L. Farabaugh, President, D-Patrick, Inc. (Evansville, Ind.)
- Mark Fox, Owner, President and Dealer Principal, Fox Ford (Waynesburg, Penn.)
- Randy Fusz, Dealer Principal, Lou Fusz Toyota (Kirkwood, Mo.)
- Alan Gamblin, Owner and General Manager, Art Gamblin Motors (Enumclaw, Wash.)
- Kevin Grover, Owner, Kevin Griver GMC (Wagoner, Okla.)
- Andy Guelcher, President, Mohawk Chevrolet (Ballston Spa, N.Y.)
- George Haddad, Dealer Principal, Haddad Toyota (Pittsfield, Mass.)
- Robert Hager, COO and Partner, Ourisman Chantilly Toyota (Chantilly, Va.)
- Julie Herrera, Dealer Principal, Toyota of Cedar Park (Leander, Texas)
- Wanda Howell, Dealer, Cronic Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM (Griffin, Ga.)
- Bradford Jacobs, President, Jacobs Ford (Saint Paul, Neb.)
- Gary Kaminsky, Owner and General Manager, Toyota of El Cajon (El Cajon, Calif.)
- Michael LaFontaine, Founder, LaFontaine Cadillac Buick GMC Highland (Highland, Mich.)
- Eric Lane, CEO, Gerry Lane Chevrolet (Baton Rouge, La.)
- Lori Lum, Dealer Principal, Lum’s Auto Center (Warrenton, Ore.)
- Colin MacLean, President, Crown Acura (Brook Park, Ohio)
- A. Foster McKissick III, CEO, Fairway Automotive Group (Greenville, S.C.)
- Trudy Moody, Dealer Principal, Mercedes-Benz of Jackson (Ridgeland, Miss.)
- Neill Nelson, President and Dealer Principal, Davenport Autopark (Rocky Mount, N.C.)
- Con Paulos, President, Con Paulos Chevrolet (Jerome, Idaho)
- Mark Pellegrino, President and Dealer Principal, Pellegrino Chevrolet (Westville, N.J.)
- Dave Perno, President, Loyalty Toyota (Chester, Va.)
- Elyse Puklich, President, Puklich Chevrolet Inc. (Bismarck, N.D.)
- Michael Rouen, President, Rouen Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (Woodville, Ohio)
- Roger Scholfield, President, Scholfield Honda (Wichita, Kan.)
- Roger Smart Jr., Dealer Principal, Smart Chevrolet Company (White Hall, Ark.)
- Cathy Stender, Owner, Woody Anderson Ford (Huntsville, Ala.)
- Joe Street, Owner and President, Street Toyota (Amarillo, Texas)
- Farrar Vaughan, President, Jaguar Land Rover Bluff City (Memphis, Tenn.)
- Andrew Walser, CEO, Walser Automotive Group (Bloomington, Minn.)
- Perry Max Webb II, Vice President and Dealer Operator, Webb Chevrolet (Farmington, N.M.)
- Jon Weese, President, CEO and Dealer Principal, Heritage Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Logan (North Logan, Utah)
- Dave Wilson, Chairman, Preston Ford Inc. (Hurlock, Md.)
- Karl J. Zimmermann Jr., CEO and President, George Matick Chevrolet (Redford, Mich.)
NADA congratulates the 2025 nominees! To learn more about each of the nominees, their philanthropic contributions and achievements, visit www.timedealeroftheyear.com.
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