Ally and TIME announced the nomination of 40 auto dealers for the annual TIME Dealer of the Year Award. The 2021 nominees are recognized for their extraordinary leadership in navigating their businesses and supporting their local communities during unprecedented times.

Chosen from nearly 17,000 franchised dealers across the country, the dealers nominated for this distinguished award have demonstrated strong business acumen and steadfast commitment to their communities. The honorees will be recognized by Ally and TIME at the 104th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show Feb. 9-11, 2021, during a virtual ceremony where the national winner will be announced.

Auto dealers play a vital role in the economic fabric of the country, employing more than 2.4 million Americans with jobs in sales, service and management. Auto dealers contribute billions of dollars to their state and local economies, while supporting local community groups, charities and hospital boards.¹ This year’s award nominees are exemplary business leaders who have successfully strengthened their dealership operations over the years, while at the same time sponsoring hundreds of local causes that range from helping babies exposed to drugs before birth and supporting cancer patients to developing leadership programs for young people to learn about business and recognizing local school teachers.

“The TIME Dealer of the Year award has been celebrating industry leaders for more than 50 years, but this year is special,” said Doug Timmerman, president of Ally Auto Finance. “This year’s nominees have had to navigate extraordinary circumstances while maintaining their businesses and doing everything they can to support and lift up their local communities. Our country has endured tremendous hardship due to the effects of COVID-19, and this year’s nominees stepped up in ways we’ve never seen before, playing a critical role in bolstering their communities throughout the pandemic. This year’s award celebrates their ingenuity and leadership in the face of incredible challenges.”

In its milestone 10^th year as the exclusive sponsor, Ally will recognize each of the 40 dealer nominees and support their many community efforts by contributing $1,000 to a 501(c)3 charity of their choice. The finalists for the award will receive an additional $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive an additional $10,000 to give to charity.

Nominated by executives from state and metro dealer associations throughout the country, each nominee represents their respective association in the national competition. The TIME awards are sponsored by Ally in cooperation with NADA. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and the national Dealer of the Year.

The complete list of the dealers in the running for the award is below. To learn more about each of the 40 nominees, go to AllyDealerHeroes.com.

TIME Dealer of the Year Nominees

·   Christine Alicandro Karnolt, Marty’s GMC Buick, Kingston, MA

·   Daniel Banister, Banister Nissan of Chesapeake, Chesapeake, VA

·   John Barker, Two Rivers Ford, Mt. Juliet, TN

·   Larry Battison, Battison Honda, Oklahoma City, OK

·   Chuck Bierbach, Elko Motor Company, Elko, NV

·   Mark Boniol, Mark Dodge, Lake Charles, LA

·   Sam Burns, Burns Chevrolet Gaffney, Gaffney, SC

·   Jack Caldwell, Caldwell Toyota, Conway, AR

·   Scott Cargill, White’s Frontier Motors, Gillette, WY

·   Jonathan Chariff, South Motors Automotive Group, Palmetto Bay, FL

·   David Conant, Norm Reeves Honda Superstore, Cerritos, CA

·   Dominic Conicelli, Conicelli Autoplex, Conshohocken, PA

·   Timothy Crenwelge, Crenwelge Motors, Kerrville, TX

·   Jamie Darvish, DARCARS Automotive Group, Silver Spring, MD

·   Don Davidson, Sears Imported Autos, Minnetonka, MN

·   Christina Dawkins, Co’s BMW Center, Loveland, CO

·   Rick DeSilva, Jr., Liberty Subaru, Emerson, NJ

·   Jim Fisher, Jim Fisher Volvo Cars Portland, Portland, OR

·   Omnia Fowler, Modern Automotive Group, Boone, NC

·   Kathleen Gaddie, Ryan Family Dealerships, Minot, ND

·   Steve Gates, Toyota South, Richmond, KY

·   Chris Hemmersmeier, Jerry Seiner Chrevrolet, Salt Lake City, UT

·   Todd Hill, Tri-State Ford Lincoln, Maryville, MO

·   Michael Keppel, Acura of Maui, Kahului, HI

·   Michael Kopp, North Country Ford, Lancaster, NH

·   Harry Larson, Larson Motors, Inc., Nebraska City, NE

·   Marvin McCord, McCord’s Vancouver Toyota, Vancouver, WA

·   Mike Molstead, Mike Molstead Motors, Inc., Charles City, IA

·   J. Thad Naquin, Tom Naquin Chevrolet Nissan Cadillac, Elkhart, IN

·   Lane Nichols, Gene’s Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fairbanks, AK

·   Don Patnoe, Liberty Chrysler Jeep Fiat, Rapid City, SD

·   Jose Pozos, Wichita Falls Ford, Wichita Falls, TX

·   Patrick Preston, Preston Superstore, Burton, OH

·   Tim Redding, Sr., Swainsboro Ford Lincoln, Swainsboro, GA

·   Jim Stanger, Helena Motors, Helena, MO

·   Mike Sullivan, Lexus Santa Monica, Santa Monica, CA

·   Juliana Curran Terian, Rallye Motors, Roslyn, NY

·   J. R. Toothman, Toothman Ford, Grafton, WV

·   Michael Van Veckhoven, New South Ford, Meridian, MS

·   Jeff Williams, Williams AutoWorld, Lansing, MI

SOURCE: “Auto Retailing: State by State.” 2020, NADA