NOADA Awards and the TIME Dealer of the Year in Ohio

Every year, the Northeast Ohio Automobile Dealers Association recognizes the dealers who set the standard for our region - operators who run exceptional dealerships and give back to the communities that have supported them since NOADA was founded in 1927. Our most prestigious honor is the NOADA nominee for the TIME Dealer of the Year, the national award that singles out one franchised new-car dealer from each state for both business excellence and humanitarian service. This page explains the awards NOADA presents, how the TIME Dealer of the Year nomination works in Ohio, and how to recognize an outstanding Northeast Ohio dealer.

For dealers, an award is more than a plaque. It is independent, third-party proof of the quality and integrity that NOADA membership represents. For the buying public, it is a shorthand: the dealers who win these honors are the ones who treat customers right and show up for their neighbors.

How NOADA recognizes outstanding dealers

NOADA recognizes member dealers who run exceptional dealerships and give back to their communities. The association’s signature recognition is naming a Northeast Ohio dealer as its nominee for the TIME Dealer of the Year, the national award that singles out one franchised new-car dealer per state for both business excellence and community service. NOADA also celebrates members’ community work and leadership throughout the year. To recognize a dealer, contact the NOADA office at (330) 272-9011.

TIME Dealer of the Year: how the nomination works

The TIME Dealer of the Year award is presented in partnership with TIME, Ally, and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). It honors new-car dealers across the country who demonstrate exceptional performance in their dealerships and distinguished community service. It is widely regarded as the most respected award in the retail-automotive industry.

Here is the path from a Northeast Ohio showroom to the national stage:

1. State and local nomination. Each franchised dealer association - through the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE) - names a single nominee. NOADA puts forward its representative for Northeast Ohio; statewide and other local associations name theirs.
2. The national field. Nominees from every state are announced together each year (roughly 45–50 dealers), typically ahead of the NADA Show.
3. Regional finalists. A panel of faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selects one finalist from each of NADA’s four regions.
4. National winner. From those four finalists, the judges name the national TIME Dealer of the Year, announced at the NADA Show.
5. A scholarship in the nominees’ honor. TIME and Ally fund an annual University of Michigan scholarship in the name of TIME, Ally, NADA, and that year’s Dealer of the Year nominees - so every nomination supports the next generation.

Who qualifies as a nominee

To be eligible for the TIME Dealer of the Year, a dealer must:

• Be a franchised new-car dealer.
• Be a member of NADA.
• Be a member of a state dealer association and, where applicable, a local association like NOADA.
• Be the actual operating head of the dealership (or the owner’s designated agent with full authority) for at least one year, recognized as the dealership’s voting representative.
• Maintain an ongoing, active presence managing the dealership.
• Have at least a five-year record of active participation in state or local dealer-association affairs.
• Agree to participate in Dealer of the Year activities during the year following selection.

What the judges weigh

Judging looks at the whole dealer - the business and the human being behind it.

At the dealership

• Customer satisfaction
• Personnel competence, training, attitude, and service record
• Financial status and ethics
• New-car, used-car, and service sales records
• Share of market
• Physical plant and facilities
• Dealer-association participation

In the community

• Service to community and humanity
• Civic, political, and educational activities
• Additional contributions that benefit others

That second category is the point. The TIME Dealer of the Year is not “top seller.” It is the dealer who builds a great business and coaches youth sports, funds scholarships, backs the food bank, and answers when the community calls.

Why these awards matter to Northeast Ohio

• They reward the right behavior. Recognition tied to ethics, customer satisfaction, and community service reinforces the standards NOADA has upheld since 1927.
• They build local trust. A buyer choosing between stores can lean on a credible, third-party signal. Award-winning dealers earn that benefit of the doubt.
• They generate earned media. A TIME Dealer of the Year nomination is a genuine news event - picked up by local outlets, trade press, and the dealer’s own marketing - which is exactly why associations like NOADA promote it.
• They strengthen the franchise system. Each honor is one more piece of evidence that locally owned franchised dealers are accountable, invested neighbors - the case NOADA makes every day. Learn more on our Franchise System 101 page.

NOADA honorees

NOADA maintains a roll of its TIME Dealer of the Year nominees. As each nominee is named, we will publish their name, a photo, and a short profile of their dealership and community work here, along with past honorees.

How to nominate a Northeast Ohio dealer

Know a dealer who runs a first-class store and shows up for the community? We want to hear about it.

• Members: watch for the annual call for nominations ahead of the NOADA Annual Meeting, where many honors are presented.
• The public and community partners: you can recognize a dealer’s community work by contacting the NOADA office. Tell us the dealership, the person, and what they did.
• Questions: reach the NOADA office at (330) 272-9011 or through our Contact page.

FAQs

What is the TIME Dealer of the Year award? It is a national honor presented by TIME, Ally, and NADA that recognizes one franchised new-car dealer for both outstanding dealership performance and exceptional community service. One nominee is named per state and region, and a single national winner is announced at the NADA Show.

How is a dealer nominated for TIME Dealer of the Year in Ohio? Local and state franchised dealer associations name their nominees through the Automotive Trade Association Executives. NOADA selects and submits its nominee for the Northeast Ohio region.

Who judges the award? Faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan select four regional finalists and then the national winner.

Is the TIME Dealer of the Year the same as a “Quality Dealer” award? They are related in spirit. The historic TIME Quality Dealer Award evolved into today’s TIME Dealer of the Year, which recognizes both business excellence and community service.

Can I nominate a dealer if I’m a customer, not a member? You cannot submit the formal TIME nomination - that comes through the association - but you can absolutely tell NOADA about a dealer’s community service, which informs our recognition. Use the Contact page.

Do award-winning dealers cost more to buy from? No. An award reflects how a dealer treats customers and the community, not its prices. Browse honored and member dealers on Find a Dealer.

Related

• About NOADA and our history since 1927
• NOADA Leadership
• Foundation & Community Impact
• NOADA Annual Meeting
• Franchise System 101
• Find a Dealer
• Press & Media

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Celebrate the dealers who set the standard. See this year’s nominee, then find a trusted NOADA member dealer near you - or contact NOADA to recognize a dealer’s community work.