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From left, Johann Finkelmeier, vice
president and general manager of
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company,
appears with Judy Smith, Timothy Smith,
and Ed McCarrick, TIME magazine
president and worldwide publisher. |
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Being named 2008 TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year is an honor Timothy J. Smith will not soon forget. The BMW/Mini dealer from Calabasas, Calif., says he's still trying to get used to all the attention - and may never will. Nevertheless, Smith says being named Dealer of the Year is a great honor he does not take lightly. And he's no stranger to the award. His father, Bob Smith, was Dealer of the Year in 1979.
The honor
The award is the product of a longstanding partnership between NADA and Time Magazine to recognize dealers for their outstanding performance as business owners and citizens. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company became another sponsor of the program about 10 years ago. Together, the three groups have made the Dealer of the Year award a highly coveted honor for automobile dealers. “It’s something we value tremendously,” says NADA President Phil Brady.
Each of the 51 nominees for the award is chosen by their state or metro dealer association. A faculty panel from the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business Administration selects four finalists and the Dealer of the Year.
The nominees
Candidates for the Time Magazine Dealer of the Year award are selected based on their achievements in business and community service. Smith, a third-generation car dealer, says the two go hand-in-hand. “The values that you bring to your company are the same values that motivate you to be involved in the other things,” he says. “My father was that way. He loved to build things. And he loved to build his community.”
Smith and his dealership have supported a wide range of organizations and causes. He and his wife, Judy, have been major benefactors of schools and organizations that support church and child welfare. But he cites his service as a trustee for the Catholic Education Foundation as his most meaningful civic contribution. “I believe in that because I think the kids in the inner-city schools get a real values-based education in the Catholic schools,” he says. “And it creates a much better opportunity for them to succeed. Instead of going to gangs, our recipients go to college.”
The prestige
Smith is also a leader among BMW dealers, having served as chairman of the BMW dealer council on five different occasions. His work for the franchise has earned him the praise of BMW CEO Tom Purves. The two sometimes share a round of golf to brainstorm new ideas.
Dealers around the country are known for their community involvement. But Smith says he hopes to use his Dealer of the Year title to motivate even more dealers to get involved in their communities and their industry. “I recognize that dealers are busy people but I strongly believe that there’s always time to give back to your community and your industry,” he says. “The more you do, the more you get done.”
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