TIME AND ALLY FINANCIAL HONOR FLINT DEALER
RandyWise Wins National Recognition for Community Service and Industry Accomplishments at NADA Convention
(New York, NY, November 16, 2011) – The nomination of RandyWise, dealer at Randy Wise Chevrolet in Flint, Michigan, for the 2012 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced today by TIME.
Wise is one of a select group of dealers from across the country who will be honored at the 95th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Exposition in Las Vegas on February 4, 2012. The announcement of this year’s nominees was made by Kim Kelleher, worldwide publisher of TIME, and Tim Russi, executive vice president, North American Operations, for Ally Financial.
“Auto dealers have a tremendous impact on the vitality and strength of communities across the U.S.,” said Russi. “Ally is proud to support these extraordinary dealers who are truly making their communities better places to live and work.” As part of its support for the program, Ally will make charitable contributions to local community causes on behalf of all 50 nominated dealers across the United States. In addition, the 2012 national TIME Dealer of the Year winner will receive a $10,000 contribution for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of his or her choice. To celebrate the valuable contributions of dealers across the U.S., Ally has also launched a digital hub (allybizhero.com) featuring engaging content celebrating auto dealers and their philanthropic achievements.
The TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. Recipients are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers who must also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. Wise, 63, was chosen to represent the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition – one of only 50 auto dealers, from 17,000 nationwide, nominated for the 43rd annual award. The award is sponsored by TIME Magazine in association with Ally, and in cooperation with NADA. A panel of faculty members from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan selects one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year.
“Having spent more than 41 years in this business, the biggest reward is the success of my 200 employees,” says nominee Wise. “Every day presents new challenges and the ability to deal with them keeps me going.”
Wise graduated with a B.A. in economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he wrote for the student newspaper, The Michigan Daily, and was a member of the athletic board. He broke into the automotive business in 1970 after graduation, learning the ropes at Cauley-Serra Chevrolet while serving as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve until 1976.
He purchased his first dealership in 1989 and, in addition to RandyWise Chevrolet; he also owns RandyWise Buick-GMC in Fenton, RandyWise Ford in Ortonville, Randy Wise Auto Mall in Flint and RandyWise Chevrolet-Buick in Milan. His son Christopher is a vice-president in the organization. “Through the cyclical times of the automobile industry, I never questioned the decision I made in 1970 to get in this business,” Wise notes. “I keep a positive attitude with employees, especially some of the younger ones, convincing them that this is a great business and if we consistently do the right things, it can be very rewarding.”
In the area of community service, Wise is the vice-chairman of the board of directors for the United Way and is proud of his work in helping to transform the organization to function more effectively in today’s environment. He is also a member of the United Way’s Tocqueville Society, which recognizes local philanthropic leaders, and was a past board member of the Easter Seals. Wise has been a member of the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association for 22 years and served as president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer for the Greater Flint Auto Dealers Association.
Each year, Wise is the title sponsor of the RandyWise Junior Open, a golf tournament that benefits a local and national charity. A strong supporter of local schools, Wise helped an area high school purchase a new scoreboard for the gym. “Every day there is a new need to help in the community,” Wise says. “And as someone who lives and works in Flint, the need never stops.” That’s why last year he donated a van to help a family through Priority Children, a group that works to improve the lives of children – random acts of good will that add up and make a significant difference in the community.
Nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year Award by Terry Burns, executive vice- president of the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association, Wise and his wife, Kathy, have two sons and three grandchildren.
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Ally Financial Inc. (formerly GMAC Inc.) is one of the world's largest automotive financial services companies. The company offers a full suite of automotive financing products and services in key markets around the world. Ally’s other business units include mortgage operations and commercial finance, and the company’s subsidiary, Ally Bank, offers retail banking products. With approximately $182 billion in assets as of September 30, 2011, Ally operates as a bank holding company. For more information, visit the Ally media site at http://media.ally.com.