TIME and Ally Financial Name 2023 Dealer of the Year

Gary Rome, Owner of Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke, MA, Wins 54th Annual Award at 106th National Automotive Dealers Association Show

(Dallas, TX, January 27, 2023) – Today, Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke, MA, was announced as the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year by leaders from TIME and Ally Financial at the 106th National Automobile Dealers Association Show.

Now in its 54th year, the TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the auto industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. Rome is recognized for his credo of treating both employees and clients like family and his commitment to embracing new technologies that will move the industry forward. His state-of-the-art Hyundai store is fueled by a solar field that he owns, and he has increased investment in EV infrastructure and inventory – he was the first dealer in the U.S. to deliver an electric vehicle from Hyundai, and his electric vehicle (EV) sales are up 38% over last year.

Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME and Doug Timmerman, President of Ally Auto, announced Rome as the winner at a ceremony that honored all 48 nominees. Rome was chosen from a field of more than 16,000 franchised dealers across the country.

“For over 50 years, TIME has recognized the impact of automotive dealers on their communities with the TIME Dealer of the Year award,” said Sibley. “We are proud to continue the legacy of honoring these works of service with our partners at Ally.”

“As the auto industry continues to evolve, it is imperative that auto dealers continue to embrace new technologies that will move the industry forward,” said Timmerman. “Year after year, we see these auto dealers go above and beyond for their customers, communities, and employees – and TIME Dealer of the Year nominees are more than deserving of this special recognition.”

The TIME Dealer of the Year is chosen by a panel composed of faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan, which selects one finalist from each of the four NADA regions, and, ultimately, a national winner.

In addition to Rome, the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year finalists include:

As the exclusive sponsor of the TIME Dealer of the Year program for the 12th year in a row, Ally will provide grants to eligible 501c3 charitable organizations selected by the nominees, finalists, and winner. For more than a decade, Ally has made donations in connection with the program, totaling nearly $1 million. This year, Ally will give $10,000 to the charity of Rome’s choice and $5,000 to each of the nonprofit organizations selected by the three finalists. In recognition of their achievements, Ally also will give $1,000 to the charities of choice for each of the 48 nominees.

For more information on the nominees, finalists, and winner, please visit: https://www.ally.com/go/allydealerheroes/nominees.

About TIME

TIME is the 99-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of more than 100 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world’s most influential people, the immeasurable trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME’s mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the Emmy Award®-winning film and television division TIME Studios, a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises, an industry-leading web3 division, an award-winning branded content studio, the website-building platform TIME Sites, the sustainability and climate-action platform TIME CO2, and more.

About Ally Financial Inc.

Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a digital financial services company committed to its promise to “Do It Right” for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally is composed of an industry-leading independent auto finance and insurance operation, an award-winning digital direct bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender, which offers mortgage lending, point-of-sale personal lending, and a variety of deposit and other banking products), a consumer credit card business, a corporate finance business for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. A relentless ally for all things money, Ally helps people save well and earn well, so they can spend for what matters. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.

For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.

For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.

About the NADA Show

The annual NADA Show brings together more than 20,000 franchised dealers and their employees, industry leaders, manufacturers, and exhibitors to learn about the latest auto industry tools, trends, products and technologies.