ANN ARBOR, Mich.  — Mary Catherine "Kitty" Van Bortel, president of Van Bortel Chevrolet, Ford, and Subaru in Victor, N.Y. is the 2016 TIME Dealer of the Year. She received this prestigious award during NADA’s annual convention in Las Vegas on April 1, 2016. Representatives from TIME and Ally Financial presented the award at the 2016 NADA Convention & Expo in Las Vegas. The packed auditorium gave Van Bortel a standing ovation as she received the award.

A panel composed of business and engineering faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selected the 47th annual TIME Dealer of the Year Award finalists from each of the four National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) regions.In appreciation of this service, TIME and Ally have established an annual scholarship at the school in the name of TIME, Ally, NADA and the Dealer of the Year nominees.

Meet the 2016 recipient Mary Catherine Van Bortel
Meet the 2016 Time Dealer of the Year Finalist
View the event photos from Ally Financial

NADA, founded in 1917, now represents more than 16,000 new car and truck dealers, with 32,500 domestic and international franchises.  It has partnered with TIME to honor outstanding new car dealers across America who demonstrate exceptional performance in their dealerships and a commitment to improving their communities.  Ally Financial, a leading automotive finance services company, is the exclusive sponsor of the award.

The TIME Dealer of the Year Award has been called the most prestigious honor a new car dealer can receive.  Dealers are nominated for the award by members of the Automotive Trade Association Executives (ATAE).  Competitors are then evaluated both on the business practices in their dealerships and on their contribution to their community.  Judging criteria for the business component include customer satisfaction; personnel competence, training, attitude and record of service; financial status; ethics; new-car sales record; used-car sales record; service sales record; share of market; customer satisfaction; physical plant and facilities; and dealer association participation.  Judging criteria for the community component are service to community and humanity; civic, political and educational activities; and additional contributions to benefit others.

About Tauber Institute for Global Operations

The Tauber Institute for Global Operations is a joint venture between the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business and the College of Engineering, and 30 industry partners to facilitate cross-disciplinary education in global operations management. In addition to broad array of core and elective courses, the innovative LeadershipAdvantage^SM Program provides students with the tools to ascend to major operations leadership roles. Well-designed and managed team projects form the cornerstone of the Tauber Institute experience and allow students to apply their knowledge to real world settings. http://www.tauber.umich.edu

Contact:
Theresa Ceccarelli, 734-647-0308, [email protected]