National Franchised Dealers Association chairman David Newman had the honour of presenting awards to seven companies and individuals at the 2024 NFDA Spring Ball last weekend.
Held at The Grove in Hertfordshire, the event attracted almost 200 people from dealer groups, manufacturers and suppliers for a fun and relaxed evening of fine dining, entertainment and socialising.
Terence Donnelly OBE, group executive chairman of Donnelly Group, received the Industry Personality of the Year Award, sponsored by Indeed, in recognition for being an active NFDA member in Northern Ireland and pivotal in establishing NFDA NI, significantly contributing to its growth and influence with the Northern Ireland government and decision-makers.
Peter Vosper, chairman of south-west England dealer group Vospers Motors, was presented with The NFDA Chairman's Award, which acknowledges individuals in the automotive industry who have gone above and beyond to support the NFDA throughout the year. Attendees heard that Vosper was recognised for his exceptional leadership, dedication, and unwavering support for NFDA initiatives.
Newman also presented two Green Dealer awards in recognition of dealer groups' efforts to improve environmental sustainability and their support of the EVA (Electric Vehicle Approved) initiative. The winner of the award for dealers will less than 10 sites was Soper of Lincoln, collected by head of business Bryan Sleaford, while the award for dealers with more than 10 sites went to Vertu Motors, collected by chairman Andy Goss.
The winner of the Green Manufacturer Award was BYD UK. Head of sales Simon Bisp collected the award, which was given in recognition of BYD's significant efforts in collaborating with its dealer network and supporting retailers in meeting the demand for alternative fuel vehicles.
Chris Lear, aftersales director at Kia UK, collected the Manufacturer Partner of the Year in reognition of the South Korean brand's strong relationship with its dealer network and its outstanding performance in the NFDA Summer 2023 edition of the Dealer Attitude Survey.
The NFDA's Industry Partner of the Year was named as METRYX, which has supported the past two editions of the Dealer Attitude Survey with increased analysis and an improved user experience.
Sue Robinson, NFDA chief executive, said: "NFDA was delighted to once again welcome dealer members and industry stakeholders to our annual celebration of automotive excellence. This year's event surpassed all expectations, and we trust that all attendees had a memorable night.
"We extend our deepest appreciation to our sponsors for their steadfast support, as well as to all those who generously contributed to BEN, our Automotive Industry Charity.
"A heartfelt congratulations is extended to our award winners. Your dedication to the NFDA and the automotive industry is truly inspiring. We look forward to celebrating automotive excellence again next year."
NFDA thanked sponsors Allianz, Motor Industry Legal Services (MILS), Indeed, Vehicle Ancestry, GardX, Carwow for supporting the Spring Ball.
An award-winning journalist and editor, with two decades of experience covering the motor retail industry, and accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) plus the National Council for the Training of Journalist (NCTJ)
As editor of AM since 2016, Tim is responsible for its media content, planning and production across AM's multiple channels, including the website, digital reports, webinars, social media and the editorial content of AM's events, Automotive Management Live and the AM Awards. His focus is on interviewing senior leaders of franchised dealer groups and motor manufacturer national sales companies to examine latest developments in UK motor retail.
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