'18 Time dealer is Salzman

Jack Salzman is the 2018 Time Dealer of the Year, receiving the award Friday at the convention.

He owns two North Carolina dealerships: Lake Norman Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram in Cornelius and Gastonia Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Ram.

Forty-seven auto dealers were nominated for the award.

The program honors franchised new-vehicle dealers for exceptional performance in their stores and distinguished community service. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selected four finalists and then the national winner.

The award is presented by Time magazine in partnership with Ally Financial and in cooperation with NADA. Ally, the exclusive sponsor, has donated $1,000 to the charity of choice of each of the 47 nominees. It will provide $10,000 to a nonprofit selected by Salzman.

After college, Salzman wanted to own a business, and he started a cellular phone agency. After teaming with a local car dealership on a promotion for the agency, the dealer hired Salzman as a sales manager, and he has been in the auto industry ever since.

Salzman's hiring practices earned Lake Norman Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram the 2012 Champions of Diversity award from the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. He is a contributor to the Humane Society of Charlotte as well as a founding board member of Lake Norman Humane.

"My wife and I decided that we wanted to focus our philanthropic time and attention on three areas: animals in need, children in need and women in need," he said.

Salzman supports Dove House Children's Advocacy Center in Statesville, N.C., and Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center in Charlotte, N.C., as well as Amy's House in Lincolnton, N.C., and the Shelter of Gaston County in Gastonia, which both serve abused women and children. Salzman also supports Make-A-Wish, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Susan G. Komen, the American Cancer Society and other local groups.

The other finalists were:

Brent Brown, president of Brent Brown Toyota in Orem, Utah

William Fenton, president of Toyota of Keene in East Swanzey, N.H.

Wally Sommer, president of Sommer's Subaru in Mequon, Wis.