And the winners are…

The second annual Canadian AutoWorld Dealership Employer of Choice awards (CAWEOC) program has officially wrapped!

After months of work and a record number of entries, AutoWorld together with Corporate Culture + Employer of Choice Recognition (CCEOC), has identified five winning operations in Canada to earn our seal as a 2016 Dealership Employer of Choice.

And when I say Canada, I mean all of it. Our winners stretch from the B.C. coast all the way to Atlantic Canada. They also range in size and scope. Four of the five winners are dealership groups that cumulatively represent just about every brand available in this country. Together, they own more than 60 dealerships.

Our winners are (in no particular order):

–    Auto West Group
–    The Humberview Group
–    Vegreville Ford
–    Pfaff Automotive Partners
–    O’Regan’s Automotive Group

The process included the online application form, filling in the company profile (HR inventory and leadership review) and completing the employee commitment survey conducted by research partner CCEOC.

The survey measured 10 areas of influence: compensation and benefits, rewards and recognition, management/employee relations, training and development, career advancement, employee engagement, environment and facilities, leadership, reputation and personal enjoyment.

This is just our first official print announcement. Just like last year, the winning stores will be the main focus of our April edition. Our writers are already working on features that will showcase why these stores made the grade and how you can use some of those best practices to develop the kind of culture you want in your store.

I think it is fitting this national, made-for-Canada award touches nearly every corner of the country. After all, local dealerships have been an engine driving municipal economies for generations.

I see it in the hockey team sponsorships, the charity golf tournaments and the chamber of commerce meetings throughout Canada. Dealers sit on boards, dedicate your time, commit your resources and make concentrated efforts to make your communities better.

And while it is great for AutoWorld, as Canada’s oldest and most established automotive business magazine, to be able to continue to tell those stories, I am very happy we are able to play a role in helping recognize the best of the best that automotive retail has to offer.

I know there were many dealerships that entered that did not make the final list. I challenge those stores to take the ensuing months to review your operations and come back even stronger this fall when we start the third annual CAWEOC program.