Arkansas dealer wins Time dealer of the year award

By Liam Orlita

Time magazine named its dealer of the year award this weekend in Orlando as Scott Wood of Arkansas took home the prestigious award.

Wood, dealer and general manager of a General Motors dealership and one Chrysler shop, beat out candidates from across the country at the 93rd annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show. He was one of 43 nominated for the annual award from the 17,000 dealers nationwide.

According to NADA officials, winners  must be successful not only as an auto dealer but in helping their community too.

Wood, 59, said he started in the car business cleaning sidewalks and car lots before moving onto washing cars.

After earning a degree from the University of Arkansas, he started working on the sales management -side of the business.

In 1987, the Wood family purchased their local Chrysler dealership making Scott Wood the dealer principal.

In 2000, Stanley Wood Chevrolet Pontiac won the first ever Arkansas Women Mean Business Award given by the Arkansas Business and Professional Women organization.

Scott Wood is also a part of the Batesville School Board and has helped with many community causes, including the Boy Scouts and the Batesville Community Theatre.

“In a small town there are many needs and in a small dealership there are limited funds,” Wood said in a release. “So I have made a commitment of personal involvement to numerous endeavours that I feel are important in our community.”

Dennis Jungmeyer, president of the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association nominated Wood for the award.