Wayne Gallant of Northside Lethbridge Dodge and Andrew Robinson of Precision Hyundai, Calgary have been named as the recipients of the 2019 Alberta Dealer of Excellence awards in the non-metro and metro categories respectively by the Motor Dealers Association of Alberta (MDA).
The MDA awards the Dealer of Excellence each year to one metro dealer from Calgary or Edmonton and one non-metro dealer from the province. Candidates are nominated by their peers and past award recipients select the winners based on criteria such as community involvement, association or industry involvement, and business acumen.
According to MDA president Denis Ducharme, “Wayne and Andrew have achieved success by demonstrating exceptional commitment to their customers, staff, industry and communities in which they do business. They are fine examples of the many excellent auto dealers we are fortunate to have as members.”
This honour isn’t the only thing that Gallant and Robinson have in common. Both are graduates of Georgian College’s Automotive Marketing program, have spent their entire careers in the automotive industry, and have gained experience in other dealerships before taking the helm of their own.
Both Gallant and Robinson also share a belief that their focus on providing exceptional customer experiences and building strong, loyal teams has led to their success.
Gallant purchased and rebranded Northside Lethbridge Dodge in 2007, growing the operation from 18 to 74 employees and transforming it into one of the highest volume dealerships in southern Alberta. Gallant credits his team for the dealership’s success, and admits that “winning the MDA Dealer of Excellence award is a dream.” In addition to the energy, time and skill of his team, Gallant believes commitment, imagination and tenacity have been critical to his success in the industry.
Robinson’s father, John, founded Precision Hyundai in 1983, which was the first Hyundai dealership in Western Canada. While Robinson planned to work for his father after graduation, John instead suggested that Robinson find a job of his own to see if he was cut out for the business. In 1999, after building a successful career in the industry, Robinson joined his father at Precision Hyundai, becoming a partner almost a decade later in 2008. Robinson led the dealership through tremendous growth, helping to modernize the facility with a move to Calgary’s auto mall.
Throughout this evolution Robinson’s team’s commitment to customer service remained intact, which has resulted in a number of manufacturer top dealer awards including Hyundai’s Signature Certified Dealer status, which Precision Hyundai has earned every year since the program was introduced in 2014.
Both Gallant and Robinson say they are thrilled to have achieved the MDA Dealer of Excellence award. “Knowing that the nomination and selection came from my industry peers makes this recognition all the more meaningful,” Robinson says, while Gallant shares his gratitude to “the many remarkable people who give their time and skills to continuously improve all aspects of our dealership.”
