Celebrating excellence in ambassadorship, business innovation and retail operations
Since 2005, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) and iA Dealer Services, a leading provider of financial, consulting and training for new car and truck dealers in Canada, have partnered for the annual CADA Laureate Dealer Recognition Program.
The Laureate award, which is the highest honour bestowed upon Canadian dealers during the course of their careers, is awarded each year to only three out of Canada’s 3,200 plus new car dealers. The Laureate program is distinguished by a three-phase selection process that is administered by a third party. Each of the winning CADA Laureates is ultimately selected by the Ivey Business School at Western University.
AMBASSADORSHIP
For extraordinary service to the community and industry
PETER MACDONALD
MacDonald Auto Group Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Brands represented: Ford, Lincoln
Years in business: 38
Number of employees: 90
In their own words
I know all this year’s finalists, and it’s an honour to be included among them. It’s very humbling to win. I had the pleasure of calling CADA Laureate winners when I was Chairman of CADA, but I was quite shocked and surprised when I was told I was the winner. Being a second generation dealer, I was able to see the way my father operated, and he always gave back to the community and the industry. If you want to see a thriving community, you have to be a part of it. I have to thank my family. My brothers and sisters worked in our home dealerships, and without their support I couldn’t have been involved in our industry like I was, traveling and sitting on various boards. It’s important we have role models to follow. The Laureates from our area — like the Hickmans, the O’Regans, and MacPhees — are people we look up to, it gives us a great pathway to follow.
Judge’s comments
From a stellar group of finalists, the performance of Peter MacDonald across each of the Ambassador criteria is exceptional, and he is a very deserving recipient of the 2023 Ambassadorship Laureate award. Peter’s commitment to the community and the retail auto industry is truly an inspiration. He has generously given his time and expertise to multiple boards, local, provincial, and national events, business committees, and organizations across health, financial, non-profit, and sporting sectors. The level of generosity in financial and volunteer support for community health organizations, education, local event sponsorship, and special needs organizations demonstrates Peter’s commitment to his community and province. Environmental responsibility through innovation and his commitment to employee safety is admirable, as is the focus and dedication to employee development and satisfaction. Peter MacDonald exemplifies what it means to be a Laureate Ambassador through exceptional commitment to employees, the community, and the auto industry.
Sponsor comments
Peter credits his work ethic and values to his parents, and from growing up in a family with ten siblings. He believes strongly in giving back financially and in sharing his time and capabilities. Communities across PEI, and the entire retail auto industry, have benefited greatly from Peter’s contributions as a volunteer, team leader, and philanthropist. Peter celebrates his employees for doing such a great job, which allows him the time to give back to the community. He exudes humility and goodwill, and will represent our industry very well as an Ambassador Laureate. — Gwen Gareau, iA Dealer Services
BUSINESS INNOVATION
For initiatives that significantly enhance performance and broaden the business scope for dealers
ANDREW OJAMAE
AutoIQ Dealership Group Barrie, Ontario
Brands represented: Ford, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, BMW, Mini, Hyundai, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM
Years in business: 10 years in auto retail
Number of employees: 1,000
In their own words
It was totally surreal when I was told I was a CADA Laureate. It’s shocking and humbling. I’m so proud of my team. The business innovation category is not really a one person award. We consider ourselves a pretty innovative dealer group, but ideas are a dime a dozen — it all comes down to execution. This award is validating for the work our team did. I think the class of Laureates and the contributions they make to the industry and their communities is an inspiration. All the former Laureate winners have been an inspiration to me. I feel an obligation now to live up to that responsibility. I can’t thank my team enough, and my business partner and fellow Laureate Mike Stollery, who is truly a mentor and an inspiration. And of course my wife Sherri!
Judge’s comments
The finalists in the Business Innovation category have built long-term, sustainable businesses by fostering employee development and focusing on meeting the ever-evolving needs of customers. Crucially, they have also harnessed technology and data to differentiate their organizations from the competition. No one exemplifies this better than Andrew Ojamae of AutoIQ. He started by looking inward, unifying 17 dealerships and over 1,000 employees with a set of core organizational values, identifying employee potential, and developing five unique employee professional development programs. Andrew’s focus on employee growth and development is truly admirable. Moreover, his focus on understanding the customer vehicle-buying journey and removing customer pain points has led to an impressive competitive advantage. With the goals of customer happiness and cost efficiency in mind, AutoIQ’s Delivery Services turned a traditional cost inefficiency into a profit centre — a truly exceptional innovation worthy of a CADA Laureate.
Sponsor comments
Andrew’s philosophy is “Dream big, the only limits are the ones you set on yourself.” We see through his many innovations at AutoIQ that he really puts this into practice.Andrew and his executive team realize the only ‘product’ they can differentiate with is how they go to market: customer experience, product and service accessibility, and value-added services. They have implemented several initiatives to enhance their competitive position and unlock significant value. Examples include the “Any way you want it” e-commerce strategy that delivers a great customer experience, a unique strategy that ensures they participate in all segments of the pre-owned market, and turning vehicle logistics into a profit centre through AutoIQ Delivery Services.” — Alnoor Jiwani, iA Dealer Services
RETAIL OPERATIONS
For outstanding achievement within an individual dealership
HUGUES CARLE
Carle Ford Gatineau, Québec
Brands represented: Ford
Years in business: 35 (dealership)
Number of employees: 99
In their own words
I was in shock. It’s overwhelming to me to be named a CADA Laureate. My team and I work hard every day. We don’t go looking for awards, but this one is very special, and we are very proud. One of the big changes we made was to change all our manual processes to digital, with a focus on the customer experience. With this customer first focus, 70 per cent of our sales now are repeat customers. That’s why it’s so important for them to also have a great service experience. It’s not a complicated business, each customer interaction is fairly simple, but as they merge together, that’s where the challenge is. We did a lot of work on data integration, keeping our team free to get their creativity going. I have to also thank the team at Ford Canada, they are part of this award. The synergy with their team, it all contributes to our results.
Judge’s comments
Of the five exceptional finalists, Hugues Carle, of Carle Ford, is most deserving of the 2023 Laureate award for Retail Operations. Since acquiring the business, Hugues has more than doubled both sales volume and net profit margin. This exceptional growth resulted in multiple awards and honours. Hugues took a systematic approach to reinvestment in infrastructure initiatives at the dealership, with the primary goal of making the customer experience as easy and fluid as possible. Importantly, Hugues and his executive team recognized changing consumer behaviour and the need to refocus marketing efforts. They clearly outlined a strategic approach, and ensured management and employees’ execution of the strategy was aligned. Hugues’ focus included extensive monitoring, measuring, and responding to consumer communications through process changes, to provide exceptional customer service. Finally, the commitment to employee retention, training, and growth cannot be understated, and is clearly vital to the success of the organization.
Sponsor comments
One of Hugues’ favourite quotes is: “You don’t have to be more talented or smarter than everyone else. You just have to be more disciplined.” Hugues’ philosophy boils down to accomplishing daily routines and following procedures with discipline, respect, and consistency. The impressive growth in sales and profitability since Hugues took over the dealership ten years ago is a reflection of this discipline. Despite being located in a community of only 15,000, the dealership is one of the most highly regarded in the province for sales and profitability. Hugues credits the synergy of his team, with everyone working together to deliver the very best customer experience. — Gwen Gareau, iA Dealer Services
