Time
Magazine Dealer of the Year Award has been called the most prestigious
award a new care dealer can receive. The program was originated
to call attention to new car dealers in America who exhibit
exceptional performance in their dealerships and distinguished
community service.
Dan Wilder, Wilder Auto Center, Port Angeles, is a 2010 TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year Award Regional Finalist. This is the second year in a row that a dealer from Washington State has been named one of three regional finalists.
Forty-five auto dealers from around the country were nominated for the industry’s most prestigious award which recognizes new car and truck dealers for exceptional performance in their dealerships and distinguished community service. Dan accepted the award on Saturday, February 13, at the National Automobile Dealers Association’s (NADA) annual convention in Orlando, Florida.
“Having a Washington dealer as a regional finalist for two consecutive years is an incredible accomplishment,” said WSADA President Mary Byrne. “Dan Wilder is an amazingly generous man, outstanding business leader, and a wonderful representative for our state’s stellar dealer body.”
Dan began his career in the automobile industry in 1966 as parts delivery person for a Volkswagen dealer in California. In 1977, he moved to Port Angeles to buy a dealership of his own and at age 27, became the second youngest Volkswagen dealer in the United States. Since then, Dan’s two dealerships, Wilder Auto Center and Wilder Toyota-Scion, have grown to a staff of one hundred employees.
Dan has dedicated his life to helping people get an education. Married at a young age, he quit high school to support his new bride. One of his first jobs was washing dishes and it was then he realized that life without an education can be very difficult.
Dan finished school at night and ultimately graduated from college. Dan actively serves on various college boards, donates and raises money for scholarships, and speaks to students about the importance of education. As a testament to his commitment to education and his employees, he even pays for two years tuition at Peninsula College for his employees’ children. A firm believer in community involvement, Dan has also served on the boards of Olympic Hospital Memorial Foundation, Olympic Kidney Center, Young Life, and United Way.
Together with Sally, his wife of 44 years, Dan strives to “create an atmosphere where employees feel like family and customers are treated as we would want to be treated.” Joining in the family business are son, Dan Wilder Jr., as the general manager, and daughter, Tami Rose, as the employee and customer relations manager. Three grandchildren also help out, whether it’s washing cars on the lot or answering phones.
“Our family has truly been blessed,” Dan said. “Our core belief as a family is that it’s better to give than to receive. We believe that giving to our community is not optional but is a way to give back. We’re so thankful for the community that supports us and for having such great employees that support us.”
WSADA's 312 dealer members serve 75 communities in Washington and are responsible for annual sales volume in excess of $13 billion. Together, they employ over 22,000 people with a combined payroll of more than $1 billion. Their dealership sales total 15% of the state’s retail sales, generating hundreds of millions of dollars of tax revenue for state and local governments through sales, corporate,
and payroll tax revenue.
Previous Winners 
