Ralph Mastantuono is WANADAs Time Dealer

Ralph Mastantuono is WANADAês Time Dealer

WANADA is pleased to announce that Ralph Mastantuono, general manager and a dealer executive at Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, will represent the Metropolitan Washington area as a 2017 Time Magazine Dealer of the Year. The dealers are put forward by auto dealer associations across the U.S. and are recognized at the NADA Convention, which this year is set for January 27, 2017, in New Orleans. The Time Dealer of the Year program honors new-car dealers who exhibit exceptional performance as automotive retailers, industry change agents and community leaders. Mastantuono was nominated by WANADA President John OêDonnell.

–We are excited about the extraordinary group of nominees that are in the running for the 2017 Time Dealer of the Year award,” said Tim Russi, president of auto finance for Ally Financial, a partner with Time in the award program. –These dealers have been recognized for the ways that they •do it rightê in their communities, and we look forward to sharing their stories over the next few months and celebrating their accomplishments at the NADA convention in January.”

Mastantuono graduated from Xavier University in Cincinnati with a degree in accounting. After college, he worked at Councilor Buchanan & Mitchell, PC before becoming a dealer executive with one of the firmês clients, Capitol Cadillac, in 1979.

Mastantuono has since held leadership positions at Koons Automotive in Virginia and American Service Center, which became the first Mercedes-Benz dealer in the Washington, DC metro area in 1957. Today, in addition to his role at Mercedes-Benz of Arlington, he is vice president of Mercedes-Benz of Alexandria.

–I realized early on the nexus that exists between a trained staff and dealership success,” said Mastantuono. –We made sure that training was a requisite so the staff was well-versed in our products and services. This, in turn, positioned customers to make happy purchase decisions that would endear them to us.”

In the spirit of giving back to his industry, Mastantuono designed a weeklong class for general managers based on his successful formula. NADA sent its future Mercedes general managers to his dealerships in Arlington and Alexandria for the program. –This resulted in the launch of many careers, for which Iêm most proud,” said Mastantuono.

A recipient of the 2016 Northwood University Dealer Education Award, Mastantuono has worked hard to help others reach their personal goals. –It is important to me because it represents our commitment to training and education as the bedrock of all success in business and the world at large,” he said.

Mastantuono serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of WANADA, and is chairman of the Employee Benefits Committee.

Local and national organizations that Mastantuono supports include Little Sisters of the Poor in Washington DC, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, American Heart Association and Charles E. Smith Life Communities in Rockville.

WANADA wishes Ralph Mastantuono the very best on this high honor!