Published from CADA
June 25th, 2019
CADA has officially revealed the names of the 2019 CADA Laureate winners: Jamie Massie of Georgian Chevrolet Buick GMC in Barrie, Ont., is the Ambassador Laureate; Aziz Ahamed of Destination Auto Group, Burnaby, B.C., is the Business Innovator Laureate; and Charles Saillant of Ste-Foy Toyota, Québec, Que., rounds out the group as Retail Operations Laureate.
The announcement follows the unveiling of the 15 finalists of the CADA Laureate recognition program, which was delivered by CADA in conjunction with the program’s exclusive sponsor iA Dealer Services on June 10.
“This is always a special time of year,” said White. “We are always proud to announce the winners of the CADA Laureate recognition program. These individuals have made their mark — they have distinguished themselves with their exceptional work in the dealer environment and their service to their community.”
The winners were selected by the Ivey Business School of Western University in London, Ont.
Massie was selected for his extraordinary service to the community and industry. According to the judges: “Amidst an elite group, Jamie Massie stands out for the sheer breadth and depth of his ambassadorship. With the Borden Legacy project, he accomplished an outstanding tribute to past Canadian forces members.” The judges also add that Massie was instrumental in the creation of the Canadian Automotive Institute at Georgian College.
Ahamed was selected for initiatives that significantly enhance performance or broaden the scope of business for new car and truck dealers. The judges said the extent of what his organization calls “professionalism” is outstanding. “There are very professional Finance and HR functions, with some of the interesting innovations including the ‘Under the Hood’ initiative, the Predictive Index (for talent acquisition, on-boarding, and on-going coaching), and the employee-led 80s Tracker.” This is among other innovations that have contributed to the company’s success.
Saillant was selected for his outstanding achievement within an individual dealership. “He simultaneously excelled in both sales and service, which can be difficult to optimize,” said the judges. “He has consistently outperformed his manufacturer’s national index, and the index for Quebec, for both sales and customer satisfaction.” They add that, in such a competitive market, Saillant has consistently exceeded market share objectives and “tops, or is near the top” of most Net Promoter Score lists.
CADA Chairman Perry Itzcovitch, who contacted the dealers to inform them of their new Laureate status, said they were deeply honoured to receive the recognition.
“All three gentlemen were extremely honoured and proud — proud to be part of CADA, proud to be recognized for their accomplishments and what they give back to their store, their customers, and their community,” said Itzcovitch. “Call it a lifetime achievement award for a car dealer, because at the end of the day we are measured through our performance — monthly with the factory, or annually with the dealer award programs, but within our industry this is really the pinnacle award as far as recognizing us for outstanding performance in the field that we are in.”
The CADA Laureate award is the most exclusive recognition a dealer can receive over the course of their career. Only three individuals are recognized annually among more than 3,200 new car and truck dealers across Canada.
The winners, along with exclusive interviews with the 2019 CADA Laureates, will be featured in the next edition of Canadian auto dealer magazine.
