Northwood University honored a special group of industry leaders during a Dealer Education Awards Breakfast on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“These exceptional leaders have significantly shaped the automotive retail industry and exemplify the values of hard work, innovation, and integrity,” said Dr. Matt Bennett, vice president of enrollment, strategic alliances, and the Center for Automotive & Mobility Studies at Northwood University. “The 2024 Dealer Education Award recipients embody the entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence that align with Northwood’s mission to develop free enterprise leaders who drive global economic and social progress.”
The honorees include:
- Terry Burns, former executive vice president, Michigan Automotive Dealers Association (Lifetime Achievement Award recipient)
- Terry Megee, former dealer principal/president, Floyd A. Megee Motors, Georgetown, Delaware (Posthumous Awardee)
- Bill Denton, president and chief operating officer, Allen Samuels Auto Group, Waco, Texas
- John M. Leese, president/owner, Harvey Automotive, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Kristin Dillard Sodoma, dealer principal and president, Team Automotive Group, Charlotte, North Carolina
Additionally, Diane Maher was named the Barbara Cox 2025 Woman of the Year. A resident of East Grand Rapids, Michigan, Maher is president and chief strategy officer for DP Fox Ventures LLC, and president and chief operating officer of Fox Motor Group.
Also during the Dealer Education Awards Breakfast, Brooke Engelhardt, a student from Saline, Michigan, was awarded the Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship.
Since 1972, Northwood has recognized automotive dealers for contributions to education and their communities through the Northwood Automotive Dealer Education Awards. This year’s honorees were honored Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside during the 2025 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in New Orleans, Louisiana. Severe weather prevented Sodoma and Denton from attending, and they will be honored in person at the 2026 NADA Show.
More than 30 Northwood University students attended this year’s NADA Show, which is touted as the auto industry event of the year.
“To have 34 students in attendance at the 2025 NADA Show is a testament to Northwood’s enduring relationship with the industry, as many of the students who went to New Orleans were sponsored by companies within the automotive world,” noted Elgie Bright, chair of Northwood University’s automotive marketing and management degree program, which is part of the Center for Automotive & Mobility Studies at Northwood University.
