Keating is also committed to his alma mater, Texas A&M, and has established a $4 million endowment to support a technical sales minor and technical sales lab in the department of engineering technology and industrial distribution. He is also an advisory board member for the department. “The retail automotive business has not received the level of respect it deserves in higher education,” he said. “I look forward to getting personally involved in speaking, teaching, and influencing perceptions of our industry.” At the beginning of the school year, Toyota of Victoria holds the Back to School Bash. Keating’s employees help stuff backpacks with school supplies and distribute them to children in need who drop by the dealership. The kids are also treated to free snow cones and a complimentary haircut to start off the school year in style. “It is an awesome event for the kids, and it is amazing to see how the parents respond to this gesture,” he said. “But my favorite aspect of this activity is seeing how much our employees enjoy participating.” Keating also distributes 300 turkeys to his team during the week before Thanksgiving for them to give to food-insecure families to ensure that everyone has a nice holiday. Other groups he supports include the Vine School (educates children with autism spectrum disorder), Boys & Girls Club of Victoria, St. Joseph High School, Golden Crescent Habitat for Humanity, Victoria Economic Development Corporation, athletic teams, rodeos and many others. Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year. Three finalists will receive $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive $10,000 to give to charity, donated by Ally. In its 13th year as exclusive sponsor, Ally also will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Nominees will be recognized on AllyDealerHeroes.com, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees. “At TIME, we are proud to uphold the decades-long tradition of honoring automotive dealers who make a positive impact and show dedication to their communities through our TIME Dealer of the Year award,” said TIME CEO Jessica Sibley. “We are excited to keep this tradition of applauding these community contributions together with our partners at Ally.” Doug Timmerman, president of dealer financial services at Ally, said, “Auto dealers nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to not only the industry but to their respective communities through volunteerism, sponsorships, and supporting charitable causes, no matter the market climate. Whether their clients are purchasing a first car or upgrading for a growing family, these selected dealers have successfully extended their relationships beyond the showroom and have been steadfast in driving their communities forward.” Keating was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Darren Whitehurst, president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association. He and his wife, Kathleen, have two children. About TIME TIME is the 100-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of over 120 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world’s most influential people, the trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME’s mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the Emmy Award®-winning film and television division TIME Studios; a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises and custom experiences; TIME for Kids, which provides trusted news with a focus on news literacy for kids and valuable resources for teachers and families; the award-winning branded content studio Red Border Studios; an industry-leading web3 division; the website-building platform TIME Sites; the sustainability and climate action platform TIME CO2; the new e-commerce and content platform TIME Stamped, and more. About Ally Financial Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation’s largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to “Do It Right” and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves more than 11 million customers through a full range of online banking services (including deposits, mortgage, point-of-sale personal lending and credit card products) and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company also includes a robust corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial. For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit www.ally.com/#disclosures. For further images and news on Ally, please visit media.ally.com. About the NADA Show The annual NADA Show brings together more than 20,000 franchised dealers and their employees, industry leaders, manufacturers and exhibitors to learn about the latest auto industry tools, trends, products and technologies. continued from page 14 DEALERS’ CHOICE 16
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