For the third consecutive year, the American Truck Dealers/Heavy Duty Trucking have named an International dealer as their “Truck Dealer of the Year.” Richard “Dick” Ryan, dealer principal and CEO of Carolina International Trucks in Columbia, SC, was named the 2011 Truck Dealer of the Year during the annual American Truck Dealers (ATD) annual convention in Phoenix.
“To be recognized for my almost 40 years of service in the trucking industry is truly humbling,” Ryan said. “I love what I do and that is a great reward every day, but to be honored among all the truck dealers across the U.S. is just amazing.”
Ryan was one of five dealers nominated for this prestigious award, which recognizes excellence in commercial truck dealership performance, industry leadership, civic contributions, and community service. A panel of professors from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business selected the ATD Truck Dealer of the Year. In 2009, the panel selected International dealer Richard “Dick” Sweebe of Memphis, Tennessee, and in 2010, it selected International’s John “Jack” Saum of Baltimore, Maryland.
“ATD Truck Dealer of the Year is the highest honor in the industry, and we’re thrilled Dick Ryan is receiving the recognition he deserves,” said Jack Allen, Navistar president, North American truck group. “Under Dick’s leadership, Carolina International Trucks has become one of the preeminent truck dealerships in the Southeast and in the entire nation. We’re proud that Dick’s been named Dealer of the Year and proud that International dealers have received this award for the past three consecutive years.”
Ryan began his career as a sales trainee with International Harvester in 1972. Over the years he progressed through sales and marketing roles and branch management to become a national manager of heavy-duty truck marketing and product planning. In 1993, Ryan purchased a dealership that was emerging from bankruptcy. He ran the dealership for International for a year before purchasing it. Since then, Carolina International Trucks has been profitable every year, and is now the top dealership in the market area. Under Ryan’s leadership, it has grown to include six dealer locations in Columbia, two in Greenville, Charleston, Gaffney and Florence, South Carolina.
Over the years, Ryan has earned several prestigious awards, including International Truck Dealer of the Year in 2003 and Blue Book Used Truck Franchised Dealer of the Year in 2004/05. In addition, Ryan’s dealership is a 12-time winner of the IdealGold Award for Excellence and has received the International Circle of Excellence Award for dealership performance 15 times.