TIME and Ally Financial Honor San Jose Dealer for 2025
Shaun Del Grande Wins National Recognition for Community Service and Industry Accomplishments
Shaun Del Grande is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 108th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 25, 2025. The TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors.
The award recognizes the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. Del Grande was chosen to represent the California New Car Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 56th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.
“The most rewarding part of leading our organization has been experiencing the personal and professional growth of our team members throughout DGDG (Del Grande Dealer Group),” nominee Del Grande said. “Attracting, guiding, and retaining key employees and leaders has been the focal point and foundation of our success.”
Del Grande earned a B.A. in economics at the University of California Los Angeles in 1988. Then in 1996, he joined his father, Kevan Del Grande, at the dealership his dad originally acquired in 1976.
“It was the greatest decision of my life,” he said. “I had the opportunity to learn from a remarkable businessman, brilliant car dealer, and incredible mentor. Over the past 28 years, the business has scaled from a single rooftop to multiple dealerships in the San Francisco Bay area.”
Today, Del Grande oversees 16 northern California stores in San Jose, Santa Clara, Salinas, Vallejo, Modesto, Fremont, and Concord. These stores represent brands like Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Genesis, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Subaru, and Volkswagen.
“I find immense satisfaction and gratitude in the relationships I’ve built with our team, as well as with our great manufacturers and business partners,” he said. “The DGDG culture, which focuses on employee growth and education, a world-class guest experience, and a commitment to new technologies, has established our dealership group as an industry leader.”
Del Grande is proud that the San Francisco Chronicle named DGDG as one of the San Francisco Bay Area Top Workplaces for more than a decade.
Another way Del Grande has shaped his dealership group is through community service. He created DGDG Does Good, known as the charitable arm of his company. DGDG Does Good sponsors local events and partners with many local charities and nonprofits.
“To date, we have donated more than $1 million to worthy recipients throughout our community,” he said. “We also encourage our team members to give back to the causes they care about most.”
Some of the organizations DGDG Does Good has supported include: Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, First Tee Silicon Valley, Special Olympics Northern California, YMCA of Silicon Valley, a dog rescue group called South County Tail Waggers, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, Santa Teresa Little League, San Jose Police Foundation, as well as many area schools and athletic programs.
“Our goal is to make a difference in the communities where we work and live,” Del Grande said.
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 14th 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 ally.com/go/tdoy, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees.
“At TIME, our commitment to recognizing the exceptional contributions of automotive dealers remains as strong as ever,” said Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME. “The TIME Dealer of the Year award continues to celebrate those who not only excel in their profession but also make a meaningful impact in their communities. We are thrilled to continue this legacy in partnership with Ally.”
Doug Timmerman, Ally president of Dealer Financial Services, said, “Auto dealers are the backbones of their communities, providing civic support and significant business leadership. Ally is proud to recognize the unwavering commitment these TIME Dealer of the Year nominees are living every day through their volunteerism, sponsorships, and support of charitable causes. They are the epitome of community heroes, making important and positive impacts in the lives of the people they serve.”
Del Grande was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Association. Del Grande has three children.
TIME is a registered trademark of TIME USA, LLC.
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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 https://www.ally.com/#disclosures. For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://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.
About CNCDA
For 100 years, the California New Car Dealers Association has protected and promoted the interests of California’s franchised new car and truck dealers. CNCDA members are primarily engaged in the retail sale and lease of new and used motor vehicles but also provide customers with automotive products, parts, service and repair. Our members sold more than 3 million new cars and trucks in 2022 and employed more than 136,000 Californians, significantly contributing to our state’s economy. As the nation’s largest state association of franchised new car and truck dealers—with more than 1,200 members—CNCDA provides legal compliance and legislative, regulatory, and legal advocacy.