2026 TDOY Nominee

Alison Spitzer is one of a select group of 47 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 109th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 5, 2026. 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. Spitzer was chosen to represent the Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 47 auto dealers nominated for the 57th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.

Spitzer, 45, represents the fourth generation of leadership at the 121-year-old Spitzer dealership group with 26 stores in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Political Science from Elon University and a Master’s degree in International Communications from American University’s School of International Service before beginning her career in global nonprofit work.

“I was never expected or pressured to join the family business,” she explained. “What drew me in was realizing I could create the same kind of purpose-driven impact I saw in nonprofit work, but in a more personal way, right here in our dealerships.”

Her early years in automotive were defined by the Great Recession, which devastated the industry.  

“What could have been our darkest moment became defining,” she said. “It taught me that even in the throes of a crisis, there is light. I saw the resilience of our people and community, and it shaped how I lead — with curiosity, perspective, and trust.”

Under Spitzer’s leadership, Spitzer Autoworld Amherst employs 57 people and has embraced innovation in both operations and culture. The dealership remodeled its showroom and service department, invested in energy efficiency and implemented a robust employee wellness program.

“I learned early on that people are your greatest asset,” Spitzer said. “That belief has guided me ever since. By empowering people and fostering inclusion, we’ve made innovation a competitive advantage.”

Recently, Spitzer co-founded Hay There, a social media venture that redefines how dealerships gauge and drive relevance. Spitzer Autoworld Amherst saw a 92% increase in organic traffic and an 89% lift in new users year-over-year, with social media engagement far surpassing peers. 

“A dealer’s greatest currency is relevance — authentic connections where people already spend their time, rather than rented attention from ads or form fills,” she noted. “Our team has turned social platforms into an extension of the showroom.”

Spitzer has made community engagement central to the dealership’s culture. One of the most significant initiatives is securing naming rights for Spitzer Stadium at Amherst High School, creating a lasting investment in youth athletics and family programs.

“On opening night at Spitzer Stadium, our employees filled the stands with their families,” Spitzer recalled. “One associate posted that she had never felt more proud to work for a company. That kind of authentic community equity is priceless.”

The dealership also sponsors pet adoption events, local youth sports and fundraising events for causes like the Friendship Animal Protective League.  

“At Spitzer Autoworld Amherst, community involvement isn’t a side project—it’s part of who we are as a business,” she said.

As a national advocate, Spitzer helped lead the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights (CRDR) during the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, working with NADA, NAMAD and Congress to restore over 1,000 dealerships. She later co-authored Grand Theft Auto, a best-selling account of that fight.

Her leadership style is rooted in trust, even in difficult times. After uncovering a damaging internal betrayal, she recalled a pivotal lesson from a longtime general manager: “He told me, ‘Alison, never stop seeing the good in people.’ That moment changed me. Today, I lead with a collaborative spirit that balances accountability with optimism — strengthening our culture across all 26 dealerships and more than 1,000 employees.”

Spitzer said her approach to leadership is also about inclusion and renewal.  

“For a fourth-generation leader, the true test is renewing the entrepreneurial spirit rather than losing it,” she explained. “We’ve focused on building a culture that empowers employees, creates career paths for women and younger workers, and reimagines dealer relevance in the community. Our legacy depends on it.”

Spitzer and her husband, David, live in Amherst and are the proud parents of two children, Emma and Alex.