2026 TDOY Nominee

Carla Cosenzi Zayac 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. Cosenzi was chosen to represent the Massachusetts State Auto Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 47 auto dealers nominated for the 57th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.

A second-generation dealer and president of Country Nissan within the family-owned TommyCar Auto Group, Cosenzi didn’t initially plan a career in retail automotive. After earning a master’s in clinical psychology from Columbia University, she agreed — at her father Tom Cosenzi’s urging — to try the family business.

“From my first sale, I realized I could change how people experienced the car-buying process,” she said. “Trust, transparency, and relationships became the foundation — and many of those early customers still come back today.” She completed the NADA Dealer Academy, worked through every department and earned a GM role — just before her father’s glioblastoma diagnosis altered the course of the company and her life.

When her father passed away after a courageous battle with glioblastoma, Cosenzi was faced with the unexpected responsibility of leading the family business.  

“At 29, I was suddenly responsible for more than 200 employees,” she said. “There were moments the weight felt unbearable — but our team’s loyalty and my father’s values of integrity, hard work and putting people first guided every decision.” In the years since, she has stabilized and grown the business while honoring his legacy.

Cosenzi grew the family business through strategic expansion — adding new franchises, launching TommyCar Collision and TommyCar Towing, and making significant investments in modern, customer-centric facilities. Under her direction, she led the construction of state-of-the-art Volkswagen and Hyundai dealerships, setting a new benchmark for customer experience, employee satisfaction and operational excellence. Building on that success, she is now leading a renovation of the Country Nissan facility, incorporating the latest Nissan retail design and innovative, customer-first features. The modernization reflects the company’s continued evolution while staying true to its core promise — “You’re Gonna Love It Here.”

Just as she invests in the spaces that welcome customers, Cosenzi places equal emphasis on creating an environment where employees can thrive. Employee satisfaction and wellness are core to the TommyCar culture. From creating positive, supportive workplaces to offering programs that promote balance and personal growth, Cosenzi believes that a thriving team is the foundation of exceptional customer experiences. 

“When you take care of your people first, they take care of your customers,” she said. That philosophy extends beyond the showroom through the employee-led Carla Cares program, which empowers team members to support the causes and communities they care about most — strengthening both company culture and local impact. 

The Carla Cares program reviews thousands of local requests annually and mobilizes volunteers and funding across youth programs, women’s shelters, food banks and more — giving team members ownership of the causes they champion.

The group’s signature event, the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament, held in memory of her father, is one of the largest charity golf tournaments in Western Massachusetts and consistently ranks among the top 10 events supporting the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since its founding in 2009, it has raised more than $2 million for glioblastoma cancer research, with over 90% employee participation each year. In addition, the Tom Cosenzi Scholarship, also created in her father’s memory, awards $5,000 annually to local graduating seniors, selected by an employee committee, continuing the family’s deep commitment to education and community advancement. Together, these initiatives ensure that Tom Cosenzi’s legacy of leadership, generosity, and perseverance continues to inspire others — within the TommyCar Auto Group and throughout the community.

That same commitment to strengthening local connections is reflected in the company’s approach to customer loyalty and engagement. Over the past 18 months, Country Nissan enhanced its TommyCard Rewards Program to deepen loyalty and community ties. Guests earn points on service and parts redeemable toward future vehicle purchases, receive referral rewards, and can track benefits through a new mobile app. The program also partners with more than 30 local merchants to provide exclusive savings — driving business to neighborhood retailers while adding tangible, everyday value for customers. 

“Customers save money, local businesses grow, and the community gets stronger,” she said. 

That same philosophy extends to every interaction within the dealership. At TommyCar, loyalty isn’t just earned through programs — it’s built through people. For Cosenzi, customer satisfaction is built in the everyday. 

“It’s the technician staying late so a nurse can make her shift, the advisor arranging a loaner so a family doesn’t miss a trip, the salesperson moving a mom’s belongings into her new SUV,” she noted. Those daily moments — reflected in repeat business and community “favorites” awards across dealership, repair, collision and charity event categories — define the brand’s reputation.

Cosenzi Zayac was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association. She and her husband, Nicholas Zayac, have two children, Talia and Nico.