2026 TDOY Nominee

David Wright 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. Wright was chosen to represent the Iowa 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.

As someone who found the business “by accident,” Wright traces his start to a detour from college and military service.  

“I was called to active duty for Desert Shield and, in the middle of that season of uncertainty, a banker told me to ‘go see the local car dealer.’ I did — reluctantly — and fell in love with the business,” he said. 

Seven years later, he bought half of a struggling Ford store.  

“We had to borrow money to make payroll month one. I swore that would never happen again and learned the business front to back.” 

After turning that operation around, Wright purchased his own dealership in 2004 and built Dave Wright Nissan Subaru into a people-first, community-driven enterprise. 

Wright’s biggest professional risks reshaped his career. 

“I battled cancer in college, navigated a call-up for Desert Shield, bought 50% of a struggling dealership and later purchased my own store with barely enough capital,” he said. “Thanks to family support, a hunger to learn and mentors along the way, those risks proved worth it.” 

Dave Wright isn’t just a car dealer — he’s a community leader and an inspiration. Through his leadership, the dealership has earned the title of Automotive News: Best Dealerships To Work For 12 times, a remarkable accomplishment rooted in an environment built on the company’s core values, culture and a little fun mixed in. Dave Wright Nissan Subaru is the only Iowa dealership to have won 12 times and we believe one of three dealerships in the country to claim the honor 12 times.

Dave’s commitment to serving others is powerful. He works with organizations like Goodwill of the Heartland and To The Rescue to employ individuals with disabilities, providing them with routines, purpose and long-lasting friendships. The impact is profound, not just on the individuals themselves, but on the entire dealership. Families of these individuals often share how transformative this opportunity has been to their loved ones. 

Dave’s generosity is spread across multiple institutions each year. He consistently donates more than $50,000 per year to the Boys and Girls Club of the Corridor. He also sponsors their Thanksgiving and Christmas meals for more than 200 children and their families, who might not otherwise receive a warm holiday meal. He has donated more than 200 pairs of shoes and socks to kids — many of whom were wearing too-small shoes before his donation.

He has also invested in teachers and schools. He sponsors a summer writing contest and A+ for education, which recognizes teachers who go above and beyond with a cash reward. He also donates money, books and school supplies to multiple area schools. 

Dave has partnered with the Iowa Giving Crew, a local charity that helps those in need. Each year, Dave and his family help deliver more than 2,000 Thanksgiving meals, including turkeys, sides, desserts and potatoes. He also makes sure our seniors have food to eat. Dave partners with Heritage Area Agency on Aging, providing them with cash donations and sponsoring their holiday meals. Each year, they host several holiday meals for the elderly, with dealership staff volunteering to serve. This not only gives staff the opportunity to interact with seniors, it also makes the seniors feel like they are still part of the community after they retire.

Through these partnerships and others, Dave and Dave Wright Nissan Subaru have earned multiple business of the year awards for their philanthropy, including being inducted this year into Hiawatha’s Hall of Fame for leadership, innovation and exemplifying good character, caring, humility and giving back. 

To support rapid growth, Wright executed a major facility strategy: moving from two older buildings (≈18,000 sq. ft.) to a new 45,000-sq-ft campus in December 2015 on five acres with interstate access — assembled by purchasing 15 homes, a city street, and a water station. Subsequent investments include an on-site car wash with eight detail bays, two additional acres of paved parking, and 4,000 sq. ft. of added service capacity, with plans underway to construct a standalone Nissan facility and dedicate the current building to Subaru.

Wright centers operations on employee well-being and service. The store offers PTO (including mental-health days), reimburses up to $75 per month for wellness expenses like gym, programs and equipment, hosts frequent wellness and team-building “national days,” funds professional development, and pays employees for work-time volunteer hours at store-sponsored events.  

“Serving others is a core value here,” Wright said. “We match charitable giving, train managers to spot stress and invest in programs that help our people thrive at work and at home.”

During the pandemic, Wright guaranteed no layoffs, instituted safety protocols and outdoor briefings, posted regular video updates, launched confidential wellness surveys and counseling and rebalanced inventory strategy when new-vehicle supply tightened.  

“Human capital is our rarest resource,” he noted. “We kept people employed, healthy, and focused — and came out stronger.”

Over the last 18 months, Wright accelerated talent pipelines with Tech120 and Sales120—clear roadmaps that outline training, timelines, pay progression, and rewards (including tools) with a goal for qualified team members to reach $120,000 per year. The store also simplified technician recruiting (“just come in and meet the service team”) and redesigned onboarding so every hire spends two hours in every department. The result: a significant rise in entry-level technician applications and hires and monthly gross up by approximately $200,000. 

Customer care shines in everyday decisions. When an employee spotted an elderly motorist with a flat tire late on a Friday night, he gathered a manager and a technician to change it within minutes — no charge. 

“Moments like that are why we created our ‘Dave Buck’ and monthly ‘Impact Award’ programs — to recognize teammates who live our values,” Wright said. 

Wright’s community impact is anchored by Show You Care, now in its 15th year. He purchases TV airtime to spotlight 10–12 local charities each month, runs seasonal drives (coats, Thanksgiving meals), sponsors a teacher-of-the-month program and more.

“Most small nonprofits could never afford TV,” Wright said. “These spots have helped raise tens of millions of dollars, recruit thousands of volunteer hours, and share hundreds of messages that help people in need.”  

The dealership also donated a thre-acre dog park to the City of Hiawatha — employees prepped the grounds, planted trees and help maintain gardens.

“I fell in love with this business because it lets us serve,” Wright added. “We exist to help guests, lift our team, and strengthen our community — every single day.” 

Wright was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by the Iowa Automobile Dealers Association. He and his wife, Patty, have three children: Tyler, Sydney, and Tanner.