2026 TDOY Nominee

Doug Weisz 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, NV, 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. Weisz was chosen to represent the Maine 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.

An English major who became a national magazine road test coordinator straight out of the University of Michigan, Weisz calls himself “an unlikely dealer.” His career pivoted at Automobile Magazine under the legendary David E. Davis Jr., then continued at Jaguar Cars in product launches and in automotive advertising. In 2004, he pitched Subaru of New England on awarding him a new-point franchise in Maine. “Within six months I’d quit my job, moved to Maine, and started building a store,” he said. “Eighteen months later, in February 2006, we sold our first new car. Looking back, it seems crazy. At the time, it seemed crazy not to.”

Evergreen Subaru opened in 2006 with a 13,000 sq ft facility and 8 service bays. By 2018, growth demands prompted the purchase of a dormant 20,000 sq ft big-box building on 8 acres. Following a comprehensive renovation and expansion, the dealership reopened in August 2021 with a 40,000 sq ft campus and 17 bays — and has since expanded to 26 service bays to meet customer demand. “Our service philosophy is simple: whatever the issue, our answer should be ‘bring it in,’” Weisz said. 

Employee wellness includes sponsored memberships at Central Maine Community College’s fitness center, paid birthdays off (separate from PTO), and structured opportunities to volunteer during work hours. Staff frequently participate in Androscoggin Land Trust river cleanups, primary school reading days, and pet adoption events hosted in the dealership’s delivery-drive/community space.

Evergreen Subaru was honored with a Subaru Love Promise National Award for its partnership with John F. Murphy Homes, integrating developmentally challenged high school students into the store’s accounting department for weekly, mentor-guided skill building. “We cultivate a culture that celebrates feedback and service,” Weisz noted. “Our community programs help teammates grow while making a tangible difference.”

To uphold same-day solutions, Evergreen expanded its loaner fleet to 60+ vehicles, moved reconditioning off-site, and reconfigured internal spaces to add service capacity — ensuring customers aren’t asked to wait until “tomorrow” or “next week.” The dealership’s growth strategy centers on service throughput, rapid communication, and a standing directive to fix problems first and resolve back-office details later.

Weisz emphasizes reputation over traditional advertising. “We put our energy and money behind word-of-mouth by fixing the problem,” he said. A recent example: when police uncovered a fraudulent VIN on a used car Evergreen had retailed a year prior, the store immediately offered the guest full credit toward a replacement vehicle that day. “We take care of the customer first; we’ll sort out insurance later,” Weisz said.

Weisz was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by the Maine Auto Dealers Association. Doug and his wife, Lynn, are the proud parents of two children, Sarah and Jake.