2026 TDOY Nominee
Steve Melloy
Dealer Principal of Advantage Dodge Ram Chrysler Jeep Fiat
Farmington, New Mexico
Steve Melloy 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. Melloy was chosen to represent the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 47 auto dealers nominated for the 57th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.
Melloy began in the business at age 14 as a lot attendant at his family’s store in Albuquerque and worked through nearly every role — lube technician, mechanic, sales professional and service manager — before becoming dealer principal in Farmington in 1982. He earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Albuquerque (1973) and served in the U.S. Navy Reserves (1966–1974).
Under Melloy’s leadership, Advantage Dodge Ram Chrysler Jeep Fiat has invested in comprehensive facility upgrades — completing a full remodel to Chrysler standards, adding service capacity and property for inventory and building rock displays that showcase Jeep capability and the Four Corners’ off-road lifestyle. The dealership today employs 89 team members and has grown staff year over year.
“Our philosophy is simple: do the right thing and do it quickly,” Melloy said. “Whether that’s getting a traveler back on the road or helping a local child through our community events, we measure success by how well we serve people.”
Melloy has been an active voice for dealers statewide, serving the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association as Treasurer (2006), Secretary (2007), Vice Chair (2008) and Chairman (2009). “The association roles put me in the room to listen and advocate for every New Mexico dealer,” he said. “Good policy means stronger operations, more consumer choice and a healthier marketplace for our communities.”
He also supports workforce development through San Juan College’s CAP program, sponsoring two-year technician trainees who alternate classroom learning with paid, hands-on dealership experience — graduates are guaranteed a position at Advantage. “The technician pipeline doesn’t build itself,” Melloy added. “Paid training, real mentors and a guaranteed job keep talent here at home.”
Deeply committed to youth and families, Melloy’s team hosts an annual Community Sale & Charity Event each July, donating $100 per vehicle sold to local nonprofits such as the Farmington Boys & Girls Club and Childhaven. In July 2025, the store’s 13th annual event contributed $12,300 to Childhaven; over 13 years, the initiative has generated $100,000+ for area youth organizations. Year-round drives fill Ram truck beds with Thanksgiving meals for PATH and age-appropriate gifts for teens and tweens at Childhaven, with employees and customers pitching in side by side.
“I’m proud to continue a family legacy that started in 1923,” Melloy said. “This industry built my life, and giving back — to our employees, customers and community — is the best way I know to honor it.”
Customer care at Advantage is personal. When a traveling family’s Ram broke down while towing a horse trailer, Melloy’s team expedited same-day repairs — and, with the owners’ supervision, made space behind the dealership so the horse could safely walk and feed until the family continued their trip.
In the last 18 months, Advantage has broadened outreach to 25–35-year-old buyers with an expanded digital and social presence, Connected TV campaigns and grassroots engagement — highlighted by sponsorship of Jeep Jamboree (with Melloy and team members serving as trail guides and instructors at Jeep Academy). These initiatives helped drive the dealership’s highest-grossing month in five years this August and strengthened brand loyalty across the region.
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.”
Melloy was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association. Steve and his wife, Anita, have five children: Kristin Horton, Hayley Encinias, Thomas Hawkins, Lindsey Amyx and Katy Harris.
