PRESS RELEASE
Thornhill, ON – July 2021
Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) Chair Trevor Boquist has announced that Mike Stollery of AutoIQ Dealership Network has won the 2021 CADA Laureate award for Ambassadorship.
The Laureate award is recognized as the highest honour a new car and truck dealer can receive over the course of their career. Boquist explained that “Hundreds of nominations are received annually from fellow dealers, automobile manufacturers, and industry suppliers. But only three win the Laureate award each year, so it’s an exclusive and prestigious honour.”
Laureate awards are presented annually to one dealer in each of three categories: Ambassadorship, Business Innovation, and Retail Operations.
Mr. Stollery received his Laureate award in the category of Ambassadorship, for extraordinary service to the community and the industry.
iA Dealer Services, Canada’s leader in finance and insurance products and services for automobile dealers, is the Laureate program’s exclusive sponsor. Alnoor Jiwani, Senior Vice-President, acknowledged Mike Stollery’s achievement, “At AutoIQ, community involvement is more than just words on paper, it’s one of their core values, and it affects daily operations. Mike Stollery leads by example, through his philanthropy, his work with the Automotive Business School of Canada, and his equity partnerships in the local dealerships.
“Mike also represents Canada on the Ford Global Dealer Roundtable and the Product Advisory Committee – testament to the respect he has garnered globally from the manufacturer.”
Laureate award winners are selected by the Ivey Business School at Western University in London, Ontario, from a group of 15 national finalists. Professor June Cotte said, “Mike has been heavily involved in education, in various roles for the Automotive Business School of Canada. He has also donated his time and talent to running the fundraising campaign for Georgian College, with tremendous results, and he is also an active philanthropist on a personal level.
“Mike chaired CADA during the difficult year of 2020, helping dealers across Canada deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. His equity partnership model has allowed talented young businesspeople to become dealers, which in turn has contributed to the growth of the group. Mike’s commitment to diversity and gender equality is also evident, and 38% of senior executives at AutoIQ are female.”
Mr. Stollery received the good news by phone from CADA Chair Trevor Boquist, after which he said, “I’m totally humbled. I was so excited when I got the call. I have so much respect for the Laureates, who are legends in our industry. It sets the path for us to be ambassadors and to do things for our industry, our community, and the country.
“Our entire dealership network deserves this recognition for always giving back. Our responsibility is to solve each family’s needs, and that’s where the relationship starts – one community member at a time. I’m very excited to receive the Laureate jacket, and will be even more excited to wear it at events where I can promote involvement in our industry.”
The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association is the national voice of the more than 3,200 new car and truck dealers in Canada. CADA has its headquarters in Thornhill, Ontario, and a government relations office in Ottawa. CADA’s wide-ranging mandate includes helping member dealers improve their overall operations, and implementing initiatives that strengthen the relationship between new car and truck dealers and the communities they serve.
Release Date: July 22, 2021
For more information contact: Tim Reuss, CADA President & CEO