Byrider honored more than a dozen buy-here, pay-here franchise dealership operators in Scottsdale, Ariz., earlier this month during its annual convention; an event that drew praise from an attorney at Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co.

“Each year we take a moment to recognize and applaud the best of the best from the Byrider system,” Byrider chief executive officer Mike Onda said in a news release. “Our dealers’ success is tied directly to their customers’ success and this year’s Top 25 Franchise locations helped over 5,000 customers achieve vehicle ownership in the last year alone.

“When customers complete the Byrider program they often achieve a better financial future for themselves and their families and that’s worth celebrating,” Onda continued.

The Franchise of the Year award recognizes the best overall performance by a franchise group based on internal store rankings and a measure of how the business has contributed to the Byrider franchise community. Those honors went to:

—Four or more locations: Russ Larson, Jeff Lee, and Winston Sleeth with stores in Burlington, Iowa., Davenport, Iowa., Des Moines, Iowa., Cedar Rapids, Iowa., Columbia, Mo., Joplin, Mo., and Springfield, Mo.

—Two or three locations: Jonathan Gandolfo with stores in Columbia, S.C., Greenville, S.C., and North Charleston, S.C.

—Single location: Keith Kocourek and Jennifer Freiboth in Wausau, Wisc.

The President’s Awards recognize dealership locations included in the top 10% of stores as defined by Byrider’s store ranking system. Winners, in order of performance ranking included:

—Terre Haute, Ind.: Shannon Aldridge and Matt Enderlin

—Burlington, Iowa: Russ Larson and Jeff Lee

—Mansfield, Ohio: Chris McPhie and Greg Barrett

֫—Wausau, Wisc.: Keith Kocourek and Jennifer Freiboth

—Springfield, Mo.: Russ Larson and Winston Sleeth

—Joplin, Mo.: Russ Larson, Winston Sleeth and Pete Pope

—Springdale, Ark.: Dave Hanson

—Ashtabula, Ohio: Chris McPhie and Greg Barrett

—Canton, Ohio: Chris McPhie and Greg Barrett

—North Charleston, S.C.: Jonathan Gandolfo

The Most Improved Award was given to stores that demonstrated the most improvement from 2024 to 2025 based on store rankings. The rundown is organized by franchise size.

Most Improved, single point

—Meriden, Conn.: Jeff Merriam and Dennis Garafola

Most Improved with two or three locations

—Boise, Idaho: John Chalfant

Most Improved with four or more locations

—Longview, Texas: Dale Boone and Bill Evans

The Advancement Award recognized the store that saw the most per capita contract completions over the year, which highlights the dealership’s commitment to Byrider’s purpose of advancing customers through the program.

The honor went to Shannon Aldridge and Matt Enderlin with their store in Terre Haute, Ind.

Finally, the Customer Satisfaction Award went to The Locklear Group for its operation in Panama City, Fla.

“Many dealers in the buy-here, pay-here industry are experiencing historic losses these days,” Byrider vice president of franchise support and development Ben Goodman said in the news release. “Byrider dealers are not and that’s due to their constant focus on long-term customer success.”

The operator and company-wide successes celebrated in Scottsdale also garnered the attention of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis attorney Erin McCabe, who traveled to Arizona from the firm’s office in Cincinnati.

McCabe recapped his observations in a firm blog post.

“Over the past few years, many buy-here, pay-here dealers have faced significant challenges, including rising interest rates, increasing vehicle acquisition costs, and a noticeable uptick in bankruptcy filings among customers. Despite these hurdles, Byrider has managed not only to adapt but to position itself as a leader in its market segment,” McCabe wrote.

“A key takeaway from the conference was Byrider’s strategic focus on technology. The company’s investment in upgraded platforms and a more sophisticated approach to search engine optimization is designed to strengthen its competitive position in a dynamic automotive market. These efforts will allow Byrider to reach new customers while retaining the loyalty of its existing base — a critical factor as demographics and market demands continue to evolve,” he continued.

“Equally important, Byrider’s commitment to a customer-centric approach remains at the heart of its success. By emphasizing relationship-building, improving vehicle quality, and enhancing the overall customer experience, Byrider is creating a foundation for repeat business. This focus on long-term customer satisfaction not only differentiates Byrider from competitors but also reinforces its reputation as a trusted partner in the automotive finance space,” McCabe went on to write.