LAS VEGAS -

Along with revealing scholarship and leadership award recipients, the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association used its 65th annual Convention & Expo to add another industry veteran to the NIADA National Ring of Honor.

The latest inductee is Joe Lescota, Northwood University’s automotive marketing department chair. NIADA chief executive officer Michael Linn declared during a ceremony that Lescota joined a prestigious and honorable circle of men and women who have dedicated their careers to the automobile industry.

Lescota, who has more than a quarter-century of retail automotive experience, is the instructor for NIADA’s Certified Master Dealer Program and sits on the board of trustees of the NIADA Foundation.

“He has filled every management position within all departments of various dealerships, including dealer operation,” Linn said about Lescota.

“He quickly gained a reputation for developing innovative management techniques leading to reduced employee turnover and increased customer retention and satisfaction,” Linn continued. “Joe is a person for whom I have great admiration and respect.”

Lescota has conducted workshops and educational seminars for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Honda and many other automakers. He also served as the program director for the Automotive Satellite Television Network and helped to introduce college credit courses into dealerships nationwide via distance learning.

In addition, Lescota was named Man of the Year by the Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals in 2006 and has received Northwood’s Faculty Excellence Award five times in the last decade.

Lescota is the 21st inductee to the NIADA Ring of Honor.

Association and NIADA Foundation Announce Scholarship, Leadership Award Recipients

Along with the addition to the Ring of Honor, the NIADA Foundation awarded $29,000 in college scholarships.

“These five young men and women have proven their ability to excel academically while contributing to their communities through various service projects and organizations,” Linn highlighted.

“It is truly an honor to help them pursue their educational goals,” he added.

The recipients and their parents were honored at NIADA’s Leadership Awards Banquet. The scholarship awards and travel expenses for their attendance were underwritten by AutoTrader.com.

The association indicated four recipients each received regional awards of $3,500 to be used at the college of their choice. NIADA also mentioned a $10,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a Northwood University student who is pursuing a career in the automotive industry.

Travis Blount is the recipient of the National AutoTrader.com-NIADA Scholarship for $10,000.

The son of William Blunt and Shelley Abbe, the association noted Blount will be a junior at Northwood University this fall where he is majoring in automotive marketing and management.

Blount’s career goal is to work in the automotive field.

NIADA stated recipients of the $3,500 Regional Scholarships include:

—Region I: Zach Summer of Stafford, Va., who is pursuing an engineering degree at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.

—Region II: Jeremy Randall Vaughn of Guin, Ala., who is pursuing a degree at NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C.

—Region III: Aisha Bourke of Elm Creek, Neb., who is pursuing a degree in medicine at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, Neb.

—Region IV: Samantha Bea Cahill of Vancouver, Wash., who is pursuing an international relations/Chinese language/communications degrees at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., and Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.

NIADA also honored association members who have contributed countless hours of service to NIADA and their state associations.

The first official act of incoming NIADA president Don Fincher Sr., of Houston, was to present this year’s Crystal Eagle Awards to those who excelled in membership development. The recipients were:

—Kimberly New, of Style Auto Brokers.

—Dennis Pope, of Peoples Financial Services.

—Glen Reeves, of Reeves Insurance Agency.

—Terry Myers, of Florida Auto Dealer School.

—Jim Fucci, of Car Source Auto Sales.

—Van Williamson, of Auto Finance.

The association also revealed Jim Mitchell received this year’s Association Executive of the Year Award, presented by the NIADA Association Executives Council.

Mitchell, who began his automotive career in 1969 in franchise sales, is the executive director of the Ohio IADA.