TIME and Ally Financial Honor Conroe Dealer Don A. Buckalew Jr. Wins National Recognition for Community Service and Industry Accomplishments The nomination of Don A. Buckalew Jr., dealer at Buckalew Chevrolet in Conroe, Texas, for the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced by TIME on Oct. 18, 2022. Buckalew is one of a select group of 48 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 106th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Dallas, Texas, on Jan. 27, 2023. 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. Buckalew was chosen to represent the Texas Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition— one of only 48 auto dealers nominated for the 54th annual award from more than 16,000 nationwide. “We have been in the car business in Conroe for more than 57 years and have generations of customers,” nominee Buckalew said. “The longevity of our success is rooted in our team, our commitment to the customer and to the community, and our determination to do the right thing, always.” A 1977 graduate of Conroe High School in Conroe, Buckalew earned a degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1981. His career plan after college was to return to Conroe and continue his education at the family’s Chevrolet store, which his father, Don Buckalew, founded with a partner in 1965. “I started at the dealership at a very early age and worked in every department, learning the business from the ground up,” he said. “It was important to my parents that I understand the full scope of the commitment required to be a successful dealer.” After college, Buckalew took on customerfacing responsibilities and honed his skills in the service end of the business. “This is where I learned to listen to the customer and understand the importance of providing a safe, reliable vehicle for a family,” he said. “I was taught to treat each customer like an extension of our family, and I took a great deal of pride in helping others.” Buckalew oversaw fixed operations until he was named general manager in 2008. In 2019, he became a dealer, and today, he continues to work with his father and his brother, Denny, to manage the successful dealership, a mainstay in his community. “My father was an incredible mentor to me throughout my life,” he said. “Watching his day-to-day management taught me a great deal about doing things right, treating others the way I wanted to be treated, and prioritizing our customers and employees above self.” Buckalew is also committed to his industry and has devoted his time and expertise to the Texas Automobile Dealers Association as chair of the board in 2019 and the Houston Automobile Dealers Association, where he currently serves as director. His father stressed the importance of giving back to the community as well, By Ally Financial 14 Dealers' Choice
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