Salute To Dealers is a Ford Motor Company initiative that recognizes and honors dealer principals who have made an extraordinary commitment of their time and resources to help improve the lives of others by providing support for countless meaningful causes.
Ford's most recent dealer giving survey, which coincided with the Salute to Dealers announcement, showed a sample group of 70 Ford and Lincoln dealers reported donating $4 million and more than 41,000 volunteer hours to local causes and nonprofits in 2022. Most say they are driven to make a difference in their communities because giving is a part of their dealership tradition.
Now in its 23rd year, Salute To Dealers was founded by Edsel B. Ford II and is championed by Henry Ford III.
“I am honored to recognize our dealers for all they do to support communities across the globe every day. Their efforts make such a positive impact and provide hope to so many. Their willingness to help improve the lives of those in need is truly amazing,” Ford said.
Dealers from around the globe were nominated for the 23rd annual award. From this group, a panel of judges selected the honorees based on the dealers' individual activities, length of participation and personal motivation.
In recognition of the honorees’ service to their communities, Ford held a reception Jan. 26, preceding the annual NADA Show in Dallas, TX.
In further recognition, the honorees receive an exclusive painted portrait featuring a montage of their philanthropic efforts and involvement in their communities. Copies of the portraits will be on display in in the lobby of Ford’s World Headquarters in Dearborn, MI, for year-round viewing. Once again, this year, Ford Motor Company Fund is donating $10,000 in each honoree’s name to a charity of their choice.
Ford’s 2023 awards recognize the following dealers for their generosity and commitment to their communities:
Kevin Whitcraft, RMA Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Kevin Whitcraft demonstrates a commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR), which improves the lives and communities of RMA Group employees and customers.
Whitcraft’s dedication to Cambodia’s development has occurred over many decades through years as a war-torn country to one of peace and rapid economic development. His comprehensive approach to good corporate citizenship includes pioneering investments in the automotive industry, improving quality of life in rural communities, educational access and upskilling, environmental clean-up, emergency relief and social development.
CSR initiatives which have profoundly impacted others include food aid during floods, donations of ambulances for the Cambodian Red Cross and donations of Vaccine Carriers during COVID.
Beyond emergency support in times of crisis are educational programs which bring lasting effect by way of long-term employment and economic opportunity. Such support has included providing required books and other learning materials in remote areas of Cambodia and working with Polytechnic Institutes throughout the country to provide mechanical and automotive training facilitated by the dealership’s management and service technicians.
Dealerships also provide funding for training facility renovations, vehicles used in the training sessions and work study internships at dealerships. Upon graduation, students apply their newfound skills through employment offered by the dealership and the Ford Assembly Plant in Cambodia.
Through the planning and execution of these and countless other social relief efforts, Whitcraft has displayed a true passion for helping others who need it most.
Richard J. Bazzy, Richard Bazzy’s Shults Ford, Pittsburgh, PA
Richard Bazzy, a multi-location Ford dealer in Pittsburgh, is actively involved and well known throughout the city for his far-reaching charitable endeavors and selfless generosity. His primary vision is to leverage his good fortune to create a life worth living for as many people as possible.
His focus is not on one or two organizations as beneficiaries, but to make his vision possible, on a broader scale and a more personal basis, affecting as many people as he can.
To help accomplish this, he has leveraged his relationship with Audacy, a radio platform in Pittsburgh, using radio-thon formats. This has allowed his message to reach millions of listeners and gives him access to a wide range of charitable organizations.
He established the Get Marty + Bazzy fund, with his daughter, to help identify specific needs and solutions. Whether it’s a turkey on every table for Thanksgiving with his annual Turkeython, or a present under the tree for every child with Yes, Pittsburgh, There is a Santa, each venture has been created with one goal in mind, to help move peoples’ lives forward.
Learning and educational initiatives have also been brought to life through Bubba and Bazzy’s Backpack Brigade and The Shults Ford Scholarship Fund. From sponsoring annual events to meeting the daily needs of individuals, Bazzy’s vision is not just about selling and servicing vehicles, but to make a difference in peoples’ lives and to create lives that are worth living.
It is Bazzy’s ability to help others without thinking twice that makes his employees proud and excited to be a part of his organization. His leadership and community spirit are both admirable and contagious.
Abby Andrews