2025 TDOY Nominee

Andy Guelcher is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 108^th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 25, 2025.

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. Guelcher was chosen to represent the New York State Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 56^th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.

“The ability to motivate employees and watch them grow, both personally and professionally, has been the most rewarding part of my career,” nominee Guelcher said. “By building mentorship programs within the dealership, we have assured that leadership and career development will be a part of our legacy.”

A 2002 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in Bradford, Pennsylvania, Guelcher had dreams of playing professional baseball. And while he was pursuing a career in the major leagues, he took a side job working for a Honda dealership in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

“I learned the ropes as a salesperson and quickly found that I was good at it,” he said.

“My ability to connect with customers and help them find the right vehicle felt natural. As baseball was not going the way I had hoped, I made a choice that would be one of the most significant of my life and switched my career path to the auto industry.”

Guelcher continued to develop his sales skills and by 2007, at the age of 27, he was named general manager of Ciocca Honda in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He then set a goal of owning his own dealership by the time he turned 40 and reached it at age 39 when he and his partner, Jeff Haraden, founded Mohawk Chevrolet in 2019.

“The path to ownership required careful planning, strategic partnerships, and a deep understanding of the business,” he said. “I was fortunate to find a partner who was instrumental in helping me achieve my goal.”

Guelcher also credits his parents with instilling in him the tools needed to succeed.

“My mom and dad taught me the value of hard work, integrity, compassion, resilience, and perseverance,” he said. “Their influence, along with the competitive spirit I honed playing baseball, helped lay the foundation for my career in the automotive industry.”

And today Guelcher is dedicated to building those same skills among his team by guiding, inspiring, and supporting his employees.

“I focus heavily on empowering individuals to take ownership of their roles,” he said.

One employee-driven initiative that has received a great deal of media attention is The Dealership, a mockumentary TikTok series which follows the daily adventures of the Mohawk Chevrolet team. Produced in the style of the popular NBC sitcom The Office, this viral series, created by the dealership’s in-house marketing department, is an out-of-the-box way to reach potential customers.

Guelcher also applies his creative leadership to benefit the automotive industry and fellow dealers. He has served on advisory boards for General Motors (GM) and is currently chair of the Chevrolet Dealer Council and member of the GM dealer executive board.

“I established town hall meetings, held quarterly in each region, so that dealers have a forum to discuss their specific issues and concerns,” he said. “The council tracks the results and communicates directly to Chevrolet and GM leadership, giving dealers an opportunity to receive the support needed to streamline their business operations, to increase market share, and to enhance employee retention.”

Guelcher also recognizes the importance of customer service, which has not only enhanced his business but also gives him a sense of fulfillment on the job. And that commitment extends beyond the car-buying process and into the community.

“Mohawk Chevrolet supports many community organizations by providing tens of thousands of dollars in direct monetary donations for charity golf tournaments and gala fundraisers,” he said. “The dealership also organizes several food, school supplies, and clothing drives throughout the year, an annual pet adoption clinic, and invites local groups to use our dealership space to host their events and fundraisers.”

Guelcher encourages his team to get involved as well and has set an annual goal to donate 10,000 hours of volunteer service to the community. He established an employee committee to curate and promote volunteer opportunities, and those who contribute are recognized quarterly.

And he leads by example. Guelcher currently serves on the board of Make-A-Wish Northeast New York and has donated funds to design and build the Wishing Woods, a space at the foundation’s headquarters in Saratoga Springs, New York, where children can sign a leaf or leave a message that remains part of the permanent display.

“When I chaired the board for Make-A-Wish in our region, we conducted a nationwide search and hired a new executive director, and entered into a merger with the Vermont chapter,” he said. “Due to the sharing of staff between the two chapters, we saved over a half million dollars annually in overhead and we streamlined our wish-granting process.”

Guelcher is also an ambassador for the Special Olympics New York and has sponsored programs and athletes, hosted athletes at the dealership, and volunteered at various sporting events with family and company employees.

“I am proud that my dealership has donated more than $100,000 to the organization in recent years to support these inspiring athletes,” he said. “By participating in charitable causes to raise funds or volunteer time, I have prioritized giving back to my community. I do whatever I can to help those in need.”

Guelcher was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Robert Vancavage, president of the New York State Automobile Dealers Association. Guelcher and his wife, Jessica, have three children.