2025 TDOY Nominee
Brandon Campbell
General Manager of KarMART Volkswagen of Maui
Kihei, Hawaii
“The strength of our dealership is our employees. Our team members are recognized locally for their high integrity and for their contributions to the community. In Maui, where everyone knows each other, that level of respect makes a difference and has helped fuel our success.”
Brandon Campbell is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 108th 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. Campbell was chosen to represent the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 56th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide.
“The strength of our dealership is our employees,” nominee Campbell said. “Our team members are recognized locally for their high integrity and for their contributions to the community. In Maui, where everyone knows each other, that level of respect makes a difference and has helped fuel our success.”
Campbell earned a degree in business from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business in 2007. He gained his hands-on experience while working in various capacities at his family’s KarMART Automotive Group in Burlington, Washington. From washing cars during high school to serving as finance manager, sales manager and vice president, he was well-prepared to carry on the family legacy when he moved to Hawaii in 2014 and opened the company’s Maui division.
“My journey in the automotive industry has been profoundly shaped by my upbringing alongside my father, Robert, a well-respected car dealer in the northwest,” he said. “His remarkable ability to elevate every dealership he managed to number one in Washington by sales volume – and to achieve top rankings nationwide – has been a constant source of inspiration.”
Campbell also observed how his father treated all employees and customers with great respect, building strong and lasting relationships. Even during the financial crisis of 2008, his family led by example and worked to preserve jobs as they deeply valued their team members.
And Campbell’s own leadership was put to the test during the devastating fires in Maui in 2023 that caused such tragic death and destruction.
“Our company sprang into action by letting our team know they could take time to attend to family or anything they needed without the worry of loss of income,” he said. “We made sure to donate supplies, vehicles, and time to help address the immediate needs of our community.”
In addition, as a director and convention chair for the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association, Campbell has used the platform to raise money for Village of Hope, a Maui organization that aids local foster children and foster parents, a group that was particularly impacted by the fires.
“I’ve witnessed how a successful dealership can play a crucial role in healing a community during tough times,” he said. “As a business leader in a small island town, I can clearly see how my philanthropic support and time commitments can make a big impact, which would sometimes get lost in a larger market.”
Children are the focus of his giving. Campbell has sponsored a program that inspires young people through sports called Vertical Sports Maui, a baseball program called Kihei Little League, a camp for children whose parents are incarcerated called Camp Pilialoha ‘O Maui, as well as Malama I Ke Ola Health Center and Hope Chapel Maui.
“We are a family-oriented company, and we have a special place in our heart for children,” he said. “My involvement has allowed sports teams to have enough gear and resources for a season when they might not have been able to participate. And we support our employees coaching, volunteering, and donating time to all these organizations and many more.”
Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. A panel of faculty members from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan will select one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year. Three finalists will receive $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive $10,000 to give to charity, donated by Ally.
In its 14th year as exclusive sponsor, Ally also will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Nominees will be recognized on ally.com/go/tdoy , which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees.
“At TIME, our commitment to recognizing the exceptional contributions of automotive dealers remains as strong as ever,” said Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME. “The TIME Dealer of the Year award continues to celebrate those who not only excel in their profession but also make a meaningful impact in their communities. We are thrilled to continue this legacy in partnership with Ally.”
Doug Timmerman, Ally president of Dealer Financial Services, said, “Auto dealers are the backbones of their communities, providing civic support and significant business leadership. Ally is proud to recognize the unwavering commitment these TIME Dealer of the Year nominees are living every day through their volunteerism, sponsorships, and support of charitable causes. They are the epitome of community heroes, making important and positive impacts in the lives of the people they serve.”
Campbell was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Melissa Pavlicek, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association. Campbell and his wife, Natali, have three children.
