2025 TDOY Nominee

Gary Kaminsky 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. Kaminsky was chosen to represent the New Car Dealers Association San Diego County in the national competition — one of only 49 auto dealers nominated for the 56^th annual award from more than 20,000 nationwide. 
 
“Creating a supportive work environment for our associates, where they can thrive and advance, has been deeply fulfilling,” nominee Kaminsky said. “Equally gratifying is improving the customer experience so that clients enjoy stress-free car buying in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.” 
 
Kaminsky, who earned a B.S. in business administration at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 1996, works with his brother, Greg, to run the dealership acquired by his late father, Bob, in 1990. 
 
“My brother and I are deeply entrenched in the automotive industry, a legacy profoundly shaped by our family’s dedication and hard work,” he said. “My dad started as a salesperson and advanced to owning his own store. I began working with him at age 12 as a lot attendant then immersed myself in all aspects of dealership operations, from parts to service to sales.” 
 
In 2000, Kaminsky was entrusted to manage Toyota of El Cajon and has been dedicated to upholding the high standards and values that define his family’s legacy ever since. The store has received numerous honors, including the coveted Toyota President’s Cabinet Award multiple times. 
 
“This distinguished accolade is awarded to only the top 12 Toyota dealerships in the United States and acknowledges overall exceptional performance in sales, customer satisfaction and overall operational excellence.” he said. 
 
Today, the Kaminsky brothers’ K Motors auto group also includes new car dealerships, 
Honda of El Cajon and Puente Hills Toyota in City of Industry, California, as well as two satellite stores, Toyota Certified Center of Santee and Honda Service Center, both in Santee, California. 
 
“As a proactive and forward-thinking team committed to long-term success, we understand the importance of our reputation,” Kaminsky said. “We believe in creating a positive culture while achieving high levels of customer, employee, and community satisfaction.” 
 
To that end, his company’s philanthropic programs include community outreach and dealership events. One significant collaboration is with the San Diego River Park Foundation (SDRPF), for which the dealership has committed to planting a tree for every vehicle sold. 
 
“This initiative has led to the planting of more than 50,000 trees across our local area,” Kaminsky said. “Notable projects in the Boulder Creek Preserve Habitat, Eagle Peak Ranch, and Santee Lakes Recreational Preserve has helped to enhance the natural beauty of our region and contributed to preserving the environment.” 
 
His dealership also supports the future SDRPF River Center at Grant Park, a new 17-acre complex in Mission Valley that will offer hands-on nature learning experiences about the river and its wildlife to children and adults from urban communities. 
 
Toyota of El Cajon proudly sponsors the local National Night Out event, a free family-friendly gathering aimed at building strong bonds between the community and law enforcement agencies. His dealership also supports the Helen Woodward Animal Center’s signature events, including the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon and Pawmicon, which raise funds for the organization’s educational programs and humane care and adoption of homeless animals. 
 
Kaminsky has also given his employees and residents the opportunity to give back to the community by collaborating with the San Diego Food Bank annual food drive, the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program which fulfills holiday wishes for children, and he has partnered with Toyota and the Kids in Need Foundation for the “Big Summer Giveback” which provides filled backpacks with school supplies for children in low-income communities. 
 
“Through these diverse initiatives, our employees not only cultivate a strong community spirit but also significantly enhance the well-being of our local area, embodying our core values of service and engagement,” he said. 

Kaminsky was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Scott Webb, president of the New Car Dealers Association San Diego County. Kaminsky and his wife, Nikola, have two children.