Huntington Auto Dealer Is Dealer Of The Year Nominee

HUNTINGTON, NY — Long Island auto dealer Jim Buzzetta was nominated for the 2020 TIME Dealer of the Year award, TIME announced Friday. Buzzetta, dealer principal at Mercedes-Benz of Huntington, is just one of 49 nominees across the United States from more than 16,000. He and the other nominees will be honored at the 103rd annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Las Vegas on Feb. 15, 2020.

Honorees are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service. Buzzetta, 53, was chosen to represent the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) in the national competition.

"At Mercedes-Benz of Huntington, we take great pride in our community," Buzzetta said via press release. "Whether it’s supporting a local business, donating to charities or sponsoring events, we always go the extra mile."

Buzzetta earned a degree in finance from the University of Vermont in Burlington in 1988. He initially pursued a career in banking in New York City but decided to enter his family’s car business, Competition Automotive Group, in 1990. The group was founded by his father, Joe Buzzetta, a championship race car driver.

"The company was expanding, I was getting married and I decided it would be best for my future to work at our dealership," Buzzetta said.

Buzzetta first learned the accounting end of dealer operations and then had the opportunity to oversee a new acquisition Toyota dealership.

Today, he oversees Mercedes-Benz of Huntington, and Competition Automotive Group encompasses dealerships in Huntington and St. James, representing brands BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru and Sprinter. Buzzetta, along with his father, brother and sister, are all partners in the family enterprise.

"The most rewarding part of my career has been the formation and growth of Mercedes-Benz of Huntington," he said. "I was responsible for all of the initial work before we opened and since then, we have expanded three times, won multiple awards and have become a mainstay in the Huntington community."

With such a strong connection to the area, Buzzetta supports numerous charities and foundations.

"My commitment to public service is not just about helping financially; it's also about being deeply involved and donating my time and energy," he said.

He has served on the board of the St. Charles Hospital Foundation since 2002 and was chairman of the group for three years. Buzzetta actively participates in programs for the foundation to raise funds for the Port Jefferson-based hospital, which include an annual gala, golf outing and cooking event and wine auction.

Buzzetta said he donates wine from his collection and asks fellow wine lovers to donate, too. He organizes the auction lots, writes ratings and descriptions for each wine and sets opening bids.

He is proud to have received the coveted Theodore Roosevelt Award from the St. Charles Hospital Foundation in 2010, which recognizes extraordinary volunteerism and leadership. The award is named for the former president and Long Island resident who Buzzetta says donated his life to public service.

Another charitable institution that Buzzetta champions is a Long Island school for pre-school children with special needs called Alternatives For Children. They serve hundreds of kids across four locations. Buzzetta is a board member and his company is the founding sponsor of the group’s annual Classic & Sports Car Rally. He personally helps plan and secure donors and sponsors for the event.

"This outing is one of the organization's main source of fundraising, and I love seeing such an amazing turnout each year," he said.

Other initiatives he supports on both a local and national level include: Pink Aid (helps under-served women throughout their breast cancer treatment); the Heckscher Museum of Art (Huntington); St. Johnland Nursing Center (Kings Park); Huntington Arts Council; YMCA of Long Island; American Cancer Society; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; Special Olympics; National Multiple Sclerosis Society and many more.

"Whether it's donating my time or helping financially, my community and these charities will always be extremely important to me," Buzzetta said.

Dealers are nominated by the executives of state and metro dealer associations around the country. The award is sponsored by TIME in association with Ally Financial, and in cooperation with NADA. 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 an additional $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive an additional $10,000 to give to charity.

In its ninth year as exclusive sponsor, Ally will recognize dealer nominees and their community efforts by contributing $1,000 to each nominee’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. Nominees will also be recognized on AllyDealerHeroes.com, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees.

"It’s an incredible honor to recognize these dealers for their business accomplishments and their unwavering commitment to ‘Do It Right’ by helping others in their communities," Doug Timmerman, president of Auto Finance for Ally Financial, said. "They are extraordinary auto leaders who care and go the extra mile to give of themselves to make their communities stronger. Ally is proud to support and celebrate their achievements."

Buzzetta was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. Buzzetta has three children.