Ally Supplement - December 16, 2019 - A6

everyday heroes.
John Alfirevich

Jack Salzman

Jeff Teague

2019 TIME Dealer of the Year
Dealer principal, Apple Chevrolet,
Tinley Park, Ill.

2018 TIME Dealer of the Year
President and owner, Lake Norman
Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram,
Cornelius, N.C.

2014 TIME Dealer of the Year
Owner, Teague Ford, El Dorado, Ark.

A week after Thanksgiving 2019, five
pickup trucks drove from Apple Chevrolet to
the nearby Tinley Park Convention Center
in south suburban Chicago. Each truck was
stuffed with games and toys to support the
local Toys for Tots holiday drive. "It was a
true community effort, with people coming
in to the dealership, since we were the
official drop-off point for the South Side of
Chicago," says John Alfirevich, the reigning
Time Dealer of the Year. Alfirevich says
community service is important to him and
his dealership. "I don't know when it clicked
for me, but at some point I realized that
we're not just a business in a community-
it's a partnership between the community
and our business," he says. Alfirevich is very
involved in the Chicago Automobile Trade
Association; a favorite effort is the group's
annual summertime barbeque, which raises
more than $150,000 for the USO. More
than 100 Chicagoland dealers participate,
including Apple Chevrolet, which throws a
big party at the dealership for the event.
His dealership sponsors more than 100
local organizations, but Alfirevich says the
philanthropic work closest to his heart is his
dealership's support of autism research.

"Learning
about
local
dealerships
involvement in their communities is
something that needs to be shared with
the public. While the vast majority of
auto dealers become involved in their
communities for reasons other than
publicity, I believe it helps promote the
image of the value of the 16,500 local
franchised dealerships across America
provide to their communities," And
Salzman himself is a great example. Since
being named Dealer of the Year, he says
he's "busier than ever" with philanthropic
endeavors and requests for help. Salzman
and his wife, Robin, contribute to dozens
of charitable organizations, but have
prioritized local North Carolina groups that
take care of animals, children and women
in need.
Animal welfare is close to the dog-loving
Salzmans' hearts. Salzman is a founding
board member of Lake Norman Humane,
his local humane society, and twice in
the past year he and Robin have spent
the day volunteering with Holly'z Hope, a
local organization that helps pet owners
who keep their dogs chained up because
they can't afford a fence. The Holly'z
Hope volunteers build fences for these
homeowners in need and their dogs. "It's so
rewarding to build a fence and then see a
dog be able to run free," he says.

"Automobile dealers are the backbone of
many communities across our country,"
says Jeff Teague. Teague himself is a pillar
in his local El Dorado area. For instance,
he says his dealership continues to fund
programs at the Boys & Girls Club of El
Dorado, recently conducted a Salvation
Army toy drive at the store, and sponsored
an updated presentation of "Romeo &
Juliet"-with a Southern twist-at the
South Arkansas Arts Center.
On a personal level, Teague was
appointed in 2018 to the Arkansas State
Police Commission by the Governor Asa
Hutchinson; Teague says the position
"affords opportunities to protect and serve
those who make a career of protecting and
serving." Teague also continues to use his
skills as a pilot to help those in need, and
recently transported a local resident to the
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer
Center for cancer treatment. "Giving back
has been a way of life for me," he says. "I
enjoy making a difference in families' and
neighbors' lives. As long as I live, I hope to
keep lifting people up."

6 | ally | DECEMBER 2019
Ally Supplement - December 16, 2019

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