Marshall Jespersen Wins National Recognition for Community Service
and Industry Accomplishments
The nomination of Marshall Jespersen, owner of Dover Honda (Dover, NH), for the 2026 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced today by TIME.
Jespersen is one of a select group of 47 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 109th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Las Vegas, NV on February 5, 2026.
Jespersen took the helm of a struggling Dover Honda in 1988 and rebuilt it with an owner-operator’s heart and an engineer’s discipline—earning an MBA from the University of New Hampshire (1991) and joining an NADA 20 Group to modernize operations.
“I took over a failing store with zero automotive experience—and my first smart move was to admit what I didn’t know,” Jespersen said. “I joined a 20 Group, enrolled in an MBA, and listened to mentors. That humility and willingness to learn saved the business and shaped our culture."
Believing great companies are built by great people, Jespersen transitioned Dover Honda to an employee-owned enterprise—now 43% ESOP-owned—and implemented open-book management so every employee understands how the business performs and shares in its success.
“Open-book management was the biggest risk of my career—full transparency, equal profit sharing from CEO to porter,” he said. “The payoff has been a stronger culture and turnover that’s a fraction of the NADA average because our people think and act like owners.”
He replaced the aging facility with a ground-up new dealership (2016–2017), expanding service capacity and elevating customer amenities. Dover Honda’s customer-first culture has earned multiple honors, including the Honda President’s Award (2020, 2021), Honda Express Service Elite (2022, 2024), Honda Customer Service Excellence (2024), and Honda Fixed Right First Visit (2024).
“Continuous improvement is in our DNA,” Jespersen added. “We run 90-day ‘mini-games’ with scoreboards and team rewards; in one year, those efforts saved nearly $100,000 while building pride and accountability.”
Jespersen has served the industry as Vice Chairman, Chairman, and immediate past Chairman (2022–2025) of the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association and as a long-time board member of the New Hampshire Automotive Education Foundation, helping fund scholarships and strengthen technician pipelines statewide.
Deeply engaged in his community, Jespersen has been vice chair of Link House, Inc. (an addiction-recovery organization) and leads dealership initiatives to combat food insecurity—coordinating volunteers to prepare 6,000+ meals annually and delivering 32,000+ pounds of frozen food in 2024 to pantries from northeastern Massachusetts to southern Maine. Dover Honda also matches employee charitable gifts, offers paid volunteer time off, hosts blood drives and school-supply efforts, and funds local high school and technical-school scholarships.
“Customer care means doing what’s right, not just what’s easy,” Jespersen said. “We once helped a guest with a pristine, sentimental Accord find a collector buyer for nearly four times its trade value. The dollars mattered—but the trust mattered more."
When the pandemic disrupted operations, Jespersen prioritized people. “During COVID we chose people first,” he said. “We protected jobs, spread hours to keep everyone working, and kept our team intact. When the doors fully reopened, we were ready—together—and recovery was faster because our people never left.”
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 15th 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 AllyDealerHeroes.com, which highlights the philanthropic contributions and achievements of TIME Dealer of the Year nominees.
“The TIME Dealer of the Year award honors automotive dealers who set the standard for excellence and community impact,” said Jessica Sibley, CEO of TIME. “Each year, we spotlight those whose dedication uplifts and inspires their communities. At TIME, we are proud to continue celebrating these extraordinary contributions in partnership with Ally.”
Doug Timmerman, President of Dealer Financial Services, Ally, said, “The TIME Dealer of the Year award honors those exceptional dealers who not only excel in their business endeavors but also demonstrate a profound commitment to uplifting their communities," Timmerman said. "These nominees embody the spirit of leadership and service, making a lasting impact both in their dealerships and beyond.”
Jespersen was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by the New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association. Marshall and his wife, Elena, have five children: Maija, Marsha Renee, Derek Ridder van Vliet, Damon Randolph, and Waldo Evan.
About TIME
TIME is the 102-year-old global media brand that reaches a combined audience of over 120 million around the world through its iconic magazine and digital platforms. With unparalleled access to the world's most influential people, the trust of consumers and partners globally, and an unrivaled power to convene, TIME's mission is to tell the essential stories of the people and ideas that shape and improve the world. Today, TIME also includes the Emmy Award®-winning film and television division TIME Studios; a significantly expanded live events business built on the powerful TIME100 and Person of the Year franchises and custom experiences; TIME for Kids, which provides trusted news with a focus on news literacy for kids and valuable resources for teachers and families; the award-winning branded content studio Red Border by TIME, and more.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nation's largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to "Do It Right" and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves customers with deposits and securities brokerage and investment advisory services as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. The company also includes a seasoned corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies. For more information, please visit www.ally.com.
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About the NADA Show
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), founded in 1917, represents more than 16,000 light-vehicle and commercial-truck dealerships with 32,500 domestic and international franchises. New-vehicle franchised dealers are directly responsible for more than one million U.S. jobs.