Dixon car dealership owner to be honored in New Orleans this weekend

DIXON — TIME has announced the nomination of Rick Curia of Ken Nelson Auto Group, Dixon, for its 2025 Dealer of the Year award.

Curia is the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association secretary/treasurer and one of 49 outstanding dealers who have been nominated from across the country. He will be honored by the National Automobile Dealers Association in New Orleans on Saturday, Jan. 25. Curia was chosen to represent the IADA for this 56th annual award.

The TIME Dealer of the Year award is one of the automotive industry’s most prestigious honors and recognizes the nation’s auto dealers who demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service alongside exceptional business practices and performance.

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.

During the opening business session of the NADA show, finalists will receive $5,000 for their favorite charities and the winner will receive $10,000 for his or her charity, donated by Ally.

“I’m grateful for this nomination because I fell in love with the business and what I saw as just taking care of people’s needs,” Curia said. “Seeing the growth of our organization and advancement of employees over 30 years has been incredibly rewarding.”

Curia’s experience in the automotive business started in 1981 as a young man with an interest in people and fast cars. Recognizing his passions, friend Chuck Stephenitch at Ken Nelson Buick Pontiac, Dixon, offered him a job as a salesperson and the use of a vehicle.

Although he wasn’t sure at first about being in the auto business, he quickly rose to sales manager, eventually becoming a partner in the business with Nelson. As the company grew and evolved under Curia’s leadership, he became convinced that Stephenitch had led him down the right road.

In 1964 when Nelson purchased his first Buick dealership, he believed that the company – and the people who worked for it – had to be held to the highest standards of integrity, especially in a small community. Curia, who eventually bought out his partner in 2010, remained committed to maintaining these high standards, too.

“It all comes down to treating people well and hiring excellent people,” he says. “We need really good ones because in a small town, great customer service and being a good neighbor is key.”

Since 1965, more than 60 new and pre-owned dealerships have come and gone in the Sauk Valley area.

“I knew that if we wanted to stay successful, we had to add more brands to our stable of dealerships,” Curia said. “I saw that we had a window of opportunity, and we worked seven days a week to achieve our vision.”

Today, the company represents 10 brands, including Buick, GMC, Nissan, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota, Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, and Ram. The stores are all in one location in Dixon.

Curia also credits his success to the commitment that he and the company have consistently made to local non-profit organizations. He is proud of his partnership with the Sauk Valley Community College Auto Technician Program for which he provides internships and scholarships to students who complete 100 hours of community service before their high school graduation.

“We have gained so much from being a part of Dixon’s strong community that we find it is imperative to give back,” he says.

Together with his sister, Sherri Cooper, Curia has partnered with the Dixon Family YMCA to honor their father by sponsoring the Joe Curia Memorial Golf Outing for nearly 30 years. This annual event raises funds for the group’s Strong Kids Campaign, which helps low-income families afford YMCA programs.

Other organizations he is involved with are the Dixon Petunia Festival; Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, where he’s served as a board member; the Dixon Police Department K-9 Patrol Unit; Kreider Services, which offers support programs for people with disabilities; Saint Patrick Catholic Church; United Way of Lee County; and many others.

Curia looks forward to the future of the company since his children have become involved. Son Jamie is currently overseeing the purchase of inventory and internal operations, and daughter Mandy manages employees, marketing and customer service. Both successfully completed the NADA Academy and are ready to help their dad take the dealership into the next generation.

“I’m confident that they are very capable of running the business one day,” Curia said. “But I still feel like I have some gas in my tank.”