Ben Faricy Named the Colorado Nominee for TIME Dealer of the Year
Ben Faricy has been named Colorado’s nominee for the 2026 TIME Dealer of the Year award — one nominee from each state, recognizing franchised new-vehicle dealers for both exceptional business performance and distinguished community service.
The community work behind the nomination is Faricy Automotive’s long partnership with Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado.
“This award is a testament to everyone at our group who collectively strive towards our vision to be the dealership that every other dealership is measured against. I’m proud to be part of a team that has earned a recognition like this by serving Colorado communities with integrity, loyalty and love.”
— Ben Faricy, Faricy Automotive
What the Award Recognizes
The TIME Dealer of the Year award is sponsored by Ally Financial in partnership with TIME and the National Automobile Dealers Association. Nominees are put forward by members of the Automotive Trade Association Executives.
What makes it unusual is the second half of the criteria. Plenty of industry awards measure sales volume. This one weighs business performance and community service together — which is a harder thing to be good at, because it cannot be achieved in a strong quarter.
Why Care and Share
The nomination asked for one community activity with the most significant impact. The answer was straightforward: from 2021 through 2025, Faricy Automotive was the Signature Sponsor of Recipe for Hope at $50,000 a year — Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado‘s largest annual fundraiser, running since 2008.
Across those five years, the event raised more than $1.66 million. At today’s rates, a $50,000 donation provides about 125,000 nutritious meals.
| Year | Raised by the event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | $255,000 |
| 2022 | $215,365 |
| 2023 | $452,111 |
| 2024 | $397,601 |
| 2025 | $341,773 |
Care and Share works with more than 291 partner agencies across 29 counties and 52,000 square miles of southern Colorado — almost exactly the ground our stores cover. In its 2023–2024 fiscal year it served 294,994 neighbors and distributed 25.2 million pounds of food, 82% of it classified as highly nutritious. Care and Share is a member of Feeding America.
Sponsorship was not the whole of it. Our staff volunteered at VolunBeer in January 2024, and we hosted a Care and Share Lunch and Learn at the dealership in December 2023.
Their CEO describes the relationship as “a model to emulate.” See the rest of who we work with, in their words.
How It Works
Nomination
Dealers are nominated by members of the Automotive Trade Association Executives — one nominee representing each state.
Regional finalists
A panel of faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selects finalists from each of the four NADA regions.
National winner
The same panel selects the national winner from among the finalists. The 2026 TIME Dealer of the Year will be announced on February 5 at the NADA Show.
The Donation: Boys & Girls Club
One of the better things about this award is that nobody has to win for it to do some good. Ally Financial contributes to a 501(c)(3) charity chosen by each dealer, and that donation went to the Boys & Girls Club.
Ally contributes at three levels:
- $1,000 to every nominee’s chosen charity
- $5,000 to each regional finalist’s chosen charity
- $10,000 to the national winner’s chosen charity
Eighty-Four Years in the Same Communities
Faricy Automotive has been a Colorado family business since 1942, now in its third generation. When a business stays somewhere that long, the people it serves and the people it supports become the same people.
Alongside Care and Share, we have supported Children’s Hospital Colorado since 2016, and we work with Springs Rescue Mission, Fostering Hope, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Catholic Charities, and dozens of schools and nonprofits besides.
Common Questions
What is the TIME Dealer of the Year award?
An annual award sponsored by Ally Financial in partnership with TIME and the National Automobile Dealers Association, recognizing franchised new-vehicle dealers for exceptional business performance and distinguished community service.
How are nominees chosen?
Dealers are nominated by members of the Automotive Trade Association Executives, with one nominee representing each state.
What community work was the nomination based on?
Faricy Automotive’s partnership with Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, including five consecutive years as Signature Sponsor of Recipe for Hope at $50,000 a year from 2021 through 2025.
What is Recipe for Hope?
Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado’s largest annual fundraiser, running since 2008. It funds food assistance across 29 counties and 52,000 square miles through more than 291 partner agencies.
Who selects the winner?
A panel of faculty from the Tauber Institute for Global Operations at the University of Michigan selects finalists from each of the four NADA regions, then chooses the national winner from those finalists.
When is the winner announced?
The 2026 TIME Dealer of the Year was announced on February 5, 2026 at the NADA Show.
Does a charity benefit from the nomination?
Yes. Ally Financial contributes $1,000 to each nominee’s chosen 501(c)(3) charity, $5,000 to each finalist’s charity, and $10,000 to the winner’s charity. That donation went to the Boys & Girls Club.
How long has Faricy Automotive been in Colorado?
Since 1942 — a family business through three generations, serving Colorado Springs, Cañon City, Salida and the surrounding communities.
Come See Us
TIME Dealer of the Year is an award program sponsored by Ally Financial in partnership with TIME and the National Automobile Dealers Association. TIME, NADA and Ally are trademarks of their respective owners. Faricy Automotive is not affiliated with or endorsed by TIME, the National Automobile Dealers Association, or Ally Financial. Recipe for Hope fundraising totals and Care and Share impact figures provided by Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado.
