Mastria Suzuki

Robert O'Koniewski
Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association Inc.
(617) 451-1051

(Orlando, FL, February 13, 2010) - Rick Mastria, President of Mastria Buick Pontiac GMC Cadillac Co., Inc., a Buick, Pontiac, GMC and Cadillac dealership in Raynham, Massachusetts, was honored today for his nomination for the 2010 TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year award.

The TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year award is one of the automobile industry's most prestigious and highly coveted awards for new-car dealers. Recipients are among the nation's most successful auto dealers, but they must also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to effective community service.

Mastria, 55, was chosen to represent the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition--one of only 45 automobile dealers, from 17,000 nationwide, nominated for the 41st annual award. The award is sponsored by TIME Magazine in association with Goodyear, and in cooperation with NADA. A panel of faculty members from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan selects one finalist from each of the four NADA regions and one national Dealer of the Year.

"As most dealers' sons, I started at a very early age working each and every department at my dad's dealership," says Mastria, "Saturdays, after school and semester breaks."

Mastria graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in Bridgewater, MA, in 1971, and then studied Economics while attending Stonehill College in Easton, MA. He got his official start in the automobile business as a wash boy at Richard Chevrolet in Taunton, MA, but in 1975, he attended Chevrolet's "Dealer Sons' School," and eventually worked his way up to General Manager.

"At the tender age of 26, I became a Buick Dealer at a single point Buick dealership that was a converted independent Used Car - Exxon service station," says Mastria. "I purchased the former Powers Pontiac-GMC in 1987, and 'channeled it' with my Buick franchise." He was appointed the Saturn franchise in 1992. In 2004, he purchased the former St Yves Nissan franchise, and built a new NREDI building to house the franchise. Almost simultaneously, Mastria says, "I was appointed an open point franchise from Subaru, and built a new building for that franchise next to the Nissan store."

Today, Mastria serves as President of the Mastria Auto Group which includes a total of four dealerships in Raynham. His late grandfather, Michael Bove, actually started the family auto business in 1949. Mastria's father, Richard Sr., is now retired after selling his Chevrolet business in 1983, and Mastria's brother, Robert, currently serves as CFO for the family operation, while their sister, Michele, heads up marketing and printing.

In the area of community service, Mastria has a long and distinguished track record, having been a member and supporter of a host of civic and charitable organizations, including the Old Colony YMCA, the Greater Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce, the Elks, Rotary Club, the Portuguese-American Civic Club, the Sons of Italy and the Taunton Boys & Girls Club.

Mastria also coached CYO and YMCA youth basketball teams for years, despite the challenge this posed for him personally. "I've spent many years on boards of different civic groups, but the most meaningful have been those personal times coaching young kids," Mastria explains, adding, "I was born with only one arm, so to be able to show kids that I was able to overcome that handicap-by not only playing golf, basketball and piano, but to coach them on how to learn those sports inspired many of the kids."

Nominated for the TIME Magazine Dealer of the Year award by Robert O'Koniewski, Acting Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association, Rick Mastria also represents Saturn, Nissan and Subaru at his three other Raynham, MA, dealerships.