Checkered Flag Receives National Recognition
For over half a century, Checkered Flag Auto Group has symbolized “Where Winners Buy and Where Winners Work.” That winning spirit accelerated into a nomination for the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year award.
The TIME Dealer of the Year award is among the automobile industry’s most prestigious and coveted honors. The award recognizes the nation’s most successful auto dealers who are committed to community service. Steve Snyder, president of Checkered Flag, was chosen to represent the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition – one of only 48 auto dealers nominated for the 54th annual award from more than 16,000 nationwide. Steve says, “It’s a tremendous honor; however, it’s truly a ‘we’ award, not a ‘me’ award. The entire company is behind this accomplishment.”
Steve and Checkered Flag are committed to community service. Steve says, “We encourage our employees to give back because we recognize that if we don’t work to strengthen the community, the community won’t be in a good place.”
Checkered Flag leads Hampton Roads as one of the most significant contributors to the United Way of South Hampton Roads, with over 90% of their employees contributing annually. Steve and his employees have donated millions of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to various charities, such as Habitat for Humanity and the Adopt-a-Highway program, where employees clean up litter from the areas near Checkered Flag dealerships.
Steve Snyder (inset at left), president of Checkered Flag, was nominated for the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year award. Checkered Flag employees (above) are committed to making Hampton Roads a better place by donating time to nonprofits including Adopt-a-Highway.
The Snyder family has been doing business in Hampton Roads since 1894. Steve’s great-grandfather founded L. Snyder’s Department Store in Norfolk, and his father transitioned the family business to car sales in the 1960s. Steve says what he loves most about the Hampton Roads area is, “It’s home. As the saying goes, home is where the heart is, and Hampton Roads is the center of the universe for me. It’s a vibrant area. I love the community, and there are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.”
At Checkered Flag, Steve says their main focus is to decrease customer effort. To support this, they implemented a negotiation-free sales process in 2014. This makes it easier to buy a car because it speeds up the transaction. They also reorganized their Finance & Insurance department. Customers are no longer handed off from a salesperson to a finance person; they work with the same person from start to finish, which saves time and reduces effort. They also have a three-day money-back guarantee. If customers are not 100 percent satisfied with their purchase, they can return the car without hassle. Steve believes, “Company rules are made to be broken if it means deciding in favor of the customer. We are flexible. We take care of the customer first; company rules come second.”
Kevin Bonniwell, executive vice president and director of TowneBank Dealer Services & Finance, shares,
“Steve embodies TowneBank’s mission of serving others and enriching lives. His long-standing commitment to his employees and community service is exceptional. Working with Steve and the Checkered Flag family for over 25 years has been a pleasure. We are proud of them for earning this prestigious recognition and are honored to have them as a member of TowneBank Dealer Services.”
The entire Towne family congratulates Steve and Checkered Flag on their national recognition. For more information, visit CheckeredFlag.com.