On January 26, The American
International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today honored longtime
member and past director John H. (Jack) Thompson of Doylestown, PA with the
David F. Mungenast, Sr. Lifetime Achievement Award. The award, named after the
late AIADA Chairman and legendary St. Louis-area automobile dealer, was
presented during AIADA's 39th Annual Meeting and Luncheon held at the Ernest N.
Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.
"This year's award winner has claimed the respect of dealers
and industry employees in all corners of the country," said AIADA President
Cody Lusk. "Jack is remarkable not just for his unwavering commitment to
protecting the livelihoods of international auto dealers, but also for his
strength as a leader and reputation for generosity."
Thompson was one of the first Toyota dealers in the United
States, opening for business in 1969. In 1989 he once again blazed a trail as
one of the country's first Lexus dealers. He credits his success, and
correspondingly high customer satisfaction and retention scores, to the
philosophy that he is not in the car business, but the people business. In 1997 He won the Time Magazine Quality Dealer of
the Year award and in 1998 the Sports Illustrated Dealer of Distinction.
Thompson's love of cars extends past the office. Over the
years he has accumulated one of the largest vintage car collections in the
country, focused primarily on vintage race cars and European models. Jack is a
member of the Sport Car Club of America and has served as that organization's
chief executive steward. Active in his community, Thompson has also served as a
board member of the land preservation group Heritage Conservancy, the title
sponsor of the Doylestown Arts Festival, and as a host of the annual Susan G.
Komen Drive for the Cure.
Today, Thompson owns and operates three dealerships in
Doylestown, PA: Thompson Toyota, Thompson Lexus, and Thompson BMW. He has been
a member of AIADA since 1975.