The nomination of Michael Van Veckhoven, dealer principal and owner of New South Ford in Meridian, Mississippi, for the 2021 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced recently by TIME.

Van Veckhoven is one of a select group of 41 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 104th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show being held virtually February 9-11, 2021.

The award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. Recipients are among the nation’s most successful auto dealers who also demonstrate a long-standing commitment to community service.

Van Veckhoven was chosen to represent the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association in the national competition – one of only 41 auto dealers nominated for the 52nd annual award from more than 16,000 nationwide.

“Throughout Mississippi, the local auto dealership is a centerpiece of commerce, employment and community,” nominee Van Veckhoven said. “It has been rewarding to create jobs and opportunities that allow our employees to provide for their families.”

A 1994 graduate of Meridian High School in Meridian, Van Veckhoven studied at Meridian Community College, also in Meridian, the University of Mississippi in Oxford and the University of Montana in Missoula. As the son of an auto dealer, he knew his career would lead to his father’s dealership.

“I started washing cars when I was in my teens,” he said. “I have worked in every department at the dealership before taking ownership.”

In addition to the Ford store, Van Veckhoven also oversees Nissan of Meridian. He is proud to carry on his family’s legacy and finds it rewarding to be in a business that helps consumers by meeting their essential transportation needs.

A third-generation car dealer, Van Veckhoven is committed to the advancement of the auto industry in his state. He has been an active member of the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association for the past eight years.

In the area of community service, Van Veckhoven has been a staunch advocate for education. “I believe strongly that education is the key to moving Mississippi forward,” he said. “I have invested personally and professionally into the local school system to help my community be a leader in education.”

To that end, he has contributed his time, energy and expertise to the boards of the Meridian Public School District; Parents for Public Schools Meridian-Lauderdale County; Boys & Girls Clubs of East Mississippi; and the Phil Hardin Foundation, which works to advance educational opportunities for Mississippi children.

“By investing company resources into my community, I am able to see our dealership make a difference in the lives of our citizens,” Van Veckhoven said.

Van Veckhoven was nominated for the TIME Dealer of the Year award by Marty Milstead, president of the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association. He and his wife, Dana, have two children.