Years ago, Liza Borches said something on our show that became a rallying cry for this industry: “Love people more than you love cars.” We liked it so much we put it on a shirt, and thousands of people across the industry wear it today. Now, Borches is getting national recognition for living it out.
“We do not simply acquire dealerships; we welcome more people into ownership.” Liza Borches, Carter Myers Automotive
Liza Borches’ Career and Leadership at Carter Myers Automotive
Borches, president and CEO of Carter Myers Automotive, is Virginia’s nominee for the 2027 TIME Dealer of the Year award. She’s one of 48 dealers chosen from more than 20,000 nationwide, and the nominees will be honored Feb. 19, 2027, at the NADA Show in Orlando.
A career built from the ground up:
Early career: Nearly seven years as a district sales manager with American Honda
2003: Joined Carter Myers Automotive, which then had four stores
2004: Opened Volvo of Charlottesville as general manager with 13 employees selling about five vehicles a month. Within five years, it sold as many as 45 a month.
2011: Became president, CEO, and majority owner
Today: 26 dealerships representing 18 franchises across Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland
The heart of CMA’s culture is ownership. Its employee stock ownership plan dates back to 1979, and associates now own 26% of the company, see its financial information, and share in its results. At Colonial Honda, turnover runs about 17%, roughly half the industry average. One accounting associate has been there for 47 years and is the company’s largest individual employee stockholder.
Borches’ community work centers on reliable transportation. Through a partnership with Giving Words VA, CMA has placed 55 single mothers in donated vehicles, reaching more than 150 children, and funded hundreds of repairs to keep families on the road.
What Dealers Can Learn From an Ownership Culture
The best dealers don’t treat people as a line item. When employees have a real stake in the business, they stay longer, care more, and treat customers like it matters, because to them, it does.
Borches’ story also shows that people-first leadership and serious growth aren’t at odds. She grew CMA from four stores to 26 while keeping people at the center of every decision.
We’ll be cheering loudly in Orlando. But today, we’d encourage you to reach out to any TIME Dealer of the Year nominee you know and congratulate them. They represent the very best of what this industry can be.
Love people more than you love cars, and everything else has a way of following.
We celebrate Liza’s nomination on today’s episode of the Automotive State of the Union.
