It was a day of gratitude for West Palm Beach, Florida and Colorado auto dealer Michael E. Maroone when he received the 2022 David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award from the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA). The award was recently presented in Las Vegas during AIADA’s 52nd Annual Meeting and Luncheon. The prestigious award is given by AIADA’s board of directors annually to an industry leader who possesses a similar community spirit and devotion to the auto industry as its namesake with an “unrivaled commitment” to his/her dealership and employees, community and family.
Established in 1970, the AIADA is the only national trade association representing America’s 9,500 international nameplate automobile franchises in Washington, D.C. AIADA serves as an advocate for these dealers before Congress, the White House, and federal agencies.
“I am deeply humbled to have been honored by AIADA with the David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award” said Maroone. “This recognition also serves as a tribute to the thousands of valued teammates that I have been privileged to work with and my father, Al Maroone, who was our founder and mentor.”
Maroone got his start in auto retailing in 1975, where he joined his father, Al Maroone, with the New York and Florida-based Maroone Auto Group. Under their leadership the group grew to nine franchises in six locations with 900 associates. In 1997 Maroone began an 18-year career as president, COO, and director of AutoNation, Inc., a Fortune 500 automotive retailer. In 2017 he returned to auto retailing, founding Maroone USA, where he now serves as CEO, operating automotive franchises in West Palm Beach, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Longmont, Colorado. Today his brands include Chevrolet, Honda, Ford and Volkswagen.
Supporting the community has always been a cornerstone for Maroone. He is a member of various boards and organizations, including the Cleveland Clinic enterprise board of directors and the board of Cleveland Clinic Florida where he serves as chairman. The Maroone Cancer Center is located at Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida.
In addition to the David F. Mungenast Lifetime Achievement Award, recognition of his contributions to the automotive industry includes being honored by Automotive News as an All-Star and one of the industry’s 50 Visionary Dealers of all time, receiving Time Magazine’s Quality Dealer Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance. Florida Atlantic University honored Maroone as Entrepreneur of the Year and he is a member of the Nova Southeastern University Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.
