FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brian Hughes, Director of Communications
New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers
(609) 883-5056, Ext. 315
TRENTON, NJ – October 14, 2026
Shelly LoCascio, President of Irwin Lincoln Mazda in Freehold, has been selected as New Jersey’s 2027 TIME Dealer of the Year (TDOY) Award winner. She is recognized for her outstanding leadership, business success, and decades-long commitment to her customers, employees, and community.
LoCascio will be honored at the 110th annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show in Orlando, Florida in February 2027. The TIME Dealer of the Year Award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors, with only 49 dealers nominated from more than 16,000 nationwide.
“New Jersey couldn’t have a better representative than Shelly LoCascio as the New Jersey 2027 TIME Dealer of the Year award winner,” said Laura Perrotta, President of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR). “With five decades in the automotive retail industry, Shelly has built a reputation as a successful dealership owner who is very involved in her community. NJ CAR congratulates Shelly on this well-deserved honor.”
As a second-generation Lincoln dealer and first-generation Mazda dealer, LoCascio has spent 50 years in the automotive retail industry, starting as a service cashier in 1976, taking the reins of the Lincoln dealership in 1992, and adding a Mazda franchise in 2003. She and her dealership have been honored with several awards over the years, including Automotive News Best Dealerships To Work For, Asbury Park Press Best Dealership, Ford Credit Partners in Quality, Lincoln 100’s Club and Mazda Financial Partners.
LoCascio is also very active in industry-related organizations, currently serving as a member of the NJ CAR Board of Trustees and serving on the Ford Motor Credit Co. Advisory Board. She has previously served on the Lincoln Brand Advisory Board, Lincoln Dealer Council, Lincoln Product Committee, Lincoln Mercury Dealer Advertising Committee and Ford/Lincoln Training Advisory Board.
“Considering New Jersey is home to so many incredible car and truck dealers, I am humbled and honored to represent our state as this years’ TIME Dealer of the Year Award nominee,” said Shelly. “My 50 years in the industry have been blessed with incredible employees that have always supported me and have been completely committed to putting our customers first. This honor is as much theirs as it is mine, and I can’t thank them enough.”
LoCascio is deeply committed to her community, giving both her time and resources to many organizations. She has served as President of the South Wall Little League; President, Treasurer, and Secretary of Wall Pop Warner; and a member of the Old Mill School PTO, Monmouth County Regional Chamber of Commerce, and New Jersey Community Bank Board of Trustees. LoCascio is also a sponsor of the Freehold Township Fourth of July and Freehold Boro Memorial Day parades.
She supports a wide variety of charities, including the Marine Toys for Tots campaign, Tunnel to Towers; St. Jude Radio Telethon; Daniella’s Wish; Girl Scouts Distinguished Woman; CentraState Hospital; Monmouth County Probation Department; Freehold Township PBA; Play for Pink Breast Cancer campaign; Val Skinner LIFE Foundation; Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation; and Sponsor of Freehold Township, Freehold Boro, Manalapan, Marlboro, and Wall Township Schools.
About the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers
The New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR), founded in 1918, is a nonprofit organization serving 525+ franchised new car and truck retailers throughout New Jersey. NJ CAR promotes the principles of honor and integrity in the selling, leasing, and servicing of motor vehicles. The Coalition keeps its members informed on a variety of business matters, practices, trends, and legislation. NJ CAR also works to ensure all its members are educated to assure regulatory compliance.