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Of this being the third year to be awarded the title of Independent Dealer of the Year, Iannone said, "We're pleased to win it again … I think the competition's get- ting stronger and stronger." He also acknowledged the recent challenges experi- enced by everyone in the used vehicle retail industry. "I think it was a tough year. The lack of inventory created its challenges, there's no doubt about that, but I think it was a year in which the banks were willing to finance people again, and that at least gave us the ingredients that we didn't have back in 2009 and 2010 when banks were still extremely skeptical about financing," he said. "So, being that the banks were able to loan money again to the consumer and we worked a little harder trying to find the right inventory, we were able to match the two together and get some results that we were pleased with." He added that he believed Auction Direct USA's "sea- soned staff" is a big part of the reason he and Hoagey, COO, were once again named Independent Dealer of the Year. "That's really the driving force," Iannone said. "We just feel that part of the reason why we're successful is the experience that people have when they walk into the dealership, and you've got to have a base of employees that care and employees that have the best of inten- tions … It seems like our employees were the ones that were selected to do business with over other dealerships." He added, "I think the price and the car have to do a little with it, but the experience and [how] our customers enjoyed the way that we transacted with them really led to the success that we're having now. It's about that customer feel; it's got to be right, especially on used cars." Rounding Out the Top 5 Shaking up the top five, sec- ond place this year was claimed by newcomers Dick Garber, Mike Crave and Pat Hengesbach of Rightway Au- tomotive based in Flint, Mich. This is their first-ever appear- ance in the Independent Dealer Awards, and their presence bumped last year's second- through fifth-place finishers each down one spot to occupy third through sixth places on the list. Rightway Automotive, established in 1996, boasts 18 locations in Michigan and Illinois and retailed a total of 6,610 used cars in 2011. Not far behind Rightway, with a total of 5,992, is David An- drews of City Auto Sales in Memphis, Tenn., in business for over 25 years now and continuing his reign as one of the top three independents. He has place third or higher in the Independent Dealer Awards since the first year of the Awards in 2006, and he held the title of Independent Dealer of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Close on Andrews' heels in fourth place are Marvin Hewatt and Larry Fleeman of U.S. Auto Sales in Lawrenceville, Ga., also seasoned veterans of the Awards. Their 10-location operation, in business since 1992, increased sales by 628 over last year to hold onto a spot in the top five with a total of 5,415 retail sales. They took third place in the 2011 and 2010 Awards, sec- ond place in 2009, fourth in 2008 and sixth in 2006. Finishing out the top five in- dependents is Donald Birger of InstaCredit Automart. The buy here pay here operation 23