Bob Penkhus, president of three dealerships in Colorado Springs featuring brands Volvo, Mazda, Volkswagen and Mitsubishi, has been nominated for the 2016 Time Dealer of the Year award.
He’ll be honored, along with 50 other dealers from around the country, at the 99th annual National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Exposition April 1 in Las Vegas.
The Time award is one of the automobile industry’s most prestigious and highly coveted honors. Penkhus, 66, was nominated by Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
A 1969 graduate of Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Penkhus earned a B.S.B.A. in marketing from the University of Denver in 1973. With his business education background, he joined the family Volvo dealership, which was founded by his father Robert in 1956. “It was one of only 10 Volvo franchises in the country when the dealership opened,” Penkhus said. “As a child growing up, I was a permanent fixture around the store, so it was a natural that I would join my father in the business.”
Bob Penkhus opened his own Mazda store in 1973 and in 1977 became president of the Penkhus Motor Co.
Penkhus and his wife, Leslie, have three children and nine grandchildren. For the past 15 years, Bob and Leslie have hosted the Bob Penkhus Hangar Party to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Colorado Springs.
An avid flyer, Penkhus put his skills to good use after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. He galvanized an effort to carry doctors, nurses and medical supplies to the country on his private plane. He also raises money for and supports many other charities.
Penkhus succeeds Scott Ehrlich of Greeley as Colorado Time Dealer of the Year. First winner of the award was Russ Lyon of Boulder in 1970.
Colorado recipients of the Time award:
2015- Scott Ehrlich
2014- Bob Ghent
2013- Jay Cimino
2012- Mike Shaw
2011- Doug Moreland
2010- Jack Terhar
2009- John Medved
2008- Don Hicks
2007- Lisa Schomp
2006- Barbara Vidmar
2005- Jeffrey Carlson
2004- Jim Morehart
2003- Lee Payne
2002- John Schenden
2001- Dean Dowson
2000- Kent Stevinson
1998- Fred Emich
1997- John Clatworthy
1996- Lloyd Chavez
1995- Jim Reilly
1994- Herrick Garnsey
1993- Roland Purifoy
1992- Jim Suss
1991- Doug McDonald
1990- Bob Markley
1989- Bob Fisher
1988- Harry Dowson
1987- Joe Luby
1986- R.W. Dellenbach
1985- Hugh Tighe
1984- Florian Barth
1983- R.S. Doenges
1982- Jack Maffeo
1981- Nate Burt
1980- Dwight Ghent
1979- Tony Fortino
1978- George McCaddon
1977- Gene Wilcoxsen
1976- Ralph Schomp
1975- Al O’Meara
1974- Charlie Williams
1973- Vern Hagestad
1972- Dick Deane
1971- Gene Markley
1970- Russ Lyon