KICKER recently congratulated its winners from the 2020 Mobile Electronics Association Industry Awards, announced in December during the virtual KnowledgeFest tradeshow.
KICKER long-time authorized dealer Car-Tunes, Inc. (Greenville, Mississippi), earned top honor for retailers as 2020 Retailer-of-the-Year, while Justin Kush from Mobile Toys (College Station, Texas) was named the Installer-of-the-Year. Additionally, other KICKER retailers and associates performed well in several categories.
“Kim (Trainer, owner of Car-Tunes) and her team are very motivated, very forward-thinking,” said Lori Boyer, KICKER southeastern region sales manager. “The standard they hold themselves to is very high on every aspect of their business, whether it’s the customer service, sales or the install side. They are a fantastic shop.”
Car-Tunes has been a KICKER dealer for more than 15 years. The shop and its four employees pride themselves on attention to detail and their ability to communicate with care and genuine interest, both in-store and online, the company said. The company also believes in an active training schedule for every employee, with consistent education for leadership, installers and sales.
“We are so humbled and grateful for this honor, words cannot fully express how very much this means to us,” said Trainer. “We try to stay to connected with the industry as a whole. It’s important for all of us to continue to learn from each other. Even after more than 20 years in the industry, sometimes we learn something new that we can apply in our business. It keeps everyone engaged and motivated.”
Kush, from Mobile Toys shop, beat out several talented and well deserving installers to be named the year’s best.
“Justin reflects the definition of what a manufacturer wants out if its retailers – in design, fabrication, and sound,” said Brad Ganz, KICKER central region sales manager.
“He pushes the limits of imagination to make reality,” said Pete Daley, Marketing Pros (Conroe, Texas) sales representative. “He is a hidden gem in this industry.”
Other KICKER colleagues fared well in the final tally. Mobile Toys earned runner-up in the Retailer category and also won the Customer Choice Award. Dean Beyett of Five Star Car Stereo (Clearwater, Fla.) took runner-up in the Installer category. Top Rep Firm went to Marketing Pros, Inc.
