Lexington Resident Nominated for TIME’s 2020 Dealer of the Year

Ray Ciccolo, founder of Village Automotive Group – one of the oldest and largest car dealership groups in New England – is nominated for TIME’s 2020 Dealer of the Year award. Ray is the only dealer in Massachusetts to be nominated for this award, which honors leaders in the automotive industry that demonstrate a charitable spirit and focus on giving back to their community.

Ray came from humble beginnings in Cambridge and began his auto career at 25 when he walked into a dealership to buy a used car and bought the store instead. The group has since grown from Boston Volvo to include Nissan and Volvo in Danvers, Porsche and Audi in Norwell, and Honda Village of Newton. “This wonderful industry has helped me live the American dream. I grew up with very little, but I now am able to give back in so many ways to help people who need a hand or need to be lifted up. I count my blessings every single day,” said Ray.

A cornerstone of Village Automotive Group’s longevity is their commitment to giving back to the community. Ray has been involved in numerous local causes over the past decades and created the Ciccolo Family Foundation for charitable giving. “From day one, my belief has been that our stores should be active participants in their communities, pitching in and making a difference,” Ray said.

In addition to serving on the board of the Global Smile Foundation since 1983, just a few of Ray’s initiatives include the annual Boston Volvo Thanksgiving 5K which raises thousands of dollars for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Friends of Herter Park which works to reactive the public spaces along the Charles River, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust conservation Campaign, and the Alliance for Children Foundation. His family foundation and dealerships also support Greater Boston Food Bank, Make-A-Wish, The Salvation Army, and many hospitals, universities, scholarship funds, and other local charities.