Tarrytown Honda Earns Elite Status with Prestigious National Award

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. – March 09, 2026 – Tarrytown Honda has once again been recognized as one of the nation's top dealerships, earning the prestigious 2025 President's Award from American Honda Motor Co., Inc. This marks the third time the local dealership has received the honor, a distinction that places it in an elite group of only 10% of Honda's 1,073 dealers across the country. The award celebrates comprehensive excellence in all areas of operation, with a significant emphasis on delivering an outstanding customer experience.

While many awards focus on a single metric like sales volume, the President's Award is a holistic and rigorous evaluation of a dealership's entire performance. For consumers, it serves as a powerful signal of quality and reliability in a competitive automotive market.

"The President's Award is one of the highest distinctions in the Honda dealer network, recognizing dealerships that consistently deliver exceptional customer experiences and demonstrate excellence across all operations," said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda National Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Earning this award positions Tarrytown Honda as a leader within the region and nationwide."

Beyond the Showroom Floor: The Rigor of the President's Award

Securing the Honda President's Award is no simple feat. Established in 1995, the program's criteria are notoriously stringent and are updated annually to reflect evolving market dynamics and consumer expectations. This ensures that winning dealerships are not just meeting a static checklist but are actively adapting and excelling in a modern retail environment.

To be considered, a dealership must demonstrate superior achievement across a broad spectrum of metrics. This includes not only hitting ambitious sales targets for new and Honda Certified Pre-Owned vehicles but also maintaining high profitability and operational efficiency. However, the core of the award lies in customer satisfaction. Dealerships must achieve exceptionally high scores on Honda's Customer Service Experience (CSE) evaluations, which are based on direct feedback from customers who have purchased a vehicle or had their car serviced.

Performance in the service department is a critical component, with metrics like Service Retention—the rate at which sales customers return for maintenance—weighing heavily. This focus underscores Honda's philosophy that the customer relationship extends far beyond the initial sale. Excelling in these areas requires a deeply ingrained customer-centric culture, something that differentiates top-tier dealers from the average. To consistently win this award, as Tarrytown Honda has, suggests a sustained commitment to these high standards and a team that executes them flawlessly day after day.

A Legacy of Service in Tarrytown

Long before this most recent accolade, Tarrytown Honda has been a fixture in the local community. The dealership, located on a site that has hosted automotive businesses since the 1940s, was acquired by Owner and Principal Dwight Dachnowicz in 2006. Since then, it has cultivated deep roots in Tarrytown and the surrounding areas of Westchester, White Plains, and Rockland.

This commitment to the community is not just a talking point. Dachnowicz has demonstrated a tangible dedication to local support, notably by providing a dealership truck and driver to transport thousands of pounds of food for the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Food Pantry, aiding hundreds of local families. This level of community partnership speaks to a business philosophy that views success as intertwined with the well-being of the area it serves.

That philosophy extends to the dealership's internal operations. Dachnowicz has been noted for his commitment to his employees, maintaining his full staff even through challenging economic periods. This investment in his team is reflected in the dealership's performance.

"At Tarrytown Honda, we strive to deliver an unparalleled customer experience and understand that customers have many choices when purchasing their next vehicle," said Dachnowicz. "We're grateful for the tireless dedication of the Tarrytown Honda team in elevating our dealership operations every day."

The Customer Verdict: Validating Excellence Through Experience

While the award from American Honda provides a corporate seal of approval, the ultimate validation comes from the customers themselves. A deep dive into public-facing customer reviews paints a picture that largely aligns with the President's Award criteria. Across platforms like CARFAX, DealerRater, and Cars.com, Tarrytown Honda has amassed thousands of reviews, the majority of which are overwhelmingly positive.

Recurring themes in customer feedback include praise for a professional, knowledgeable, and non-pressuring sales staff. Many reviewers, often identifying themselves as repeat customers, highlight a smooth and efficient purchasing process. Specific employees are frequently named and thanked for their exceptional service, indicating a culture where individual effort is recognized and appreciated by the public.

Similarly, the service department receives consistent commendations for its transparency, efficiency, and communication. Customers often report that service advisors clearly explain necessary work without pushing for unnecessary extras. This builds a foundation of trust that is crucial for long-term customer loyalty and high service retention scores—a key metric for the President's Award.

Of course, no high-volume business is without its critics, and a small percentage of reviews do raise issues related to communication or sales tactics. However, the sheer volume of positive testimonials and the dealership's proven ability to meet Honda's stringent customer satisfaction benchmarks suggest that these instances are exceptions rather than the rule. The data points to a dealership that has successfully scaled a positive customer experience.

Navigating a Competitive and Evolving Automotive Market

Achieving top-tier status is particularly noteworthy given the competitive landscape of the tri-state area's automotive market and the rapid evolution of the industry itself. With several other Honda dealerships in close proximity, Tarrytown Honda must consistently differentiate itself. Earning the President's Award three times serves as a powerful differentiator, signaling to potential buyers that they are dealing with a proven leader in service and reliability.

This award also speaks to the dealership's adaptability. Honda's vehicle lineup is expanding, with a growing emphasis on its electrified portfolio, including the all-electric Prologue SUV and various hybrid models, which represented over a quarter of the brand's sales in 2025. Successfully selling and servicing these technologically advanced vehicles requires a highly trained and knowledgeable team. The operational excellence demanded by the President's Award ensures that the dealership is well-equipped to navigate this transition and provide expert guidance to consumers.

For residents of Tarrytown and beyond, the repeated recognition of their local dealership is more than just a corporate announcement. It is an affirmation that a commitment to quality, community, and customer care remains a viable and celebrated path to success in business.