Critical Shifts:
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F&I Performance Directly Drives Retention: Kenady Minley's results at Court Street Ford demonstrate that clear, customer-centric financial guidance in the box directly reduces aftermarket cancellations and chargebacks—two major profit leaks for pre-owned departments.
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NextGen Talent Pipelines Are Critical for Retail Success: With her work in the NAMAD Dealer Ownership Academy and NextGen initiative, the recognition highlights how structured mentorship and leadership development are essential for long-term dealership succession planning.
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Capitalizing on Community and Industry Recognition: Strategic partnerships with major lenders like Ally Financial not only validate top-performing dealership staff but also strengthen community trust and brand reputation for local dealerships.
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F&I leadership and dealership growth took center stage at the 46th Annual National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) Conference, where Ally Financial named Kenady Minley the winner of the 2026 Ally Sees Her Award.
Minley, Finance Manager at Court Street Ford in Bourbonnais, Illinois, was recognized for her strong operational performance, professional leadership, and contributions to advancing women of color in automotive retail.
For independent and franchise used car dealers looking at operational benchmarks, Minley’s performance in the box offers a key playbook. Over her two-plus years at Court Street Ford, she has driven significant dealership profitability and customer retention by focusing on transparent financial guidance. Her strategies have yielded a measurable reduction in aftermarket cancellations and F&I chargebacks—two critical pain points for pre-owned operations—while simultaneously boosting customer satisfaction scores.
Beyond her role in the dealership, Minley has been heavily involved in developing future dealership leadership. She helped establish the NAMAD Dealer Ownership Academy and serves as Outreach Coordinator for the NAMAD NextGen initiative, which connects emerging dealership leaders with professional development resources and succession pathways.
"NAMAD has been instrumental in my professional growth, and I'm grateful for the mentorship, education and opportunities that have helped shape my journey in the automotive industry," Minley said. "This recognition is meaningful because it reinforces why this work matters: creating pathways, opening doors and helping more future leaders see what is possible."
"Kenady's leadership and commitment to developing the next generation reflects exactly what the Ally Sees Her Award was created to celebrate," said Tammy Linkfield, Senior Vice President of Auto Central Region for Ally. "Her impact across the automotive retail industry and her work to help open doors for future leaders make this recognition especially meaningful."
As part of the award presentation, Ally Financial is donating $10,000 to Kothi Dance, a Milwaukee-based community organization selected in recognition of Minley’s community impact.
