Ascendance Truck Centers is pleased to announce that Jared Smith, Truck Sales Professional, and Collin Dean, General Manager of Ascendance Idealease, recently graduated from the 2023 American Truck Dealers (ATD) Academy. Smith and Dean completed a rigorous, year-long educational program focusing on six disciplines key to successful management and leadership in the commercial truck industry.
“This is a major commitment to our customers and our dealership,” says Fred Scheler, Regional Vice President. “Our employees meet the highest ethical standards in the industry, and our customers will benefit greatly from Jared and Collin’s knowledge, skills, and passion for excellence. They have worked diligently for this, and we couldn’t be prouder to have them on our team.
ATD Academy prepares current and future dealership leaders to improve each department’s efficiency while examining how new technology and innovations reshape the industry. Academy classes are taught by industry experts in state-of-the-art classrooms, with hands-on practical applications in each area of the dealership. Students develop an end-to-end view of business and dealership operations.
Academy students also spend a day on Capitol Hill to meet with a member of Congress to gain insight into the lawmaking process, the importance of dealer fly-ins to Washington, D.C., and why inviting members of Congress to visit their stores can ultimately benefit dealers, their employees and their customers.
Established in 1970, American Truck Dealers (ATD), a division of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), represents franchised medium- and heavy-duty truck dealers holding nearly 5,600 separate franchises, both domestic and import. NADA/ATD Academy has prepared more than 12,000 graduates for good-paying, high-quality careers since its inception in 1979.
