International Truck announced Ryan Nelson, dealer principal of Nelson Leasing, Inc., as the 2021 North American Dealer of the Year.

The award recognizes the top International dealer for their commitment to provide industry-leading uptime and unparalleled performance in annual sales, service, and customer satisfaction.

“Ryan and his team do an incredible job of showcasing the pride we strive for in every aspect of the International Truck dealer network,” said Mark Belisle, group VP, Dealer Sales and Operations. “He is dedicated to supporting his customers by providing an excellent product and customer service that goes above and beyond.”

In March of 1953, Nelson Leasing was founded by Nelson’s father. Currently, Nelson Leasing runs five dealer locations with eight subcontractors serving as the sole International Truck dealer in North Dakota, as well as serving a portion of central and north western Minnesota.

The dealerships employ over 150 staff members who work to maintain an impeccable reputation as customer service leaders. North Central International and Nelson Leasing are in the process of merging to form a larger dealership to reach more customers and service areas.

“Since I began hanging around the dealership at the age of five, I watched my father instill empowerment in our employees,” Nelson said. “I still feel empowered employees are a key to our success because they can make decisions to deliver superior customer service. As we grow, we differentiate ourselves from our competition in that our customers feel their voices are heard and their needs are addressed in real time.”

Throughout 2021, Nelson and his team have reached multiple sales, repair, parts and customer service goals.

“Our team created innovative ways to meet the market challenges by thinking outside the box,” Nelson said. “By preparing ourselves ahead of time as best we could, we were able to increase levels of service, focus on getting our customers their products and getting their trucks back on the road.”

In partnership with North Central International, Nelson will be opening a new facility in Corcoran, Minn. this spring. In the future, Nelson said his goal is to maintain vital relationships with customers, even as the business continues to grow.

“As we continue our merger with North Central International, we still want to continue to deliver the quality of service we traditionally delivered as a smaller business,” Nelson said.