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LAS VEGAS — Two professionals the National Alliance of
Buy-Here, Pay-Here Dealers considers legends comprised the inaugural class of
the association's new Hall of Fame.

Announced Thursday during the 2012 NABD Conference, the two
inductees are the late James DeVoe Sr. and Ed Bass.

DeVoe established the J.D. Byrider network of BHPH stores
but died during a plane crash with his son-in-law Steele Gudal back in 2006.

Bass was on hand to accept his award, honoring a lifetime
dedicated to running Car Credit Center, a Chicago rooftop that has flourished
for more than five decades.

NABD founder Ken Shilson explained why it took until the
alliance's 14th annual national event to orchestrate such an honor
program.

"I think the first thing is we've always believed that
success and achievement in the buy-here, pay-here industry has to be made over
a longer than a one-year period of time. It's got to be measured over a
lifetime. It's a body of work," Shilson said.

"We've always resisted making dealer awards until we've seen
enough time pass because anybody can have a good year in the buy-here, pay-here
business or what looks good initially," Shilson continued.

"But these guys, there's not a person in the room who would
question Jim DeVoe and Ed Bass in the Hall of Fame," Shilson went on to say.

Bass shared a few comments to conference attendees after
Shilson and fellow event emcee Ingram Walters handed him his award.

"I want to thank Ken Shilson and Ingram Walters for
bestowing me with this wonderful award. I worked in the car business for 53
years, and I never dreamed something like this would ever happen," Bass said.

Hall of Fame inductions are set to be a regular part of
future NABD conferences. Shilson acknowledged, "We already have our eye on some"
other potential inductees, but the alliance is looking for nominations. He
noted previous inductees also will help shape who else is added.

"We need to recognize our leaders," Shilson said. "We need
to recognize the talent and what they've done."

And the first Hall of Fame class of DeVoe and Bass apparently
has set the bar for induction quite high.

"These men have not only been successful but their integrity
and their character, they'd be great in any business," Shilson concluded.