Doug Timmerman has always been good with numbers. It’s part of the reason why Timmerman graduated with his undergraduate and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of Nebraska.

When it came time to depart from the land of the Cornhuskers, Timmerman he thought he’d become a stockbroker, leveraging that talent for figures. But one of his professors convinced him to interview with GMAC.

Timmerman saw a long-term career path with GMAC, the precursor to Ally. He was right as he’s been with the company for more than 30 years, currently serving as the president of dealer financial services.

The industry recognizes that Timmerman is good with numbers, too, among other parts of the car business. It’s why Timmerman has been named this year’s Auto Finance Executive of the Year, presented by Black Book.

“Doug Timmerman’s remarkable leadership at Ally has been instrumental in strengthening their dealer relationships and optimizing the full spectrum of automotive finance and insurance services for dealer and consumer customers,” Black Book president Jared Kalfus said. “His dedication and success in expanding Ally Dealer Financial Services set a high standard for excellence, making him a deserving recipient of the Auto Finance Executive of the Year Award.”

Timmerman will receive his award during Used Car Week, which begins on Nov. 18 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Since joining GMAC in 1986, Timmerman has held leadership roles across the auto finance and insurance businesses, including as the interim CEO of the entire company. His ability to foster strong relationships with dealers and his teams helped him grow throughout this career at Ally.

Timmerman’s leadership style and ability to connect with people came from watching his father serve as mayor of his hometown of Papillion, Neb., in the early 1960s. His father connected with constituents in the small town to get the job done — a lesson that stuck with Timmerman.

Timmerman attributes part of his success to his many job moves throughout his career — 12 markets in a myriad of roles before finally settling in Ally’s Atlanta office.  He said that moving around a lot exposed him to different leadership styles, management styles and markets.

“Every job change is a clean slate where you need to prove yourself and develop new relationships and integrate yourself into an existing team,” Timmerman said.

Timmerman described why he enjoys working in the auto-finance industry.

“We’re in the relationship business,” Timmerman said. “Our relationships with our dealers are at the heart of our business. There are so many stories in the auto business that tie back to the American Dream. People come from very little and become very successful. Seeing others’ success is personally rewarding.”

Timmerman also said he finds it rewarding to know that Ally plays such a vital role in helping dealers who are such key leaders in their communities provide jobs to boost the local economy and vehicles that help people with their transportation needs.

While sometimes challenging, Timmerman takes great pride in knowing that Ally wants to be there to support dealers through “thick and thin business cycles, unlike some competitors who weave in and out of the industry.

“I’m fortunate to have the experience of working with dealers to help get them through the tough times and subsequently help them become very successful,” Timmerman continued.

Timmerman has had scores of teammates through the years at Ally. He described the current group he has in place.

“Our team has experience, knows the business and, just as importantly, knows our dealers,” Timmerman said. “Dealers tell me the reason they do business with Ally is because of the people they work with every day.  Our team is focused on what is most important to our dealers and they have the dealers’ interests at heart. Some of the relationships our people have with our dealer customers span decades.”

Timmerman also pointed out that syncing with dealers’ wants and needs plays into Ally’s company culture.

“To get the culture right, you have to attract, hire and retain the very best people. When you get culture and people right, you’ll get the operational results, which, in turn, will drive the financial returns,” Timmerman said.

Beyond his responsibilities with Ally, Timmerman supports several organizations and research efforts associated with finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes. He is an active volunteer and supporter of Children’s Hospital of Atlanta and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Timmerman closed by sharing how rewarding is it to add another award to his professional mantle.

“It’s humbling, but really, it’s a reflection on the incredible team at Ally,” Timmerman said. “They work hard every day to help our dealer customers sell cars and serve their communities. Everything we’ve accomplished is a function of how the team puts customers at the center of our business, how well our team has embraced our priorities and how well they’ve executed those priorities.

“So, while my name is on the award, it’s really our team that is being recognized.”

Past recipients of the Auto Finance Executive of the Year Award, presented by Black Book include:

  • Kevin Cullum, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp.
  • Marc Womack, Santander Consumer USA
  • Kyle Birch, GM Financial
  • Tanya Sanders, Wells Fargo Auto
  • Bill Jones, Regional Acceptance Corp. & BB&T Dealer Retail Services
  • Andrew Stuart, TD Auto Finance
  • Tommy Moore Jr., First Investors Financial Services
  • Ozzie Ramos, National Auto Lenders
  • Dan Ulatowski, Credit Acceptance
  • Bill Jensen, Chase Auto Finance
  • Ian Anderson, Westlake Financial Services