WARRENVILLE, Ill. — International Truck and Engine Corporation recently recognized Dick Ryan of Carolina International Trucks, Inc., Columbia, SC, as its 2003 International Dealer of the Year.

Ryan is the fifth recipient of this prestigious honor, which is awarded to one of International’s more than 400 dealers in North America that exhibits the highest commitment to delivering best-in-class customer service.

"Our dealers consistently deliver the value, quality and service that are the cornerstones of International," said Dee Kapur, president, truck group, International Truck and Engine Corporation. "Carolina International’s reputation for delivering value to its customers with the best package of International products and services put it at the forefront of our dealer network."

Ryan has successfully led Carolina International for 12 years. His vast knowledge of every aspect of the industry is a result not only of his time as a dealer, but also 23 years as a former employee of International Truck and Engine Corporation, including numerous sales and management positions. Thirty-five years later, Ryan says he is still learning something new about the business every day, especially about the importance of fulfilling customer needs.

International selects the Dealer of the Year based on a number of performance criteria. Carolina International excelled in all of the criteria required by International for consideration in the Dealer of the Year pool. The criteria include:
Consistency of International Circle of Excellence awards, an exclusive honor given this year to 55 International dealers for customer satisfaction and volume of trucks sold in the 2003 fiscal year;
Market share performance in the class five through class eight truck markets;
International parts sales growth; and
Customer satisfaction ratings (as determined by surveys completed by International customers).

For more information, visit www.InternationalDelivers.com