Ford has recognised Paul Hendy, chief executive of Hendy Group, at its Salute to Dealers awards, held on February 3 at the National Automobile Dealers Association event in Las Vegas.
Hendy was one of eight new honourees worldwide and the only recipient from the UK and Europe.
As part of the recognition, Ford confirmed it will make a $10,000 (£7,365) donation to the Hendy Foundation, the charitable arm of Hendy Group.
]The foundation plans to allocate the funding during 2026 to community charities local to the group’s eight Ford dealerships across the south of England.
Ford’s global Salute to Dealers programme was established 26 years ago by Edsel B. Ford II and is currently championed by board director Henry Ford III.
On track for half a million in donations for 2026
Hendy Group has been involved in community and charitable activity since its formation more than 165 years ago.
Paul Hendy led the creation of the Hendy Foundation in November 2018 to expand the group’s fundraising activity.
Since then, the foundation has donated more than £400,000 to over 350 charitable causes and is on track to exceed £500,000 by the end of this year.
The foundation works with charities across multiple sectors to support local needs in areas where Hendy Group operates, including Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
Hendy said: “I am truly humbled to have been honoured with the Ford Salute to Dealer Award; to be named as one of just eight global honourees worldwide is something I never imagined.
“This recognition feels especially meaningful as we recently celebrated 115 years of partnership with Ford.
“It also reflects a business that has believed in giving back since my great-great-grandfather made significant contributions to the community in the late 1800s.”
Shaping Hendy into what it is today
He added: “Receiving the Salute to Dealer Award is not just a personal honour. I accept it on behalf of my forefathers, and everyone who has helped shape Hendy into what it is today. Giving back and supporting our communities is part of our DNA and sits at the heart of who we are as a business.”
Lisa Brankin, chair and managing director of Ford of Britain and Ireland, said: “The Ford Salute to Dealers awards recognise the contribution a Ford dealer business makes to their communities, and for the first time a UK dealer was recognised among the eight honourees globally.
“This recognition reflects the work that the Hendy Foundation does in supporting communities across the south coast.”
Hendy Group has represented Ford in the UK for more than 115 years, becoming the country’s first Ford retailer in 1910.
Today, the group operates eight Ford dealerships across Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex and employs around 1,500 people, with annual turnover exceeding £1 billion.