Emanuel D. Jones II Wins First-Ever Cox Automotive and NAMAD Rising Star Award

Honor Given to Young Minority Showing Leadership and Commitment in the Automotive Industry

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Jul 22, 2016, 11:07 ET

ATLANTA, July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive™, in partnership with the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD), awarded its inaugural Rising Star Award to Emanuel D. Jones II, dealer director of Legacy Automotive Group, in recognition of his strong leadership and commitment to the automotive industry and his surrounding community. Legacy Automotive has been serving Georgia since 1993 and now has three dealerships representing four franchises throughout the state – Legacy Chevrolet and Cadillac of Columbus, Legacy Ford of McDonough and Legacy Hyundai of McDonough.

Emanuel D. Jones II, Cox Automotive Rising Star Award Winner

Jones got his start in the automotive industry as a summer employee with Legacy Automotive, which was founded by his father, Emanuel Jones. He began changing oil, sweeping the shop and performing odd jobs with his father in 2005, at just 14 years old. After graduating high school in 2008, Jones went on to earn a bachelor's degree in public health and entrepreneurial studies from The Johns Hopkins University. Soon after graduating, Jones decided to join the family business and returned to Legacy Automotive to hone his management skills.

Jones graduated from the National Automobile Dealer Association (NADA) Academy in 2013 in the top 5 percent of his class. This academy is the nation's leading franchise dealer academy where dealers learn the fundamentals to operate a successful and profitable automotive business. Jones also earned his insurance license and has launched Allstate franchises within his dealerships. He's currently attending Emory University to earn his MBA.

"I was shocked to receive this award, but it is an indicator that there's some weight to our ideas and they're starting to get a foothold and grow recognition. Legacy Automotive has a good foundation after almost 25 years in business, but the most successful long-term dealers have an infrastructure in place that can hit regional and national benchmarks that support growth," said Jones. "The work and education we're putting in right now as a team will hopefully help us all reap rewards and successes, and perhaps inspire other dealers, too. It's one thing to run a dealership, but the key is what can only be learned by experience, like the value of a strong team. I love the people I work with every day."

Cox Automotive is donating $5,000 to a national diversity partner in the winner's honor. Jones chose 100 Black Men of America, a non-profit organization that endeavors to improve the quality of life of African Americans, particularly youth, in the communities it serves and enhance their educational and economic opportunities. Cox Automotive supports the organization's Collegiate 100 (C100) program that engages college students and prepares them for educational and economic success. Jones supports the C100 and attends events that boost connections and business growth.

"On behalf of Cox Automotive, I am proud to partner with NAMAD in recognizing Emanuel for his achievements," said Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer Rock Anderson. "He is the definition of a rising star in our industry, based on his successes with Legacy Automotive dealerships and their contributions to the community in which they work."

Jones accepted the award at the NAMAD annual meeting awards dinner in Miami on July 21. He was chosen from nominees that met select criteria, including being an NAMAD member under the age of 40 who shows proven leadership qualities in the auto industry.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader^®, Dealer.com^®, Dealertrack^®, Kelley Blue Book^®, Manheim^®, NextGear Capital^®, vAuto^®, Xtime^® and a host of other brands. The global company has nearly 30,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 55,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.