Rick Kerlin Honored as 2026 Ford Salute to Dealers Honoree

Rick Kerlin Honored as a 2026 Ford Salute to Dealers Honoree | Kerlin Motor Company

Rick Kerlin with Henry Ford III at the 2026 Ford Salute to Dealers event

Rick Kerlin with Henry Ford III at the 2026 Ford Salute to Dealers recognition event.

A Personal Honor for a Lifetime of Service

Kerlin Motor Company is proud to share that co-owner Rick Kerlin has been recognized as a 2026 Ford Salute to Dealers honoree—an honor that celebrates dealer principals who go above and beyond through extraordinary community service and philanthropy.

This recognition reflects Rick’s leadership and generosity in the community—not dealership performance, sales, or store operations. It’s about impact: doing the right thing, consistently, over time.

“Once the project is complete, the time and the dollars involved to make the project happen are forgotten. The joy it brings to other people's lives remains forever.”

— Rick Kerlin

What Ford Recognized

Ford’s profile of Rick highlights a legacy of giving rooted in family, community, and long-term thinking. In Silver Lake, the Kerlin family has twice donated land to create places for neighbors to gather and enjoy together. Most recently, Rick provided more than 3.5 acres to serve as the permanent home for a new community center.

Community Spaces That Last

A new community center site supported by a land donation of more than 3.5 acres—continuing a family legacy that includes prior land donated for a town playground.

Long-Running Local Initiatives

A commitment that extends beyond one project—supporting local charities, food security efforts, and health-related initiatives year after year.

Community Efforts Mentioned in Ford’s Feature

Ford also highlighted several examples of Rick’s ongoing involvement in community support:

Annual coat drive (since 1999): more than 25,000 coats collected and $250,000 raised for local charities.
Boomerang Backpacks: helping provide weekend meals for students.
Racquets for Riley: supporting children’s hospital research.

Source: Ford From the Road profile on Rick Kerlin (linked below).

Rick’s Answers: Service, Teamwork, and Where to Start

The first time he felt the impact of helping

Rick recalls being around 12 years old when a local family lost everything in a house fire. His family donated clothing and other items to help them recover— an early experience that shaped his perspective on serving others.

Advice for young people

His recommendation: start small by joining a club or group focused on giving back. Momentum comes from participation—and community gets better when people show up.

Read Ford’s Full Story

Ford’s official feature includes additional background, quotes, and the full context of the Salute to Dealers recognition.

Read the Ford Feature Back to KerlinMotors.com

Thank You, Rick

Rick has never chased recognition. That’s part of what makes this honor meaningful. We’re grateful Ford took the time to spotlight what our community has seen for decades: consistent generosity, quiet leadership, and a steady belief that doing good is always worth doing.

From all of us at Kerlin Motor Company—congratulations, Rick, and thank you for everything you do.

Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, and license charges. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.

While we make every effort to ensure the data listed here is correct, there may be instances where some of the factory rebates, incentives, options or vehicle features may be listed incorrectly as we get data from multiple data sources. PLEASE MAKE SURE to confirm the details of this vehicle (such as what factory rebates you may or may not qualify for) with the dealer to ensure its accuracy. Dealer cannot be held liable for data that is listed incorrectly.

Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, license, and $199 documentation fees. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.

Kerlin Motor Company, Inc.