USA Today and NADA Name Florida Auto Dealer as Third Annual National Dealer Innovation Award Winner

MCLEAN, Va., April 7 -- USA TODAY and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) will present the 2003 Dealer Innovation Award today to Rick and Rita Case, owners of Rick Case Honda, Acura and Hyundai of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The Cases were selected from among four NADA regions as the national winner for the annual USA TODAY Dealer Innovation Award conducted in association with NADA.

Each year the USA TODAY Dealer Innovation Award recognizes automobile retailers who have used innovated ideas and business practices to better serve their customers, communities and employees. The 2003 Dealer Innovation Award honors dealers who took a leadership role in the development and implementation of community-wide safety initiatives.

Rick and Rita Case decided to do something about the multitude of drowning deaths in Southern Florida caused by automobile accidents occurring in water. They designed and manufactured an emergency escape hammer that easily mounts in the car, within reach of the driver and serves to break the window glass. The instrument contains a small blade that can cut the seat belt to aid in escape. This hammer is distributed free to the public through their South Florida dealerships.

The Dealer Innovation Award will be presented to Rick and Rita Case by USA TODAY and NADA at a special awards reception today at the New York International Auto Show.

USA TODAY is the nation's top-selling newspaper. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide. USA TODAY is published by Gannett Co. Inc. .

The National Automobile Dealers Association, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, VA, represents more than 20,000 new car and truck dealers, holding over 43,000 separate franchises, both domestic and import.