TWO automotive dealerships and a respected dealer leader have been recognised as representing the best of Australia’s retail automotive industry, receiving 2026 Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Presented at the association’s industry dinner, the awards are bestowed only on individuals or businesses that have been operating for more than 50 years.

They recognise those who have dedicated their working lives to the retail automotive industry and honour their outstanding contribution to the sector.

AADA CEO James Voortman, introducing the awards, said it was an honour to celebrate some of the industry’s most remarkable dealerships and dealer leaders.

The 2026 recipients are:

• Kerry Ambrose-Pearce OAM (Darwin, NT)
• Woodley’s Motors (Tamworth, NSW)
• Lanhams Motor Group (Griffith and Leeton, NSW)

Kerry Ambrose-Pearce

Mr Ambrose-Pearce’s automotive career began in South Australia, but the decision that would define his legacy came later with a call from the north.

Born in Robe in 1948, Mr Ambrose-Pearce entered the motor industry after several early roles – including cray fishing – before joining Holden’s Elizabeth manufacturing facility in a sales role.

There he learned the business from the ground up, gaining an understanding of the product, the people and the discipline behind a successful dealership.

That defining opportunity came in 1979 when Sir Laurie Sutton invited Mr Ambrose-Pearce to become general manager and dealer principal of Sutton Motors Darwin. He accepted and, in 1980, moved his young family north, leaving behind a familiar life to build a future in a place that rewarded resilience, courage and conviction.

That decision set the tone for the decades that followed. Mr Ambrose-Pearce reshaped the business by consolidating sites, adding franchises and building success across Holden, Nissan, Isuzu, and Daihatsu.

In 1988, he purchased the business from Suttons Group.

It became one of the last GMAC fully funded dealerships, with Mr Ambrose-Pearce repaying the debt in record time. It was another defining act of calculated courage, venturing into the unknown while remaining disciplined, pragmatic, and future-focused.

Mr Ambrose-Pearce consistently looked ahead, embracing better technology, smarter processes, stronger facilities, and new ideas that encouraged people to develop.

His impact extended well beyond the Northern Territory. He led the Holdback Tax case, helping deliver a $500 million outcome for Australian dealers.

He served as president of the AADA, the MTAA, and the MTAA Superannuation Fund, while also chairing Channel Nine Darwin. In January 2026, Mr Ambrose-Pearce was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of his outstanding service to the Northern Territory community.

The MTAA said the honour recognised someone who had “made a significant contribution to the motor trades through decades of industry leadership, business investment, and support for skills development, employment, and regional growth”.

“His commitment to strengthening both industry and community reflects the values we strive to champion at MTAA,” it added.

Mr Ambrose-Pearce’s son, Greg Ambrose-Pearce, said the recognition was “well deserved”.

“He has been an amazing visionary and community stalwart, supporting any and all in need for so many years,” he said.

His legacy is also measured in people.

Staff who joined at entry level progressed into management, while Greg Ambrose-Pearce and Lee Poulton became partners and business leaders.

Away from the dealership, flying and sailing reflected the same instincts that shaped Mr Ambrose-Pearce’s career – always looking towards the horizon, embracing movement, and seeking new possibilities.

With wife Raeleigh by his side, and sons Greg and Craig part of the family story, Mr Ambrose-Pearce remains one of Australia’s most respected dealer leaders.

Visionary, mentor, advocate, dealer and community contributor, the AADA is proud to recognise Kerry Ambrose-Pearce OAM with a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award.Woodley’s Motors

Before Woodley’s Motors became one of Tamworth’s best-known automotive businesses, it began with a simple commitment to craftsmanship.

In 1919, Henry “Harry” Woodley and his wife left Nundle for Tamworth, establishing Woodley’s Upholstery with little more than a sewing machine, hand tools, and determination.

They repaired carriage hoods, canvas covers, and the early motor vehicles appearing on Australian roads. Mr Woodley’s humour gave the business its first memorable slogan, “Let Woodley’s put one over you”.

By the 1920s, Mr Woodley’s son Neville had joined the business as a car trimmer, learning the trade that would carry Woodley’s into the future. In 1930, Woodley’s Car Trimmers opened on Peel Street.

As Tamworth grew, Neville Woodley expanded the business into trimming, painting, and repairs.

In 1953, Warren Woodley joined his father as a car trimmer, learning the trade from the workshop floor. With wife Lorraine beside him, Warren helped build a safer community through Road Safety Week demonstrations, seatbelt promotion, and child restraint fitting long before they became mandatory.

Warren would later receive the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the community, acknowledging a contribution that extended well beyond the dealership.

In 1971, Woodley’s became a Volvo dealer, opening one of the first regional Volvo dealerships in New South Wales. Through new brands and expanding facilities, the business continued adapting to Australia’s evolving automotive landscape.

In 1983, Mark Woodley joined as an apprentice panel beater, beginning, like those before him, on the workshop floor. When Warren retired in 2000, Mark Woodley and John Riolo stepped forward to lead the next generation.

They were later joined by Brad Wilson and Tim Stebbings, new partners who shared the same commitment to regional Australia and belief in doing business the Woodley’s way.

Together, they expanded the business through new facilities, additional brands and a larger team, including the 2017 acquisition of the Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, and Isuzu Ute franchises from Peel Valley Motors.

Today, Woodley’s represents multiple new-vehicle brands, a used-vehicle operation, and TJM.

Across more than a century of change, Woodley’s has remained true to its original promise – helping people travel safely and get home again.Lanhams Motor Group

In regional Australia, some businesses become part of the fabric of their communities, helping families, farmers, and businesses keep moving.

For Lanhams Motor Group, that story began in 1937 in Leeton, New South Wales, when young Stan Lanham purchased a modest spare parts and motor repair business known locally as Johnson’s Garage.

Soon afterwards, his father Elias joined him, and together they built the business through difficult years with skill, determination and trust.

What began as a small country garage became an integral part of life in the Riverina, keeping cars, trucks, machinery, and people moving.

In 1947, Lanhams became the official NRMA agent for the Leeton district, providing a vital motoring service that continues today. Over time, the family name became synonymous with practical assistance, fair dealing, and customer care.

In 1962, Stan’s son Garry began as an apprentice mechanic before moving into sales, while Trevor Lanham later joined to oversee the accounts department.

Each generation added something of its own. Ford arrived. Rental services followed. New brands, new facilities and changing customer expectations reshaped the industry, yet the core values remained unchanged – family, staff, customers and community.

Today, that commitment is reflected in support for local sport, charitable organisations, youth mental health initiatives, rural assistance programs, and workshop experiences that introduce young regional Australians to automotive careers.

The third generation arrived when Stuart Lanham returned to the business in 2011 after gaining experience elsewhere. He later became dealer principal and led a new era of growth.

In 2018, Lanhams expanded into Griffith, becoming Lanhams Motor Group across two proud Riverina locations.

In 2024, Mark Lanham joined as financial controller, strengthening the next chapter of family leadership. Today, representing Ford, Hyundai, LDV, and MG, Lanhams continues to grow while remaining firmly connected to its regional roots.

Nearly nine decades on, this is more than a story of brands, buildings or awards.

It is a story of enduring relationships across generations and communities. From a small country garage to one of Australia’s most enduring family-owned dealer groups, Lanhams Motor Group represents the very best of regional automotive retailing.