Auto Finance News announces 2025 Auto Finance Excellence Awards Recipients

LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Auto Finance News presented the 21st Annual Auto Finance Excellence Awards during a luncheon ceremony at Auto Finance Summit 2025, recognizing outstanding achievements in innovation, performance, and leadership across the auto finance industry. The awards, sponsored by Onbe, celebrate companies and executives who exemplify excellence, integrity, and advancement in the sector.

“This year’s honorees demonstrate the ingenuity and leadership driving the future of auto finance,” said JJ Hornblass, Publisher of Auto Finance News. “Their contributions strengthen the industry’s foundation of trust, accountability, and innovation.”

The 2025 Auto Finance Excellence Awards recipients are:

Operational Excellence

Wells Fargo Auto
Wells Fargo Auto was recognized for its new preferred financier arrangement with Volkswagen Financial Services, which spurred an 87% year-over-year jump in auto originations to $6.9 billion in Q2 2025. The multi-year co-branded agreement covers financing for Volkswagen and Audi vehicles in the U.S., with Ducati to follow in 2026. The partnership marks a major strategic win for Wells Fargo Auto, the nation’s 11th-largest auto lender.

Deal Execution

Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union
Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union received honors for executing its first-ever asset-backed securitization (ABS) backed by prime auto loans from a group of three credit unions. The $150 million transaction — a rare collaboration across multiple credit unions — underscores Alloya’s innovation in cooperative finance and its growing role as a capital markets partner for credit unions nationwide.

American Honda Finance Corp.
American Honda Finance Corp. was recognized for executing two of the largest auto securitization deals in recent history, including a $2.42 billion transaction in April — the biggest in 16 years — and a $2.36 billion deal just months earlier. The transactions demonstrate Honda’s leadership in structured finance and its continued strength in capital market execution.

Leadership

Elen Callahan, Head of Research & Education, Structured Finance Association
Elen Callahan was honored for her decades of service to the financial community, mentorship, and advocacy for integrity and transparency within structured finance. Her influence spans major institutions including Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, and her ongoing contributions shape best practices across secondary markets and asset-backed finance.

Mike Buckingham, Managing Director, Auto Finance, JD Power
Mike Buckingham received recognition for his enduring leadership and commitment to improving performance and accountability in auto finance. With a career spanning executive roles at Chrysler Financial, Bank One, Hyundai Capital, and now JD Power, Buckingham is known for his candor, strategic vision, and dedication to excellence in the industry. Auto Finance Summit 2025, held October 15–17 at the Bellagio Las Vegas, gathered hundreds of executives from banks, captives, independents, fintechs, and dealers to discuss the trends and technologies defining the future of vehicle finance.



About Auto Finance News
Founded in 1996, Auto Finance News is the premier source for news, data, and analysis in the auto finance industry. Through its events, research, and daily coverage, Auto Finance News connects and informs the executives shaping the future of auto lending and leasing.

Megan Mason
Royal Media
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