Pat McGrath to Receive Prestigious Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award
January 15, 2026 | Business Support, Community Development, Membership
McGrath to be Recognized at Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Annual Meeting
The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance announces Pat McGrath, as the recipient of the 2025 Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award.
McGrath will receive the award and provide acceptance remarks during the Economic Alliance’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 29th. Doors open at 11 a.m. with program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton.
The Annual Meeting is the Economic Alliance’s signature event, where valued member businesses and regional champions come together to celebrate achievements and learn about the organization’s goals for the year ahead.
“Congratulations to our Howard Hall recipient, Pat McGrath!” said Juliet Abdel, CEO of Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. “Every year, nominations inspire us and remind us of what makes our region thrive. The winner demonstrates incredible vision, leadership, contributions toward making Cedar Rapids more prosperous in the future.”
Pat McGrath has built opportunity, community and a business that changes people’s lives as the driving force behind McGrath Family of Dealerships. His impact can be felt in every corner of the region and beyond.
Pat earned a marketing degree from the University of Northern Iowa and joined the family business in 1980. Since that time, he has steadily transformed the company from one location with 30 employees into a robust enterprise with 13 automotive dealerships, 4 motorcycle dealerships, and more than 900 employees across the region.
Pat’s entrepreneurial spirit is matched by his deep integrity. The McGrath mission – Do The Right Thing. Exceed Expectations. Make a Difference – is more than a tagline; it’s a way of life. Pat leads with humility and gives generously. His leadership has been recognized nationally, garnering the Chevrolet’s Dealer of the Year Award four times, placing him among the top 1% of dealers in the country. In addition, he was nominated for the 2022 Time Dealer of the Year Award. The company has grown into the largest family-owned automotive company in Iowa.
Pat and his late wife, Mary Kay, who passed away in early 2024, shared a strong belief in using their success to serve others. Together, they supported a wide range of causes through the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and their own McGrath Cares Foundation. One of Pat’s most visible community legacies is Triple Play Park, formerly Hitter’s Park, which he and Mary Kay purchased and revitalized into a premier youth baseball and softball facility that is now a regional destination.
Still, Pat points to the people who matter most: the team he has built, customers who return year after year, and his children – Lindsay, Gavin and Jaymie – who now carry the business forward alongside their cousin Murphy. Pat McGrath represents what it means to lead with vision, purpose and heart. His legacy is measured not just in business success but in the countless lives made better because of it.
The Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award is given to a premier business leader who exemplifies the outstanding, enduring business values of Howard Hall and his passion for a vibrant Cedar Rapids. Howard Hall (1894-1971) was an industrialist and philanthropist who used his influence to create a better local economy and community. Hall was dedicated to the development of the region and frequently worked behind the scenes to attract new businesses and jobs. Our community benefits from the many contributions of the Hall Family today.