Kirk Schneider was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he attended Cottonwood High School. In 1981, he received a B.S. in Business Management from the University of Utah. In the spring of 1979, Kirk was lucky to go on a blind date with a beautiful blonde in a yellow Corvette. That decision ultimately changed the course of his life. In March of 1983, Kirk and that beautiful blonde, Nata Wade, married and began their lifelong friendship, partnership and love affair. They now have three daughters and six grandchildren.
In January of 1984, Kirk was fortunate to have Nata’s father, Nate Wade, offer him a job at Nate Wade Subaru. Nate had a strong team of lifelong people who accepted Kirk and taught him the car business. Kirk still jokes that he will never have seniority at Nate Wade Subaru. In 1996, Nate sold the dealership to Kirk and Nata, which began a whole new adventure. In 1998, they took on the Daewoo Franchise but quickly realized that putting all their effort into the burgeoning Subaru brand was a better strategy and sold Daewoo 18 months later.
The team at Nate Wade Subaru has been recognized by Subaru for their excellence in winning the Pinnacle Club, Chairman’s Roundtable and Pleiades Club awards on multiple occasions. Because of the strength of this team, Kirk was able to pursue various service opportunities throughout the industry. He served on the Subaru National Retail Advisory Board for 16 years, serving as chairman on two occasions. He has served on the board of the New Car Dealers of Utah for over 20 years, serving as president in 2001-2002. He served on the Utah Motor Vehicle Advisory Board and the UADA Insurance Trust board. He has chaired the Auto Expo since 1995. Kirk succeeded Stephen Wade as the NADA director from Utah in 2014, a position he continues to hold today.
Kirk served on the boards of The National Ability Center and KUED. With the Nate Wade Team, Kirk and Nata have been able to support many Utah Charities, including The Huntsman Cancer Foundation, The 4th Street Clinic, Youthlinc and the Boys and Girls Clubs. They are proud to say that since 2016, they have granted 35 wishes to Utah kids through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and have sent over 300 veterans to Washington, D.C., on the Utah Honor Flight.
The New Car Dealers of Utah is proud to welcome Kirk Schneider into the 2024 Hall of Fame and recognizes his contribution to his community and the automotive industry.
