GADA Convention
This June, we hosted our annual GADA Convention in Ponte Vedra, Florida. It was a great weekend! As always, we appreciate the participation of our generous sponsors. They are essential to making the convention a productive and enjoyable event for everyone.
Thank you to our keynote speaker, Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns. We were honored to have Speaker Burns and his wife, Dayle, join us. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear our business session speakers: Glenn Mercer, who gave us an insightful presentation about what’s happening in the industry, NADA Attorney Lauren Bailey, who updated attendees on all that is happening on the franchise law frontier and Kevin Murrell from Assurant, who shared his advice on turning salespeople into master marketers.
It was wonderful to see some new faces this year. I hope to see even more at the 2024 GADA Convention. If you haven’t attended a GADA Convention before, give it a try! You won’t regret spending a weekend getting to know fellow dealers and connecting with businesses that can help you succeed. You get to learn, network and make valuable connections, and of course, enjoy a weekend on the beach in a beautiful location! Be sure to save the dates for the 2024 GADA Convention: June 13‑16, 2024, at The Cloister in Sea Island.
Engagement and Advocacy
A strong Political Action Committee (PAC) is necessary to maintain the connections and solid reputation GADA has earned with many lawmakers. GADA’s PAC, the Committee of Automobile Retail Dealers (CARD), supports legislators who have demonstrated interest in the welfare of the automobile retail industry and small business in general. CARD contributions are requested as part of dues billing each year. Many dealerships contribute the suggested amount of $500 every year, and for that, we are most grateful. If you don’t know whether your dealership has contributed for 2023-2024, we can check on that for you. If you aren’t contributing, we humbly ask that you do so; your financial support is incredibly important to our efforts.
Not only is financial support a necessary component of GADA’s advocacy, but participation and engagement in the political process are essential too. For the past two years, GADA has hosted Dealer Day at the Capitol during the legislative session. This is an opportunity to get a glimpse of what’s happening at the State Capitol and to interact with each other and legislators. ALL GADA MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE INVITED, so keep an eye out for details and plan to attend this year!
What’s Happening at GADA
Currently, we are gearing up for the launch of a new online GADA publication directory. Be sure to stay on the lookout for information about this exciting addition to our website.
Earlier in September, I, along with the GADA Governmental Relations team and dealers, headed to Washington, D.C. and talked with members of Congress about issues facing our industry. On that note, not only does CARD need your support, but NADA PAC does as well. Please consider contributing to both CARD and NADA PAC.
Finally, we are looking forward to our Regional Lunches with Legislators this Fall/Winter. Like Dealer Day at the Capitol, these regional lunches are an opportunity to share your thoughts and concerns with lawmakers on a more personal level and with the added benefit of food! All dealers are encouraged to attend at least one lunch. There is nothing more valuable than face time with lawmakers who have the power to make decisions that ultimately affect your business. Let’s make this year’s Regional Lunches the best attended ever!
As always, feel free to reach out to me with feedback and ideas on how GADA can help you thrive!
