At the time the GADA’s Workers’ Compensation Fund (WCF) was created, the U.S. economy was marred by high unemployment and a severe economic downturn that was triggered by high inflation and rising interest rates. Then GADA President, William “Bill” Morie, with the help of GADA board members, was not deterred as they went from bank to bank to get the monies for the WCF covered by the then $100k FDIC rule. That was in 1982.
Since then, there have been a number of GADA members overseeing the WCF and making sure it remains stable while it grows. In 2015, William Strickland became the chair and serves in that position to this day. “I am so thankful for those who came before me. The fund is successful today because of the sound decisions that were made in the past,” stated William. “I am standing on the shoulders of giants; they did a wonderful job of setting up and managing the fund.”
Today, the WCF provides Georgia dealers with stable, low rates, prompt claims management, payroll coordination and more. In fact, during his time as chair, the board has been able to add a Safety Group to the program. Andy Willis, director of loss prevention and his team spearhead this effort, providing safety assessments for member dealerships at no charge.
The assessments provide dealers with suggestions and changes they can implement to help make the store a safer place to be. Protecting employees with smart policies is the goal. “Keeping our employees safe is so important, especially when it comes to highly skilled workers like our technicians. We should be doing everything we can to minimize injuries,” said William. “If they do get hurt, we can’t easily replace them. The last thing you want them to do is to get hurt.”
Looking forward, William hopes to add additional benefits to the WCF, but keeping it on a smooth, steady course is his main goal. With $103 million for members to access, the WCF is as healthy as it has ever been. Even better is that so many GADA members are prioritizing safety, which leads to fewer accidents and, ultimately, fewer claims. The year-end dividends are proof that being safety-minded works. “On average, I get about 50% of what I’ve paid in dividends back to our store,” said William. “It’s a huge money saver.”
“I’m very thankful for the leadership of our association. The WCF wouldn’t be doing as well as it is without the excellent job they do,” said William.
More About William
As a first-generation dealer, William has had to learn about the auto business from the ground up. During the economic downturn of 1991, he had the opportunity to purchase a struggling Chevrolet dealership in McDonough, Georgia. The dealership had many problems and was losing around $46,000 a month. He applied his sales background, hard work ethic and small-town values to begin the process of fixing the problems.
The first year was filled with many long days and some sleepless nights, but by 1992, William had right sided the company. “We didn’t make a whole lot of money that year, but we didn’t lose any money, and that was big news,” said William. “Had I known the stakes were as high as they were, I probably wouldn’t have made the journey,” said William. Today, Bellamy Strickland Chevrolet GMC is a staple of the community and stronger than ever.
In addition to running a successful dealership and serving on the GADA board, it is important to William to give back to his community. The dealership is proud to be a sponsor of local youth sports, the Henry County and Forsyth-Monroe Chambers of Commerce, and A Friends House in Henry County, which provides a safe and loving environment for children in crisis in McDonough. Because of his many achievements, William was the 2020 Georgia TIME Dealer of the Year Nominee.
