Pub. 1 2019 Issue 1

President’s Message W elcome to our first edition of our very own Central Florida Auto Dealers Association, Inc. magazine. It is such an interesting time in our industry that we thought it would be a great time to communicate the old fashioned way — through print. Of course, you can find anything you need to know on our website, but the magazine is just our way of being more present and more available to you. It is also our way of sharing your stories, your strug- gles, and of course, your triumphs! Together we can make a difference in our region. We’ve called our magazine Accel- erate for a reason. The first is that we are being intentional about not just calling it mobility. We are in the mobility industry, but helping our communities move from one point to another is not all that we do. We improve lives, change lives, strengthen our present and contrib- ute to our future. In 2018, Central Florida had an estimated $13 billion in car sales or 28% of state sales (Auto Alliance, 2019). These were the results of selling over 400,000 new cars (30% of the state sales) and registering a total of 4.7 million vehicles (27.48% of total registra- tions in the state). Auto dealers pro- vide the state with almost 171,000 jobs, an average of 94 employees per store (NADA, 2019). Truly we are more than just mobility, we ac- celerate our communities’ economic fortitude. In this issue you will meet our 2019 leadership, learn about upcom- ing events, and get to know our current and past chair. You will learn more about industry issues like ADA compliant websites, car sales, change, and marketing. We have also included the latest on the automotive tech career. This year, CFADA is creating a comprehen- sive strategy to grow awareness of automotive technology and the technicians required to keep our cars healthy. It is no secret that we need more techs. We need STEM minded professionals who understand the technology in our cars and can help us keep our communities moving. We invite you to partner with us on this effort. If you are doing something creative or unique to acquire more techs or grow-your-own, we want to hear from you. If you have ideas on how to help recruit, please let us know. If you would like to see an industry topic covered, please reach out to us. Together we improve our indus- try and our communities. Sincerely, Evelyn Cardenas President/CEO Central Florida Auto Dealers Association Evelyn Cardenas President/CEO Central Florida Auto Dealers Association We’ve called our magazine Accelerate for a reason. The first is that we are being intentional about not just calling it mobility. We are in the mobility industry, but helping our communities move from one point to another is not all that we do. We improve lives, change lives, strengthen our present and contribute to our future. 2 Issue 1 2019