SUMMER 2022 Dealers’ Choice Pub 62 2021-22 | Issue 4 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TEXAS AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION GETTING TO KNOW TXDMV’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – DANIEL AVITIA BRUCKNER'S— THE FIRST MACK EV CERTIFIED DEALER IN TEXAS Texas Dealer Academy Members in Washington D.C. Advocating for Support of the Auto Industry
1311606 8/24/20 73-772 ENDORSED SINCE 2010 This is a paid endorsement. Property and casualty coverages are underwritten, and safety services are provided, by a member of the Sentry Insurance Group, Stevens Point, WI. For a complete listing of companies, visit sentry.com. Policies, coverages, benefits, and discounts are not available in all states. See policy for complete coverage details. To the businesses that do right by all of us, thank you. You make us proud to insure dealerships like yours. You sell and service the vehicles that helpkeepAmericans safe, active, and focusedon the roadahead. Because you do right by us, we’ll be right by you. sentry.com
Jim Stephenson, VLK Principal of Automotive jstephenson@vlkarchitects.com | 817.633.9620 YOU PUT YOUR CUSTOMERS IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT. AT VLK, WE DO TOO. Learn more about our client-first approach. Grubbs Infiniti, Grapevine TX
Dealers’ Choice is a publ ication of The newsLINK Group and i s the of f ic i a l publication of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association. Dealers’ Choice is published four t imes per year by The newsLINK Group, LLC. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Dealers’ Choice or its publisher, The newsLINK Group, LLC. Any legal advice should be regarded as general information. It is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney for counsel regarding specific circumstances. Likewise, the appearance of adver t i ser s does not cons t it ute an endorsement of the products or services featured by The newsLINK Group, LLC. SUMMER 2022 Dealers’ Choice Pub 62 2021-22 | Issue 4 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE TEXAS AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION GETTING TO KNOW TXDMV’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – DANIEL AVITIA BRUCKNER'S— THE FIRST MACK EV CERTIFIED DEALER IN TEXAS Texas Dealer Academy Members in Washington D.C. Advocating for Support of the Auto Industry Scan this code with your smart phone for a direct link to the TADA website. 10 Dealers’ Choice 12 14 6 A Message From TADA President Darren Whitehurst 10 Myths & Misconceptions About the Revised FTC Safeguards Rule 12 Getting to Know TxDMV’s New Executive Director — Daniel Avitia 14 Texas Dealer Academy in Washington D.C. 17 NADA Recognized with 28th Annual Communicator Award 18 Bruckner's — A Family Legacy of Excellence 20 Bruckner's — The First Mack EV Certified Dealer in Texas 23 McRee Ford Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary 24 Community Service 26 2022 TADA Leadership 27 2022 TADA Board of Directors 30 Valley Automobile Dealers Reward $51,000 in Scholarships to Students 32 HADA Awards Scholarships for 2022-2023 School Year 34 TADA-Endorsed Lone Star Sponsors 36 Growing Your Own Auto Technicians 40 Ben Keating Wins the GT-AM Category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans! 4
A Message From TADA President Darren Whitehurst I received approval from Business View Magazine to reprint the article published in the April/May issue which I am including below. I did want to mention that we are now less than six months away from the start of the 88th Texas Legislature and it promises to be an active one. We still have the General Election (November 8th) between now and then, but I want to encourage you to connect with your local elected officials, most of whom you know to educate them on issues of importance to you and to Texas automobile dealers across the state. TADA is hard at work representing you on the legislative, legal, and regulatory fronts. Darren Whitehurst, President Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) The driving voice for change As the statewide trade association for nearly 1,400 franchised automobile dealerships in nearly 300 communities throughout the State of Texas, the Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) represents the dealer body before the Texas Legislature, Congress, and all regulatory agencies. TADA members are part of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), the organization representing all franchised automobile dealers in the U.S. TADA is the voice of Texas’ franchised automobile dealers (cars and heavy trucks) in public policy and regulatory matters, advocating on behalf of its members for fair and ethical business practices to better serve consumers in Texas. Members rely on TADA as a valuable resource, providing access to business best practices, educational training programs, legal support, and an annual conference. The association also supports programs for the resolution of consumer complaints — prioritizing consumer welfare by promoting motor vehicle and driver safety, and a safe highway system. By supporting laws that benefit franchised dealers, the automobile industry, and consumers, TADA nurtures a business climate that stimulates growth, opportunity, and financial stability. TADA has existed for more than a century and over time embraces the franchised dealer laws that exist in the state today. Darren Whitehurst, President of TADA, explains, “The franchised dealer system in Texas was put in place to prevent monopolistic behavior on the part of manufacturers selling vehicles directly to the consumer to make sure consumers are getting the best possible deal on the vehicles they are purchasing. Members have an interesting relationship with the manufacturers who supply the vehicles to dealers and regularly have a great relationship with the consumers in providing both the sale and the servicing of vehicles that are sold to them.” Whitehurst has been with TADA for two years and has the utmost respect for his predecessor, Bill Wolters, who worked for TADA for 40 years and “put together a fantastic team.” The association focuses on three areas: The legislative side (franchise laws that are established by the legislature), the enforcement side (regulatory), and the legal side. 6
When Bill Wolters retired, Whitehurst inherited a seasoned team with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the franchised dealer system. “And we have some of the most fantastic dealers in the country, here in Texas,” Whitehurst boasts. “The association had built a lot of goodwill, particularly at the local level regarding community involvement. That’s one of the reasons they are successful at the Capitol because all politics ultimately are local and so that really benefits dealers because they are so generous and involved with their communities.” When it comes to policy concerns of chief importance, dealers are most likely to start off with the direct sale issue, and what’s going on in the EV marketplace. Dealers appreciate the technology, but any desire to sell vehicles directly is not legal in Texas and would move the automobile industry toward monopolistic behavior, costing the consumer more money and limiting service and warranty protections. According to Whitehurst, “for the dealers, the relationship goes beyond just selling the initial sale of the vehicle — it extends to what happens after the customer takes the vehicle home and something goes wrong or there is a recall.” Another issue is the chip shortage, which is resulting in the lack of inventory and what dealers have available to sell. Beyond chips, parts are incredibly important to servicing these vehicles and there is a severe shortage of parts. Additionally, there are issues relating to warranty work that dealers perform on vehicles which are under a manufacturer warranty. “Often there are disagreements on what the manufacturer should be paying to the dealer as far as warranty,” says Whitehurst. “Our statute does spell out what Manufacturers are supposed to be paying but it doesn’t always happen. Ultimately the dealer serves as an advocate for the consumer in dealing with the manufacturers.” Texas automobile dealers are licensed to provide ‘temp tags’ for vehicles until they get their permanent plates. But there has recently been significant fraud and abuse that has occurred on the used car side. People who are not actually dealers are being licensed as used car dealers and then printing thousands of tags that are being used for criminal activity. TADA is working with the regulatory agency on solutions to curtail giving temporary tag access to these individuals while not burdening the legitimate dealers who are providing a service to the customer. According to Whitehurst, “The county Tax AssessorCollectors are responsible for titling and registering vehicles. During the pandemic, we ran into problems, especially with some of the larger counties, in getting them processed in a timely manner. They’ve tried to set up a system that allows the dealers to go outside of their county of origin to try to get those tags quicker from another county if they are willing to accept and process the transaction.” TADA also worked on legislation that would require insurance companies to pay for manufacturer parts, rather than aftermarket parts that may not be as effective. From a consumer perspective, if you put an aftermarket part that does not meet manufacturer specifications on a vehicle, you may be decreasing the value of that vehicle as well as making it less safe. The Texas legislature only meets every other year, so TADA’s legislative committee will continue talking about the priorities they see for the association and what they believe it should be focused on for the next legislative session in 2023. The actions TADA takes in the legislature are driven by the association’s legislative committee and board of directors. Whitehurst acknowledges, “We have a lot of multigenerational dealer families in the state that have ownership interest in dealerships. In all, there are about 1,400 dealerships in Texas ranging from large organizations like Group 1, Berkshire Hathaway, AutoNation, and Lithia that have multiple dealerships, to family-run dealerships. We support them all. We operate a Texas Dealer Academy that focuses on developing younger dealers and providing them with a forum to build relationships and obtain insights and tools they can use in their daily work. At the end of the day, we’re going to work on issues that are important to our dealers and we take input from all of our dealer groups. That’s how we’re trying to create a collaborative atmosphere for sharing information on best practices and what’s going on at the grassroots level.” The Texas legislature only meets every other year, so TADA’s legislative committee will continue talking about the priorities they see for the association and what they believe it should be focused on for the next legislative session in 2023. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE — CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 7 SUMMER 2022
The onset of COVID caused the association to cancel a couple of their conferences and go virtual for networking, which the membership wasn’t thrilled about, but they took it all in stride. As Whitehurst reports, “Our dealers are what I would call a great group of extroverts and businesspeople. They are ultimate competitors in the marketplace they share, but at the same time a lot of them are good friends. The virtual setting worked to some extent, but they really wanted to get back together in-person. Like their customers who want to come in and put their hands on the vehicle and go for a test drive, the dealers couldn’t wait to get back in the same room, share ideas, and enjoy the experience of working together.” Looking to the future, Whitehurst believes that what is important to the association now will continue to be so going forward. He shares, “The franchise dealer system in Texas has evolved over many years. Every session, we’ve faced opportunities and challenges. We’ve seen attacks from some who want to prioritize profits over people and sell directly. This will continue to be an issue. But I am confident that manufacturers recognize the importance of dealer networks and their ability to deliver product most efficiently to the consumer, as well as service them when there are problems. Technology is moving so fast, and we’ll be seeing lots of advancements. For Texas dealers those advancements are exciting, and we see great opportunity to ensure the customer can safely travel for fun or work around this great state.” AT A GLANCE The Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) What: A statewide trade association representing nearly 1,400 franchised automobile dealerships Where: Based in Austin, TX Website: www.tada.org Meta description Business View Magazine interviews Darren Whitehurst, President of Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA), for our focus on Top U.S. Auto Retailers. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE — CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 8
Of course there is a return on investment but we get the real benefit on our insurance premium for our inventory so that was the biggest financial driver on top of tax credits plus accelerated depreciation. I would tell my fellow dealers to contact Big Sun Solar to look at the opportunity and have them crunch the numbers. Let Big Sun Solar crunch the numbers for your dealership! Contact us today! auto@bigsunsolar.com | 210.960.2303 Bobby Cavender President, Cavender Auto Group Auto Dealers across Texas are going solar to save big! TECL #32590
By now, almost all dealerships are aware that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revised the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) Safeguards Rule, for the first time in 20 years, with the new regulations going into effect on Dec. 9, 2022. In conjunction with these new regulations, the FTC released a 145-page publication of comments and clarifications to certain aspects of the new Rule, and dealers have been bombarded with seminars, webinars, articles, and sales pitches from various sources about its interpretation. Unfortunately, all that information has caused some misinformation as well. So, let’s bust the most common myths and misconceptions about the revised Safeguards Rule. Myths & Misconceptions About the Revised FTC Safeguards Rule MYTH # 1: Dealers don’t need to perform penetration testing or vulnerability scanning if they’re doing 24/7 threat detection monitoring through an EDR, MDR, or SIEM tool. The regulations create an exception to annual penetration testing and biannual vulnerability scans if the dealer is performing “continuous monitoring.” However, many IT companies and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) have gotten into the habit of liberally throwing around the term “continuous monitoring” to describe their EDR, MDR, and SIEM tools. We believe that many of those tools may not satisfy true “continuous monitoring” requirement in the way it is defined by By Chris Cleveland, CFO and Hao Nguyen, Esq., General Counsel, ComplyAuto 10
the FTC’s regulations. Not that those tools aren’t valuable — they are in fact very valuable and we highly recommend them — it is just unlikely that it exempts you from completing the required penetration tests and vulnerability assessments. The regulations define “continuous monitoring” as a system that performs the following items in a real-time, ongoing manner: 1. Monitoring for security threats; 2. Detection of misconfigured systems; and 3. Vulnerability assessments. While most tools do the first item (monitoring for security threats), the vast majority are not performing items two and three (real-time, ongoing configuration scanning and vulnerability assessments). There are tools out there that offer various packages that can do true continuous monitoring (e.g., Splunk, DataDog, Qualys, to name a few), but they’re very expensive. It was noted in an FTC Workshop that the type of continuous monitoring referenced in the Safeguards Rule could cost a small- to mid-sized company around $600,000 per year. The FTC even implies that you'd need dedicated and experienced staff to monitor the logs and activity by a system aroundthe-clock, 24/7/365. In fact, the prohibitively high cost is precisely why the FTC allows businesses to complete an annual penetration test and biannual vulnerability assessment as an alternative to continuous monitoring. In short, most dealers will not be performing “continuous monitoring” as contemplated by the new regulations and will therefore still need to perform an annual penetration test and biannual vulnerability assessment. MYTH # 2: Under the law, dealers need to hire a full-time Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or another security professional. While the originally proposed rules were contemplating requiring a CISO be appointed to oversee your information security program, this was ultimately replaced by a requirement that you simply appoint a single “qualified individual” at the dealership. No particular level of education, experience, or certification is defined by the Safeguards Rule. According to the FTC, dealers may designate any qualified individual who is appropriate for their business based on their size and complexity. The purpose behind requiring the designation of a single coordinator is to improve accountability, avoid gaps in responsibility in managing data security, and improve communication. Note that while the “qualified individual” must have ultimate responsibility for overseeing and managing the information security program, dealers may still delegate particular duties, decision-making, and responsibilities to other staff members. Moreover, the Safeguard Rule does not require that this be the person’s sole job — he or she may have other duties. MYTH # 3: Dealers who host all their customer information in the cloud (e.g., in their DMS and CRM) don’t need to worry about the new requirements because information security is the vendor’s responsibility. Actually, this is quite the opposite. Not only is it naive to think that all your customer non-public personal information (NPI) is in the cloud (think every time a sales or finance person downloads a bank “stip” from their email onto their PC), but the regulations specifically make verifying service providers’ security the dealer’s responsibility. For example, dealers are required to (1) require their service providers by contract to implement and maintain reasonable safeguards and (2) periodically assess their service providers based on the risk they present and the continued adequacy of their safeguards. In any event, dealers are responsible for their own network security and implementation of the new rule (e.g., encryption, multi-factor authentication, penetration testing, etc.), regardless of their service providers’ level of involvement. These are just a few examples of how a complex set of regulations with technical jargon can give rise to an abundance of inaccurate information. For more information on ComplyAuto’s suite of tools to help dealerships comply with state consumer privacy laws and all aspects of the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act revised Safeguards Rule, by reinforcing the dealership’s existing data protection and cybersecurity protocols through penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and dealer-specific phishing simulation software, go to https://complyauto.com. Note that while the “qualified individual” must have ultimate responsibility for overseeing and managing the information security program, dealers may still delegate particular duties, decision-making, and responsibilities to other staff members. Moreover, the Safeguard Rule does not require that this be the person’s sole job – he or she may have other duties. 11 SUMMER 2022
Getting to Know TxDMV’s New Executive Director —Daniel Avitia The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) has appointed Daniel Avitia as the organization’s executive director. He joined TxDMV in 2014 as the director of the Motor Vehicle Division and started serving as the interim executive director in February 2022. TADA recently spoke with Daniel about his life, new position and other subjects. Daniel Avitia grew up in the West Texas town of El Paso. He has two brothers, and his family life growing up was steady, supportive and very lowkey. Daniel held multiple leadership roles during high school, serving as a vice president in the student council and for the student body. Daniel married “an amazing woman named Patricia,” he said. Daniel has five children, three young men and two daughters, between the ages of two-and-a-half and 21. They also have two dogs. “I’ve always had dogs, and I always will. Patricia’s dog is a Boston terrier. Mine is a Labrador, Dalmatian and Husky mix with the energy of a Husky,” said Daniel. “I wish I’d had her when I was a runner.” Daniel planned to become a lawyer, so he earned a B.A. with a concentration in pre-law and went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration. He began at the University of Texas at El Paso and completed his education at the University of Texas at Austin. Upon learning that his first child was on the way, he decided not to attend law school. Instead, Daniel focused on a master’s degree part time. This choice allowed Daniel to work full time and continue his education. He has now served in state government for more than 25 years. “I saw the huge potential of serving in state government because of the opportunity to help stakeholders and causes,” said Daniel. “I’ve made a positive difference in the lives of others, and the government has given me many opportunities to have a direct, positive impact throughout the state. Because of my work, I feel personal satisfaction and achievement.” Before working at TxDMV, Daniel held leadership roles in organizations such as the University of Texas at El Paso, the Department of Assisted and Rehabilitative Services, Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture. He particularly enjoyed his work at the University of Texas at El Paso. Daniel was involved in several transformational projects there, such as preparing the Sun Bowl Stadium for soccer games by cutting out the corners to comply with size requirements, securing funding and a contractor for a new campus bookstore and modernizing classrooms. Daniel became interested in working at TxDMV because he always had a passion for automobiles and the motor vehicle industry. During the 1970s, he played with Hot Wheels and had two hot-wheel cities that his children have also played with. As a teenager, he watched automotive shows to see new technologies and learn more about the automotive industry. Joining the executive 12
team at TxDMV was a dream job for Daniel because of the way TxDMV supports the motor vehicle industry. Daniel’s professional life has been a fulfilling one. His tenure with the state has allowed him to learn about many different aspects of higher education, health, agriculture and the motor vehicle industry. His leadership opportunities have taught him how to provide vision, strategic and critical thinking, authenticity, selfawareness, flexibility and open-mindedness within his role at TxDMV. He knows how to be accountable and dependable for department staff, the TxDMV board, the stakeholders and the customers being served. Since Daniel joined the TxDMV in 2014, he has had challenges, opportunities and accomplishments in each position. As the director of the Motor Vehicle Division, starting in 2014, Daniel streamlined operations and directed the implementation of a paperless licensure system. He also built relationships with stakeholders. In 2020, as the deputy executive director, the role was very different. Daniel oversaw the administrative functions of the agency. He worked hard in that capacity to improve customer service and focus on stakeholder relationships and other relationships within the agency’s purview. As the interim director starting in February 2022, Daniel worked with the staff and board to identify and implement security features and prevent temp tag fraud. He also started to rebuild and focus on stakeholder relationships. If you look at Daniel’s career, it seems as though he planned it, but that’s misleading. “I didn’t plan anything,” said Daniel. “A lot of the opportunities I’ve had were because of serendipity, and when they arrived, I tried to do my best every day in every leadership position. I didn’t expect to become the executive director in May 2022, but I welcome leading the amazing TxDMV department.” Daniel’s new position does not have a set term. The board will determine the length of Daniel’s tenure. However, he sees a lot of work that needs to be done to move the department forward. He will continue to work toward improving operations, building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, and allocating state resources efficiently. Daniel sees two serious issues facing dealers in the next five years. The first one involves customer expectations about vehicle purchases. Customers have high standards about what they expect, and dealers should be responsive to that. However, he thinks dealers are up for the task. “I am glad to say that every experience I have had when buying a vehicle from a Texas franchised dealer has been nothing short of amazing,” he said. The second issue or challenge is inventory. “It pains me to see franchised dealer lots with very few cars,” said Daniel. “I understand the challenges the franchised dealers are going through to get vehicles, but I hope the problems won’t last five years. Again, it pains me to see so few cars on lots.” Daniel hopes TADA members will be engaged with TxDMV and feel comfortable voicing their thoughts, ideas and concerns, either with staff or through the association. “We are working hard to be aligned with stakeholders’ needs, but we need to hear from them to learn about their problems and potential solutions,” said Daniel. Daniel has learned important lessons during his career about working within government. “Having a positive outlook is a big help when it comes to being successful,” said Daniel. “My work in state government always comes with opportunities and challenges, but you can achieve anything if you are focused, have an open mind, and keep your feet grounded. Every time I speak with someone or take on a new project, the relationships I build are a chance for growth. Even more important than that, though, are the opportunities to have a positive impact on the people around me.” When asked what Daniel wants dealers to remember from this article, he said, “I think franchised dealers throughout the state are amazing. They are a tremendous presence in our state and are vital to the economy. I have thoroughly enjoyed building relationships with many of them throughout my tenure at TxDMV. Many of them have my personal phone number and reach out often. I hope that will continue. I enjoy visiting with them, and I will work hard to continue existing relationships and build more. Finally, I am here to help and support them in any way I can. I have enjoyed partnering with TADA for eight-and-a-half years; I have a great relationship with TADA’s leaders and the franchise dealerships, and I want to continue those relationships as executive director.” “I’ve made a positive difference in the lives of others, and the government has given me many opportunities to have a direct, positive impact throughout the state. Because of my work, I feel personal satisfaction and achievement.” 13 SUMMER 2022
Texas Dealer Academy (TDA) members returned to Washington, D.C. in mid-May to lobby the Texas congressional delegation on important Federal priorities identified by the NADA Legislative Office. The trip had originally been planned for June 2020, but the pandemic and continuing restrictions on operations in Washington, D.C. pushed the visits to May 2022. The TDA group was one of the first visits by franchised dealers to Capitol Hill since the pandemic began. Led by TDA Trustee WB Cavender, TDA Chair Claire McDonald, and TDA Chair-Elect Jacob Boggus, TDA members from throughout the state spent several days advocating for support of the industry and two major pieces of legislation. The legislation included bills to provide franchised dealers LIFO relief needed because of the chip shortage and a bill to help curb the rising number of catalytic converter thefts. The event began with a joint dinner with the NADA Legislative Office where Congressman Jake Ellzey joined the group and provided his outlook on the congressional agenda. The next morning the group was joined for breakfast by Congresswoman Veronica Escobar and Congressman Michael McCaul. The rest of the day included visits with both Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as 10 other Members of the Texas congressional delegation. The event closed with a breakfast discussion the following morning with NADA’s Lauren Bailey, the Director of Franchising and State Law for NADA. She provided the group with an overview of important dealer issues being considered by state legislatures throughout the country. Thanks to all who attended! Texas Dealer Academy in Washington D.C. 14
15 SUMMER 2022
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NADA was selected by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts as a Communicator Award winner. The Communicator Awards were founded nearly 30 years ago and recognize excellence, effectiveness, and innovation in all areas of communication across a variety of industries. NADA was recognized for a video made in partnership with the Coalition for EV Choice and Competition, which is part of a series highlighting dealers’ commitment to bringing electric vehicles (EVs) to consumers nationwide. The video, featuring John Luciano, owner and general manager of Street Volkswagen in Amarillo, Texas, shares the dealership’s investment in amplifying the mass-market adoption of EVs. The Texas panhandle dealer has installed a home charger in his dealership to demonstrate the ease of home charging and has also hired an electrician to help EV customers to install their own chargers. The Communicator Awards are judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, a prestigious group of toptier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms. This is the second time NADA has been honored with this prestigious award, which is recognized and respected in the production community, both visual and audio. NADA’s first Communicator Award was received in May 2019 for the NADA Foundation Workforce Initiative campaign highlighting the career path of successful service technicians working in dealerships across the country. NADA Recognized with 28th Annual Communicator Award 17 SUMMER 2022
Bruckner's—A Family Legacy of Excellence Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment recently qualified for EV certification. The certification is the first to be awarded to a Mack dealership in Texas, so TADA visited with Brian Bruckner, president of Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment, about the family business and that accomplishment. Brian went to Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and earned a B.A. in general business. The Bruckner family legacy started when B.M. “Bennie” Bruckner, Sr., lost a job at a local Amarillo power plant in 1932 during the height of the Great Depression. He had a wife and two young children. At that time, the Texas panhandle was dealing with dustbowl conditions, and the wind blew enough dust to hide the sun for days. Times were tough for everyone. But Bennie was a mechanical wizard who could fix almost anything. He had always worked on the side fixing cars for family members when they had a car problem. As a result, it was natural for Bennie to start Bruckner’s Garage on Sanborn Street in a shop behind his house. His wife kept the books, and a 16-year-old cousin living with them became the first employee. The company soon moved into sales and began to sell industrial engines. The franchises for the truck lines he sold didn’t last past the end of World War II, but he had a big break in 1948 when he was given a Mack truck franchise. It was very successful, and Bennie became known across the country as one of the best Mack truck dealers in the U.S. When Brian’s dad, Ben Bruckner Jr., was still in a bassinet, Bennie put the bassinet on his workbench. Ben grew up working in the business, was a shop foreman while he was in high school, and went to Texas Tech in Lubbock. Like many of the men of his generation, Ben served four years in the army, was honorably discharged, and returned to work in the family business in the early 1950s. He served at Fort Huachuca in Arizona as a signal corps member and brought back the knowledge he learned about supplies and inventories to modernize the business. Ben never retired; he died in 2011 when he was 82. Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment became a third-generation family business when Bennie started giving Brian summer jobs to do when he was 12. By the time he graduated from college in 1990, he had worked everywhere except the lot and sales. Brian worked in sales and leasing for 10 years, then was promoted to general manager of the Amarillo, Texas, dealership. He has been full-time for 32 years and began his current role as president in 2007. His younger Brian Bruckner 18
brother, Chris, has been with the company since 1994 and is the executive vice president and partner. They have divided their responsibilities and duties according to their specific strengths. Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment in Fort Worth, Texas, is the first EV certified Mack dealership in the state. “We recognized that electric vehicles were going to be important in the future and the industry,” said Brian. “We wanted to support EVs as they come into the marketplace. We didn’t sell the EVs at Fort Worth. A dealer sold them in another state as part of another fleet package, but we will be supporting them. These EVs will deliver beer cans to the Miller brewery in Texas; there are several prospects to sell vehicles in that market.” The cost of meeting the EV certification requirements varies. One major cost was the charger itself. There can also be a cost for the electrical service coming into the building. The EV certification required 480 V threephase electricity, but the Fort Worth location already had that for its trucks, which brought the cost down. The charger, installation, training and tools to satisfy the requirements cost about $200,000. For Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment, certification took almost nine months after the company’s leadership started the process and ended in May 2022. Employees had to be trained, and Bruckner’s had to bring in tooling. The setup for the charger took the longest time. Chargers were in short supply, and Bruckners had to modify the site’s electrical service and run the line out to the place in the parking lot where the charger was to be located. Bruckner’s chose to place the charger in the yard because that location made the most sense in terms of accessibility for heavy-duty trucks. Access within the service department would have been more limited because the charger could have been blocked if another truck was being worked on. The current charger location works well, but employees are still learning about EVs and charging. Charging time depends on the battery configuration of the truck being charged and is measured in kilowatthours. Speeds range between 50 kilowatt-hours and 250 kilowatt-hours. “We installed a 150-kilowatt charger because trucks in the shop for service don’t need rapid charging,” said Brian. Trucks have battery configurations of four batteries or six batteries. Charging time also varies a lot depending on how depleted the battery is. Generally, a complete charge takes about three to four hours. Bruckner’s Trucking and Equipment has two EV-certified techs, Yamil Salgado and Bryan Renfro. They were chosen for certification because they were some of the most senior and experienced technicians. “The training was a technical challenge and involved an extensive process,” said Brian. “We wanted very experienced technicians for it. They took online courses and then had a one-week in-person training period. However, because of the high voltages involved, we had everyone trained about safety. We call the work area a pen, and when the technicians pull a truck into the pen, no one else is allowed in while they are working on the EV.” Mileage between charges varies on a Mack LR Electric and is dependent on the load and driving conditions. “We expect the LR to be used in refuse service,” Brian said. “It is usually driven 100-120 miles on a residential route and has about 700 stops along the route. If you compare that to a Mack or a Volvo electric on a highway, those trucks can travel 275 miles between charges. A highway type service is a very different application than a refuse service.” From a project management standpoint, EVs in commercial service have many variable factors that affect performance. “We work to determine the exact use of the vehicle to determine how far they can go and to make sure the route fits the vehicle,” said Brian. “It’s a holistic process to determine how the commercial vehicle will fit the intended use. That takes a lot of time and consideration, and it is a different process for commercial service than other vehicles. We consider the number of stops, whether drivers are driving over hilly terrain, the vehicle’s weight, whether a vehicle is empty or fully loaded, and the environmental factors such as extreme heat or cold. Even climate control in the cab as drivers run heat or AC can affect the range.” Brian is glad the dealership is certified now. “We are excited about the future of our industry and zeroemission vehicles. Certification is an important step for us, and it will be great for the environment, the industry and the economy as the industry moves to EVs.” For more information on Bruckner's being EV certified, please see the press release on the following page. 19 SUMMER 2022
Bruckner's—The First Mack EV Certified Dealer in Texas Mack Trucks announced that Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment in Fort Worth, Texas, is now a Certified Electric Vehicle (EV) Dealer, making this the first Mack dealership to be EV certified in Texas. The designation means Bruckner’s Fort Worth will now be able to service and support the Mack LR®Electric, Mack’s first fully electric Class 8 refuse truck. “Bruckner’s invested in upgrading its Fort Worth branch to ensure that Mack customers are well-supported when choosing electrification,” said Jonathan Randall, Mack Trucks’ senior vice president of sales and commercial operations. “Mack is dedicated to helping customers achieve their sustainability goals, and we applaud Bruckner’s for partnering with us in this effort.” Bruckner’s Fort Worth has 22 service bays, two of which are dedicated to electric vehicles. The location has 25 technicians, 12 of whom are master techs and two EVcertified. The branch has three full-service field trucks and offers $3 million in parts inventory. To become EV certified, dealers must meet numerous stringent safety, charging, tooling, training and infrastructure requirements. The facility also must be upgraded to accommodate electric vehicles. Mack and Bruckner’s met frequently to ensure all standards for EV certification were convened. “Our Fort Worth team worked closely with Mack to make sure all requirements were met to become fully certified,” said Chris Bruckner, executive vice president of Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment. “From the selection of charging equipment to training technicians, Mack was with us every step of the way. Safety was at the forefront of all training and facility upgrades. We are proud to be the first Mack Certified EV Dealer in Texas.” The next generation, Mack LR Electric, launched in March 2022, features a standard 376 kWh total battery capacity, offering 42% more energy and increased range between charges. Twin electric motors produce 448 continuous horsepower and 4,051 lb. ft. of peak torque output from zero RPM. Four NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) lithiumion batteries, charged through a 150 kW, SAE J1772compliant charging system, power the vehicle and all onboard accessories through 12V, 24V and 600V circuits. The two-stage regenerative braking system helps recapture energy from the hundreds of stops the vehicle makes each day with an increasing load. The Mack LR Electric features a copper-colored Bulldog on the cab, denoting the all-electric powertrain. The vehicle may be fitted with equipment bodies from various manufacturers to meet the unique needs of each customer. The LR Electric has the same driver- and passenger-side configurations and seat and door options as those offered in the diesel-powered Mack LR model. Bruckner’s Truck & Equipment was founded as Bruckner’s Garage in Amarillo, Texas, in 1932. In 1948, it became a Mack Trucks franchise. Bruckner’s operates 33 locations in Texas, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, NewMexico and Colorado. For more information about the Mack LR Electric, please visit your local Mack dealer or www.macktrucks.com. Bruckner’s Fort Worth has 22 service bays, two of which are dedicated to electric vehicles. The location has 25 technicians, 12 of whom are master techs and two EV-certified. The branch has three full-service field trucks and offers $3 million in parts inventory. 20
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McRee Ford is proud to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The business has been owned and operated by the same family for its entire tenure. When McRee Ford opened its doors in 1947, there was a parts shortage. “It is amazingly close to where we are now with the lack of inventory due to the chips,” said Mr. McRee. We want to extend our congratulations to McRee Ford on reaching this amazing milestone. McRee Ford Celebrates Its 75th Anniversary Pictured in the photo left to right are: Andrew Frick, Vice President, Sales, Distribution and Trucks, Ford Blue, Michael Dale, Vice President, McRee Ford, Mitchell Dale, CEO, McRee Ford, Molly Dale Crow, Vice PresidentCommunity Engagement, McRee Ford, Dain Crow, Vice President and General Manger, McRee Ford and Carter Dale, President, McRee Ford. 23 SUMMER 2022
AutoInc. Donates Over $15,000 to Cancer Survivor Center Boggus Automotive Group According to officials with TX AutoInc., the automotive group donated $15,600 to the 24 Hours in the Canyon Cancer Survivorship Center this year after a May fundraiser. a check for the amount was presented on June 9. The donated funds were raised through the group’s Amarillo dealerships, said officials, including Texas Dodge, All Star Dodge, Autoplex BMW, Tri-State Ford, Amarillo Hyundai, and All Star Family Ford. “We continue to see the impact the survivorship center has on people in our community and want to do everything we can to support their efforts,” Texas Dodge General Manager Joe Harless said. With inflation affecting the price of resources that are important to Texas State Technical College students, the Advocacy and Resource Center at TSTC’s Harlingen campus recently received a donation of 50 backpacks through a partnership between The TSTC Foundation and the Boggus Automotive Group. 24
Classic Chevrolet presented the Carter BloodCare Blood Drive, which took place at Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine May 10, 2022. Carter BloodCare brought three of their Mobile Donor Coaches to Classic Chevrolet. Everyone, from technicians to salespeople, had the opportunity to take time out of their day to donate. In total, the Classic Chevrolet team donated almost 100 pints of blood. “Carter BloodCare provides lifesaving transfusion resources to more than 200 medical facilities in over 50 counties throughout North, Central and East Texas. Each year, we provide more than 440,000 units of blood products to meet patients’ treatment requirements. Carter BloodCare’s services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage, and distribution of blood and blood components.” Check out their website at www.carterbloodcare.org. Our continued partnership with our clients, Carter BloodCare, helps us reach out and give back to those in need. For 10 years, Tom and Susan Durant – the owners of Classic Chevrolet – their employees, and local Classic Chevrolet advocates have raised over $3.6 million for non-profit organizations in the DFW community. Tom and Susan Durant work with a variety of local organizations, whose focus spans from combating hunger, poverty, and homelessness to working with children and adults with disabilities to supporting our military and/or veterans. Classic Chevrolet Presents Carter BloodCare Blood Drive Happy July 4 from Paris Chevrolet! 25 SUMMER 2022
2022 TADA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ■Scott Peters■ East ■Bob Boggus■ South ■Greg Bruner■ West Darren Whitehurst President Brian Bruckner Texas Truck Dealers Chairman Karen Phillips Executive Vice President General Counsel ■Don Herring, Jr.■ Northeast ■Paul Tigrett■ North ■Mark Rowe■ Central ■Ryan Kirkpatrick■ Southwest April Ancira Immediate Past Chair Joe Chastang Chair Charlie Gilchrist Chair-Elect ■Daniel Bradley■ Northwest ■W.C. Smith, III■ Southeast 2022 TADA LEADERSHIP tada.org
Bill Pollard, Jr. West District 29 Andrea Gibbs Pickens East District 7 Chris Poulos Metro Chair Jeff Rachor North District 23 Pat Schuchart Southwest District 21 Evelyn Sames South District 20 Scott Fly Northeast District 8 Jereme Schoemaker Northeast District 35 James Bennie At-Large Benny Boyd At-Large Alfred Alvarado Metro Chair James Bagan Metro Chair C.J. Barnett Northeast District 1 Howie Bentley At-Large April Ancira Metro Chair and Immediate Past Chair Jimmy Bass West District 25 Melissa DeMontrond South District 17 Charlie Gilchrist Chair-Elect Metro Chair Bryan Case, Sr. At-Large Jason Feldman Southeast District 5 Mark Daniels North District 34 Finley Ewing IV Northeast District 9 Tim Crenwelge West District 16 Steven Gilchrist North District 22 Brandon Tomes At-Large Joseph Shields Southwest District 24 Patrick Sykora District 30 Mike Sullivan At-Large Mark Stevenson Southwest District 26 David Zwiacher Northwest District 28 Don Whitaker South District 18 Fernando Varela East District 2 Mike Zorn Central District 12 Janet Martin-Clark East District 4 John Luciano Northwest District 31 Brent McGavock Metro Chair Tony Pack North District 10 Dennis Neessen West District 32 Bud Payne South District 27 Paula Lohse At-Large Joe Loving East District 3 Tony Gullo, Jr. Southeast District 33 T. Harper Central District 14 Carlos Liriano Southwest District 19 Mary Frances Karr-Ellis Central District 13 Julie Herrera Central District 11 Kirby Janke Southeast District 6 Chris Kennedy Southeast District 15 2022 TADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS tada.org Jacob Boggus Metro Chair
TADA REGIONS AND DISTRICTS Chair: Joe Chastang Chair-Elect: Charlie Gilchrist Immediate Past Chair: April Ancira Texas Truck Dealers Chair: Brian M. Bruckner NORTHWEST Vice Chair, Daniel Bradley District Directors 31 John Luciano NORTH Vice Chair, Paul Tigrett District Directors 10 Tony Pack 22 Stephen Gilchrist 23 Jeff Ranchor 34 Mark Daniels CENTRAL Vice Chair, Mark Rowe District Directors 11 Julie Herrera 12 Mike Zorn 13 Mary Frances Karr-Ellis 14 T. Harper WEST Vice Chair, Greg Bruner District Directors 16 Tim Crenwelge 25 Jimmy Bass 29 Bill Pollard, Jr. 32 Dennis Neessen NORTHEAST Vice Chair, Don Herring Jr. District Directors 1 C.J. Barnett 8 Scott Fly 9 Finley Ewing IV 35 Jereme Schoemaker SOUTHEAST Vice Chair, W.C. Smith III District Directors 5 Jason Feldman 6 Kirby Janke 15 Chris Kennedy 33 Tony Gullo, Jr. SOUTHWEST Vice Chair, Ryan Kirkpatrick District Directors 19 Carlos Liriano 21 Pat Schuchart 24 Joseph Shields 26 Mark Stevenson EAST Vice Chair, Scott Peters District Directors 2 Fernando Varela 3 Joe Loving 4 Janet Martin-Clark 7 Andrea Gibbs Pickens SOUTH Vice Chair, Bob Boggus District Directors 17 Melissa DeMontrond 18 Don Whitaker 20 Evelyn Sames 27 Bud Payne DIRECTORS AT-LARGE METRO CHAIRS Alfred Alvarado April Ancira James Bagan Jacob Boggus Charlie Gilchrist Brent McGavock Chris Poulos 28 David Zwlacher 30 Patrick Sykora 2022 TADA LEADERSHIP tada.org Truck Dealers James Bennie Car Dealers Howie Bentley Benny Boyd Bryan Case, Sr. Paula Lohse Mike Sullivan Brandon Tomes
The Valley Automobile Dealers Association (VADA) and its board members are pleased to announce a record year rewarding $51,000 total in scholarships to 29 recipients of the VADA Scholarship Fund for the 2022-2023 academic year. The recipients were recognized on July 19 at the VADA Annual Luncheon held at the Embassy Suites at the McAllen Convention Center, following a business meeting with keynote speaker Dr. Ricardo Solis, President of South Texas College. The students received a scholarship ranging from $1,000-$3,000. Since the VADA Scholarship Fund was established in 2017, VADA has rewarded $187,500 in scholarships, all due to the support from the annual VADA Sporting Clay Shoot and the Jon Buquet Memorial Golf Tournament. The dealers and all VADA’s Associate Members remain dedicated to continued education for students in the Rio Grande Valley. “The local auto industry continues to be a driving force in the Rio Grande Valley economy, and that is due to the hardworking employees we all have,” said David Amaya, General Manager of Gillman Chevrolet and President of VADA. “We are proud to join together to support all employees and their families.” The car business has drastically changed since the pandemic with never-before-seen challenges, including protecting the safety of employees and customers as well as having sufficient inventory to provide for a community reliant on transportation. “Families continue to be affected by the pandemic, which became evident in the responses on the scholarship applications,” says VADA Executive Director Lexi Buquet. “We hope these scholarships can at least relieve some of the financial burdens on the students so they can focus more on their education.” Updates about the VADA Scholarship Program and upcoming events can be found at www.facebook.com/ valleyautodealers. Valley Automobile Dealers Reward $51,000 in Scholarships to Students 30
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