New Hampshire DRIVE VOL. 5 | NO. 03 A Message From the Chair Planning for the Future
Running a dealership comes with its share of uncertain terrain. But one thing is certain. Our Dealer Financial Services team is dedicated to being by your side with the resources, solutions and vision to see you through. Dan Duda daniel.w.duda@bofa.com 603.647.3705 business.bofa.com/dealer Making business easier for auto dealers. Especially now. “Bank of America” and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names used by the Global Banking and Global Markets divisions of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, other commercial banking activities, and trading in certain financial instruments are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Trading in securities and financial instruments, and strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities, are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., both of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: | Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value | ©2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. 4826555 08-22-0145 Running a dealership comes with its share of uncertain terrain. But one thing is certain. Our Dealer Financial Services team is dedicated to being by your side with the resources, solutions and vision to see you through. Dan Duda daniel.w.duda@bofa.com 603.647.3705 business.bofa.com/dealer Making business easier for auto dealers. Especially now. “Bank of America” and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names used by the Global Banking and Global Markets divisions of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, other commercial banking activities, and trading in certain financial instruments are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Trading in securities and financial instruments, and strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities, are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., both of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: | Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value | ©2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. 4826555 08-22-0145 CAD-08-22-0145_New Hampshire ADA.indd 3 8/18/22 11:43 AM
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New Hampshire AUGUST 2023 • VOL. 5 • NO. 03 PRESIDENT Dan Bennett, REM, IOM, CAE NHADA OFFICERS Marshall Jespersen, Chairman Jim Boyle, Vice Chairman Jeff Platek, Treasurer Shawn Hanlon, Secretary NHADA DIRECTORS John Sawyer, Jr., Immediate Past Chair MaryBeth Alosa, Heavy Duty Truck Vanessa Delegas, Franchised Tim Foss, Franchised Jason LaCroix, Franchised Mike Phillips, Independent Used Car Ron Poirier, Independent Repair/Service David Hammer, NADA Director George Mullin, Franchised/Independent Jessica Trask, Franchised Roger Groux, Advisory Director Mike Petell, Franchised/Motorcycle ©2023 New Hampshire Automobile Dealers Association (NHADA) | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Drive New Hampshire is published six times each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the NHADA and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the NHADA, its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. Drive New Hampshire is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of NHADA. While Drive New Hampshire encourages a first-print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at 855.747.4003. 5 A Message From the President Succeeding Together By Dan Bennett, REM, IOM, CAE 6 A Message From the Chair Planning for the Future By Marshall Jespersen, ICL Autos 8 NADA Update By David Hammer, NADA Director 9 Save the Date! Town Hall Meeting 10 Q&A With Dan Bennett, NHADA President 12 NHADA WCT Returns $1.8 Million in Rebates 13 Congratulations NHADA! 2023 Hermes Award Winner! 15 Catching Up With the NHADA Foundation What’s New in Workforce Development By Adam Memmolo, NHADA Workforce Development Coordinator 16 Ford Motor Company and Manchester Community College Host First Ford ACE Auto Competition 18 Good Times Had by All at the Alpine Expedition NHADA Convention! 20 Well-being Fair 21 Checklist for NHADA WCT Members 22 Workers’ Comp Trust Members Should Be Taking Advantage of No-Cost Loss Prevention Services 25 The Shotgun Start Is Back! Our Annual Drive for a Tech Golf Tournament Returns This September 26 LotDrop Apparel Showcase 28 By the Numbers 29 NHADA New Members 30 Thank You, 2023 NHADA Partners! CONTENTS 4
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Hello, and welcome back for another year of membership with the NHADA. At this point, we have finished our renewal cycle, and I am happy to report that 97% of our members have come back for another year. Our members continue to come back year after year, and we continue to show marked growth, with much credit to our wide array of benefits and services. On behalf of the association’s board of directors, our affiliates and our professional staff, we sincerely thank you for your continued support. Some of our greatest strengths are our numbers and the diversity of businesses in our industry. If one sector of our membership is challenged, the others show up to support them. Your membership helps support our initiatives for the greater good of the industry. For example, your support helps award over $65,000 in automotive education scholarships, which in turn, helps you get more qualified employees for your business. Also, with your support, we succeeded in putting off legislation threatening the state inspection program, and we undertook an effort to combat catalytic converter theft. These are just a couple of ways we work for you. Recently, we held one of our major events — our annual “Alpine Expedition” convention in Whitefield, NH. I would like to thank all our members and partners who attended. This event was a great success largely because of our BY DAN BENNETT, REM, IOM, CAE SUCCEEDING TOGETHER participating members, partners and sponsors, including the Prime Event Sponsor, Auto Auction of New England. This annual event provides great business and networking opportunities in a casual, family-style environment. Please see the full event recap on page 18. While I have less than a year under my belt as the NHADA President, I have over 20 years of industry experience with the NHADA. My number one goal is to help you succeed. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me personally at dbennett@nhada.com. I also invite you to learn a little bit more about me on page 10, in a Q&A format. Welcome back! Sincerely, Dan Bennett NHADA President Some of our greatest strengths are our numbers and the diversity of businesses in our industry. 5
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR BY MARSHALL JESPERSEN ICL AUTOS PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Hello, and welcome back for another year of membership with the NHADA. By now, you have completed your renewal, and some of you have recently attended our Annual Convention. This year, our members, partners and their families visited the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield, NH, from June 25-27. Attendees enjoyed some business networking, an informative session by the NH DMV and State Police, dining and entertainment, local activities and more. For a full recap of the event, including photos, please see page 18. As this is my first update, I would like to introduce myself and address some of the goals I have for the 2023-2024 membership year. I am the Dealer Principal of International Cars, Ltd. (ICL), an employee-owned company comprised of seven New England area dealerships. Honda North is located in Danvers, MA. The New Hampshire locations include Dover Honda and Dover Chevrolet franchises, Porsche Stratham, Audi Stratham and Honda Stratham. I am proud to say we have received several industry awards, one of which is the TIME Magazine 2016 Quality Dealer Award. Our team, company-wide, is one that values ownership, accountability, and the importance of high-level service and customer satisfaction. These values have carried ICL through both good times and bad, and it is my goal to help continue to instill them in NHADA, an association with a strong, 100-plus-year foundation. Throughout the next year, we will be focusing on our newly adopted strategic plan, which was developed in February by the NHADA board and staff leadership, with the assistance of a world-renowned Association Executive Planner, Bob Harris. The new plan revolves around four pillars: 1. Powerful Advocacy, 2. Industry Success, 3. Workforce Support, 4. Maintaining our presence as a Dynamic Association These pillars set our course by identifying our goals and objectives and defines our vision for the future. A visual of our entire strategic plan can be seen on the next page. I wish you a successful year in business and encourage you to take advantage of all the benefits the NHADA has to offer you. Also, remember to mark your calendars for upcoming training and continuing education, and our next major event, our annual Drive for a Tech Golf Tournament on September 15th at Pease Golf Course. More info will be published to www.nhada.com/golf as it becomes available. Please use me and NHADA’s professional staff of over 30 employees as a resource. Questions, comments or concerns can be sent to support@nhada.com. Thank you for reading. Sincerely, Marshall Jespersen NHADA Chairman 6
STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-2026 POWERFUL ADVOCACY The voice of the industry promoting good public policy. Government Relations and Lobbying: Sustain a powerful team of professionals and volunteers to work with lawmakers, regulators, and the Motor Vehicle Industry (MVI) board. Ensure the industry economic investment is communicated to government and media. Legal Vigilance: Maintain sufficient resources (Legal Defense Fund) and be responsive to legal cases and issues that arise impacting the industry. Political Action Committees: Support MVPAC and NADA PAC through strong member participation. Grassroots Engagement: Ensure members understand and are responsive to calls for action. Participate in coalitions with similar objectives. INDUSTRY SUCCESS Provide the benefits, services and opportunities that support success. Services Corporation: Provide value and solutions for members. Explore new products in a changing marketplace. Association Partnership Program: Collaborate with partners to provide mutual benefit, connecting partners with members. Expand to include new partners as industry evolves. Insurance: Increase the membership of workers’ compensation, health insurance and ancillary products. Respond to evolving marketplace needs. Education and Training: Remain committed to education and training. Leverage content from NHADA, NADA, and other states in an accessible way. Expand to new stakeholders and sectors to draw new audiences. Support wellness and professional development. Emerging Vehicle Technology: Stay vigilant in identifying and responding to emerging trends and technology. Monitor developments, offer education, identify specialists and participate in coalitions. WORKFORCE SUPPORT Attracting, educating, and retaining workforce to support members. Awareness: Work with public- and private-sector programs to address workforce solutions, develop a robust pipeline of employees and provide information to members about the programs. Promote the availability of our scholarships. Career Pathways: Identify organizations (Scouts, guidance counselors, Boys & Girls Clubs, etc.) to inform schools about training and career opportunities available for diversity of populations. Auto Advisory Boards: Encourage industry engagement with the institutional advisory boards to lend resources and counsel. Provide support for curriculum and training, membership participation and planning for transition of retiring instructors. Foundation: Maximize the role of the New Hampshire Automotive Education Foundation (NHAEF) to engage in workforce development, administer grants and provide scholarships. DYNAMIC ASSOCIATION The leadership and resources to sustain a stable and robust association. Governance and Leadership: Develop a pipeline of industry leaders willing to serve on the association and affiliate boards, as well as committees. Organizational Value and Performance: Set benchmarks to ensure continued value of NHADA association and subsidiaries. Professional Staffing: Ensure the work environment, compensation, and professional development supports a highly effective staff. Accountability and Transparency: Protect the assets (financial, real property and intellectual property) of NHADA. Communication and Technology: Leverage technology, social media and communication platforms to support NHADA goals and association functions. NHADA’s Mission is to be the voice of the motor vehicle industry by providing services, education and investment in New Hampshire’s economy. membership@nhada.com (603) 224-2369 7
NADA UPDATE By the time you read this, the FTC Safeguards Rule (Rule) will have been in effect for at least a month. The Rule, which was previously scheduled to go into effect last November, has been live since June 9, 2023. The Rule, in short, requires dealers to undertake a series of procedural, technical and contractual steps to protect consumer and other personal data. Some, but not all, of the new standards require dealers to: • Designate a qualified individual to oversee their information security program, • Develop a written risk assessment, • Limit and monitor who can access sensitive customer information, • Encrypt all sensitive information, • Train security personnel, • Develop an incident response plan, • Periodically assess the security practices of service providers, and • Implement multi-factor authentication or another method with equivalent protection for any individual accessing customer information. Dealers are encouraged to continue in their efforts to expeditiously comply with all the new requirements of the Rule but should consult with their attorneys, service providers and IT professionals about the potential impact of this deadline extension. If you have questions regarding whom to consult on this topic, please reach out to the NHADA at support@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. On the legislative front, NHADA and NADA are in support of catalytic converter anti-theft legislation (H.R. 621/S. 154). Catalytic converters are being stolen at increasingly higher rates due to their valuable metals, such as rhodium, platinum and palladium. Thefts reported to insurance companies have sharply increased over the past three years, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates that these thefts increased by 1,215% between 2019 and 2022. The bipartisan “Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act” (PART Act) (H.R. 621/S. 154) would help law enforcement combat this crime by providing a national framework that would mark catalytic converters, establish federal criminal penalties and create a more transparent market that deters its theft. Reminder: use NADA and NHADA as a resource center for your professional development. NHADA has rotating webinars available at www.nhada.com/training, similar to NADA, which can be found at nada.org. In addition to webinars, NADA has developed several downloadable guides on several different topics, a few of which are listed below: • A Dealer Guide to the FTC Safeguards Rule (L43); • A Dealer Guide to Electric Vehicles (SL46); • Online Financing and eContracting (L61); • Buying and Selling a Dealership (BM44); BY DAVID HAMMER NADA DIRECTOR 8
• Preventing and Detecting Fraud (BM42); • Federal Consumer Leasing Act Requirements (L34), and lastly; • Voluntary Protection Products: A Model Dealership Policy (L60), when offered, sold and administered in a professional and consumer-friendly manner, these voluntary protection products (VPPs) can offer customers valuable protection against unexpected and potentially costly events such as floods, hail damage, theft, vandalism, vehicle accidents, mechanical breakdowns or the customer’s death, disability or unemployment. Conversely, a dealership’s VPP process that lacks these features can fail to provide this valuable protection, confuse and create a false sense of security for customers, result in litigation and/or administrative enforcement actions against the dealership, and undermine the goodwill of the dealership in the community. Recently, this issue has hit close to home: The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (Mass AG) announced a settlement with Hometown Auto Framingham, Inc. (Hometown Auto), resolving allegations that the auto dealership had engaged in unfair, deceptive and discriminatory pricing of add-on products, resulting in a $350,000 fine. The Mass AG has agreed that Hometown Auto can comply with the add-on pricing provisions of the settlement by implementing the National Automotive Dealers Association (NADA) Voluntary Protection Products Model Dealership Policy (NADA Model VP Policy). Lastly, mark your calendars for the 2024 NADA Show, taking place from February 1-4 in Las Vegas. This year, you could win all-access passes for your entire dealership and a chance to have your video showcased on the main stage every day of the event by sharing your video on social media with the hashtags #NADAShow and #DrivingTheFuture. More information on this contest can found by scanning the QR code. https://www.nada.org/nada/nada-headlines/attend/ announcing-nada-show-2024-video-competition If you have questions or would like to discuss any of the above in further detail, don’t hesitate to reach out to support@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. SAVE THE DATE! Please join the NHADA Board of Directors for a Town Hall meeting with NADA President Mike Stanton. He will be discussing issues of importance to our franchised new car and truck dealer members. DATE Wednesday, September 27, 2023 TIME Lunch at 11:00 am, meeting from 11:30 am-1:00 pm PLACE Location to be determined in the Manchester area Details to follow as we get closer to the date! RSVP online at nhada.com/nada-town-hall or call NHADA at 603-224-2369. 9
With DAN BENNETT, NHADA President Q & A Where did you grow up? I come from a small town in Northwestern New Jersey named Mountain Lakes. What is your educational background? I completed my undergrad at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, with a focus on environmental studies and public policy and went on to complete my Masters of Environmental Law at Vermont Law School in South Royalton, VT. Tell us about your family. Are you married? Children? My wife Jessica and our twin boys Sam and Will live in Bow, which we have called home for over 20 years. Bow is a small town and has provided a safe, communal environment for my kids to grow up and participate in sports, all while receiving a great education. Do you have any hobbies outside of work? I enjoy spending time outdoors, mountain biking in the warmer months and telemark skiing in the winter. When I’m not doing that, you can most likely find me watching my kids play lacrosse or their other sports. Since the COVID shutdown, we started playing golf which has been a lot of fun. How did you get into NHADA and the auto industry? I first got introduced to NHADA working for former NHADA President Dan McLeod. My career at NHADA began as an Environmental Health & Safety representative and would later evolve into Government Relations amongst other things. What are the biggest challenges facing the auto industry? The auto industry is resilient and certainly ever-changing. Some of the bigger challenges that the industry is currently facing are the result of emerging vehicle technology. From a consumer standpoint, there are infrastructure concerns, namely accessibility to charging stations. From a business standpoint, we are working diligently to provide our members with resources to efficiently sell and safely service electric vehicles. Another hot topic right now is data security. By now, all our members should be compliant with the new FTC Safeguards, a series of procedural, technical and contractual steps to protect consumer and other personal data. We also have concerns regarding new and traditional OEMs and their future plans for vehicle distribution. Why do local motor vehicle businesses matter? As a resident of New Hampshire, I always like to “buy local,” and this certainly holds true for motor vehicle sales and 10
service. Our members have a direct fiscal impact on our state, representing over 20% of NH’s retail sales. They also invest in land, buildings and infrastructure and create over 11,000 jobs. Lastly, our members are active in our community and donate to hundreds of local charities. What do you see as the benefit of being an NHADA member? The number one benefit of being an NHADA member is having a sense of community and a voice in your industry. We monitor over 1,000 bills annually and when legislation or regulatory material has an impact on our industry, we collectively rise to the occasion. Your voice at home is louder than ours at the State House, and each and every member matters. We also have great strong relationships with our legislators and regulators, which gets us a seat at the table as part of the discussions. What are your goals as President? My goal as President is to empower our professional staff and board as much as possible to execute our Strategic Plan. Adopted in February, this plan sets our goals and objectives for the next three years. The plan can be reviewed in detail on page seven, but in essence, it all comes back to helping our members succeed. I also hope to continue to modernize the NHADA workplace and be similar to our member businesses, a great place to work. What help do you need from members to accomplish those goals? Participation. Our initiatives all rely on member engagement, from our events and training to our governmental advocacy. When NHADA contacts you, it’s for a reason, so use your powerful voice! The number one benefit of being an NHADA member is having a sense of community and a voice in your industry. WE WANT TO FEATURE YOU IN OUR NEXT ISSUE OF DRIVE NEW HAMPSHIRE Is your business observing a pivotal anniversary this year? Are you hosting a celebration? Have you recently taken part in a charitable event, or made a large donation? Have you been awarded any accolades? We’d love to conduct a quick Q & A and send out our photographer/ videographer to highlight your business to our membership. You will be featured in Drive New Hampshire, our community blog, our e-newsletter Headlines, and on our social channels. Please reach out to us using this link: https://hipaa.jotform.com/223126815152146. We can’t wait to hear from you! 11
NHADA Workers’ Compensation Trust (WCT) members should now have their rebate checks. The Board of Trustees and staff are pleased to be able to return $1.8 million dollars as the 2023 rebate. Funds from 2019, 2020 and 2021 were released, based on the actuarial analysis and board approval, to make up the 2023 rebate. The actuaries’ goal is to release as much money as possible from past fund years while retaining enough money in reserve for the WCT to remain in the 99% confidence level — money held in reserve is intended to cover losses both reported and those that may not yet have been reported. No money is released from the 2022 Fund Year as those claims continue to develop. When claims are over one year old, their ultimate cost is more predictable, and the actuary has greater confidence in releasing funds for that year. The 2023 rebate brings the total amount returned to NHADA WCT members since our inception to $96 million dollars. In addition to returning, on average, 40% of the premium back to members in the form of rebates, the WCT Board of Trustees has reduced rates seven out of the past eight years. Between the decreasing rates, in an otherwise volatile market, and the annual rebate, the NHADA WCT remains a truly cost-effective solution to workers’ compensation coverage. Members must continually keep in mind that their rebate and workers’ compensation premium are directly related to their claims experience. The better a member’s experience, the NHADA WCT RETURNS $1.8 MILLION IN REBATES higher the rebate and the lower the experience modification factor, translating to lower premiums. Preventing injuries from occurring continues to be the single most effective way to decrease workers’ compensation costs and increase rebates. Members who incorporate risk management controls into their business culture, including providing regular recommended staff trainings, performing slip and fall prevention, having regular safety committee meetings and complying with loss prevention recommendations, have fewer losses and higher rebates than members who do not. When injuries do occur, members who immediately contact NHADA post-injury are actively involved in the management of claims, maintain contact with the injured employee and provide temporary alternate duty work as soon as the employee is released to return, keep their claims costs to a minimum and enjoy higher rebates than members who are not actively engaged in managing their claims. Every member would like more money at rebate time, but it is those members who are attentive to the best possible hiring practices, preventing injuries and managing their claims costs who are the happiest when the checks are delivered. “Low Claims = Higher Rebate Check.” If you have any questions, please reach me directly at psheffer@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. Preventing injuries from occurring continues to be the single most effective way to decrease workers’ compensation costs and increase rebates. BY PETE SHEFFER, WCT DIRECTOR 12
Congratulations NHADA! To view this year’s winners, please scan the QR code. https://enter.amcpros.com/hermes/ winners/ 2023 Hermes Awards Winner! Hermes Creative Awards honors the messengers and creators of the information revolution. Armed with their imaginations and computers, Hermes winners bring their ideas to life through traditional and digital platforms. Each year, competition judges evaluate the creative industry’s best publications, branding collateral, websites, videos, and advertising, marketing, and communication programs. We are very pleased to announce that the DRIVE NEW HAMPSHIRE magazine was awarded the Hermes Gold for print media.
CAUGHT YOU LOOKIN’! Your Customers Are Too. CONTACT US TODAY! 801.676.9722 sales@thenewslinkgroup.com Advertising Space Available. QR Code: website /#ad-space
In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive employment and education, the workforce development team has been diligently working to help bridge the gap between skills and opportunities afforded to students and instructors, and members’ automotive businesses. On April 19, high school automotive instructors from all over the state joined us at Nashua Community College where we held our annual Spring Instructor Training. This year had a heavy focus on OEM manufacturer training that is available to high school students. Instructors can use this resource to supplement their curriculum if they choose, and it even gives the students a jump start to manufacturer certifications that transfer out of high school. Presenters that joined us included Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Toyota Motor Corporation. The instructors learned about the different programs available and provided the presenters with some feedback on ways to improve the programs for better use in the high school setting. In addition to the presenters, we were also able to spend some collaboration time with schools to discuss some best practices and solve some concerns. The goal of this was for some unified career development and future success with the students coming out of these programs and into the industry. On another front, we have spent the last few months on a tour across New Hampshire, promoting the automotive career trade to almost all the high school automotive career technical education (CTE) centers. This has led to a number of job connections and an enormous amount of automotive scholarship applications. The Education Foundation’s Scholarship Committee met on May 11th to review all the applications and awarded scholarships that have started to be distributed. As fall approaches, we will prepare for the coming school year and connect with as many members as possible to discuss workforce development resources. It is our goal at the Education Foundation to develop a skilled and highly educated workforce to ensure a strong future for New Hampshire’s Automotive Industry. With the collaboration of our members, as well as our education partners, we are confident that this year will prove to be a big success! Catching Up With the NHADA Foundation WHAT’S NEW IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY ADAM MEMMOLO NHADA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR 15
Ford Motor Company and Manchester Community College Host First Ford ACE Auto Competition On Thursday, May 4th, Ford Motor Company in collaboration with Manchester Community College hosted its first Ford ACE automotive competition. We were honored to attend the event and award scholarships to the top three teams with funds donated to the Foundation by Chris Lane of McFarland Ford, from his 2022 Big Raffle grand prize of $25,000. Ford Automotive Career Exploration (ACE) is a partnership program between Ford Motor Company, Ford/Lincoln dealerships, and secondary and post-secondary educational institutions. This program was created to raise awareness and increase interest in career opportunities within the automotive industry, ultimately as a service technician. ACE students earn Ford eLearning course credits that can be transferred into their ASSET student profile. Eight High School Auto CTE Centers competed to identify and repair “bugged” vehicles. Ford dealers local to the schools provided vehicles and volunteers. The winners had a chance to receive tools, scholarships and more. This competition was a great way to promote the automotive trade, create excitement, and increase engagement with students that are interested in pursuing this as a career after high school. HIGHEST SCORE ON THE WRITTEN EXAM Evan Small from Nashua Technology Center sponsored by Best Ford SCHOOLS AND SPONSORING DEALERS INCLUDED: Concord Regional Technical Center and Grappone Ford Dover Regional CTE and Bill Dube Ford Toyota Huot Career and Technical Center and Irwin Ford Lincoln Nashua Technology Center and Best Ford Portsmouth CTE and Portsmouth Ford Richard W. Crete Regional Technology Center and Ford of Londonderry Salem CTE and Salem Ford Seacoast School of Technology and McFarland Ford Lorem ipsum 16
FIRST PLACE Concord Regional Technical Center, Andrew Krause and Riley Flynn sponsored by Grappone Ford SECOND PLACE Salem CTE, Noah Afonso and William Savage sponsored by Salem Ford THIRD PLACE Seacoast School of Technology, Matthew Collette and Kyle Hudson sponsored by McFarland Ford 17
GOOD TIMES HAD BY ALL AT THE ALPINE EXPEDITION NHADA CONVENTION! On June 25-27, members, partners and guests all joined NHADA at the Mountain View Grand Hotel & Resort for our Alpine Expedition Convention. A big thank you to our Prime Sponsor of the event, Auto Auction of New England. Fun was had by all throughout the two-day event, from axe throwing to a brew tour around the area, wine tasting and charcuterie board making. Families enjoyed the day at Santa’s Village, couples hiked and biked the various trails on the property, and everyone enjoyed the beautiful North Country! We danced to the hits played by “A House On Fire” and laughed during Juston McKinney’s comedy show! New this year, members had multiple opportunities to visit our mini partner expo and make some great connections with our partners. Throughout the event, our members also heard from some of our regulatory partners. The NH Department of Safety spoke prior to one of our dinners, and on the last morning, the NH Division of Motor Vehicles and State Police hosted an industry panel. None of this would have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors, members, and partners. See you next June! 18
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!! Alpine Expedition Bag Sponsor Northeast Auto Auction Entertainment Sponsor Albin Randall & Bennett Entertainment Sponsor Nucar Automotive Group Prime Golf Sponsor ACV Breakfast Sponsor Northeast Delta Dental Breakfast Sponsor JM&A Group Dinner Sponsor x2 ComplyAuto Lunch Sponsor ComplyAuto VIP Chairman’s Cocktail Hour Sponsor Withum Drink Ticket Sponsor Gordon Darby NHOST-Services, Inc. Drink Ticket Sponsor Team Nissan Activity Sponsor x3 GW Marketing Services Activity Sponsor (Soccer) MB Tractor & Equipment Alpine Expedition Welcome Sponsor Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, P.A. Annual Meeting Sponsor Zurich Brew Bus Sponsor Portsmouth Ford Brew Tour Sponsor Profile Powersports Centerpiece Sponsor ICL Autos Centerpiece Sponsor Tyler, Simms, & St. Sauveur, P.C. Golf Drink Ticket Sponsor Brown & Brown Dealer Services 19
WELL-BEING FAIR On Wednesday, May 17, we hosted our 2nd annual Well-being Fair. It was a beautiful breezy day at NHADA headquarters. We had a tent, lawn games and a dunk tank. We had a number of members take advantage of the free chair massages and the free health screenings. Vendors included our very own Workers’ Comp, LotDrop, Loss Prevention and Insurance Divisions. Workers’ Comp had a game where members could answer questions and be entered to win a gift card. Some of our other vendors included: Harvard Pilgrim, Northeast Delta Dental, Bow and Concord Police Departments. We had three different gyms that provided discounts to our members who attend. There were a wide variety of other organizations such as The Doorway, NH Governor’s Recovery Friendly Workplace, Qaly Wellness and the Blooming Tree Yoga. The Gravy Train provided lots of yummy smash burgers, loaded fries and homemade desserts to our members. Our vendors were very generous with raffle prizes! Members won anything from a wellness gift basket to Amazon gift cards, Fitbits and more! We did end up dunking both Duplessis and Marston (NHADA Loss Prevention Supervisor, Brian Duplessis and NHADA Products Manager, Chris Marston)! Thank you to all the vendors and members who attended this event. We’re looking forward to having even more attendees next year, so be on the lookout! 20
NHADA Workers’ Compensation Trust (WCT) is dedicated to providing a quality product that is beneficial to our members and their employees. Workers’ compensation is a crucial aspect of employment that protects both employees and employers in the event of a work-related injury or illness. At NHADA WCT, we believe that the risk of injury can be reduced before the new hire actually begins work. We also believe that, in the unfortunate event of a work-related injury, the following steps can mitigate the expenses, directly and indirectly, associated with the injury. Hiring: ✓ Conditional offer of employment ✓ Pre-placement drug test (THC optional) ✓ Second Injury Fund Form ✓ Managed Care Acknowledgment Form ✓ Advise the employee that all injuries must be reported and to whom they should be reported. ✓ Reach out to Deb Handrahan, Member Services Coordinator, with any questions or concerns at dhandrahan@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. Injury Reporting: ✓ Immediately after the injury, have the employee or manager call our Nurse Case Manager, Marta Silakka, at (800) 852-3372 before sending the injured employee for treatment. ✓ If it’s a life-threatening emergency, call 911 and then call our Nurse Case Manager. ✓ Complete a First Report of Injury online within five calendar days of the incident at www.nhada.com/oursolutions/workers-comp/report-an-injury. ✓ Have one or two additional people trained to complete the First Report of Injury. This will reduce the risk of going beyond the five-day statutory requirement. Prompt reporting of injuries is one of the keys to successful outcomes. ✓ Reach out to anyone at NHADA WCT with any concerns. CHECKLIST for NHADA WCT Members Post Injury: ✓ Review and send any medical forms related to the treatment to our Nurse Case Manager, Marta Silakka. The most secure way is to fax at (603) 224-8126. ✓ The NH Workers’ Compensation Statute requires employers with five or more employees to provide Temporary Alternate Duty to the injured employee. This helps employees stay engaged in the workplace and speeds their return to their regular job duties. ✓ If the injured employee is taken out of work completely, it’s crucial for employers to stay in touch with the employee and provide appropriate support. Caring and compassionate communication will go a long way in helping the injured employee feel valued and supported during their recovery process. ✓ Prepare for the employee’s return to work. Proactive and timely adjustments to the injured employee’s workstations or job duties are beneficial in ensuring their comfort and safety. Job Modification Reimbursement from the State of NH Department of Labor may be an option. Scan the QR code to read more about Job Modification Reimbursement. ✓ Reach out to Deb Handrahan, Member Services Coordinator with any questions or concerns at dhandrahan@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. Ongoing Training: ✓ Managers and supervisors should receive training on managed care requirements, injury reporting requirements, and the importance of notifying the Nurse Case Manager before sending an injured employee for treatment unless it’s a life-threatening emergency. Proper training can ensure that managers and supervisors are aware of their responsibilities and can help facilitate the workers’ compensation process for injured employees. ✓ Reach out to Deb Handrahan, Member Services Coordinator, with any questions or concerns. dhandrahan@nhada.com or (603) 224-2369. By working together, we can navigate the workers’ compensation system effectively and ensure that injured workers receive the necessary care and support to return to work safely. https://www.nh.gov/labor/ workers-comp/cost-containment/ job-modification.htm 21
WORKERS’ COMP TRUST MEMBERS SHOULD BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF NO-COST LOSS PREVENTION SERVICES The Loss Prevention staff provides a comprehensive list of safety and environmental consultation services (most of which are at no cost) to members of the NHADA WCT. Beyond the two onsite safety and environmental walkthroughs each member receives every year, a wide variety of other offerings are available for free, including: • Written Safety Plans and Policies • Safety Committee Meeting Facilitation • OSHA Inspection Consultation In addition, Loss Prevention provides the following free onsite industry-specific OSHA-required trainings: • Hazard Communication • Fire Safety • Bloodborne Pathogens • Auto Lift Safety • Respirator Safety • Forklift Safety 22
Lastly, Loss Prevention offers online OSHA-required time-of-hire training curriculums by job description for a nominal fee. Every member with over 15 employees should be taking advantage of this! If you are interested in learning more, all of this information can be found on our web page by scanning the QR code. You can also contact us via email at bduplessis@nhada.com or call (603) 224-2369. https://www.nhada.com/our-solutions/ loss‑prevention (L-R) Matt Foster, Pat Austin, Brian Duplessis, Dustin Howe Additional trainings that are available, but not required by OSHA, include: • Ergonomics/Back Injury • Oxyacetylene Safety • Defensive Driving • Winter Safety First Aid and CPR w/AED Training are available for a nominal fee (cost of NSC training materials). WHAT DO DEALERSHIP TRANSACTIONS IN NEW ENGLAND LOOK LIKE? The Phillips Report is the only publication that specifically speaks to auto dealership transaction values, trends and trajectories in the New England and New York market areas. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT WWW.NANCYPHILLIPS.COM/BLOGS 23
Plan ahead for your dealership’s long-term legacy Setting up a succession plan is an important consideration for the future of your dealership. Now’s the time to think about your priorities, such as maintaining control, taxes, liquidity, employees and family. What would you like the power to do?® Learn more with our comprehensive overview of Dealer Financial Services Succession Planning at business.bofa.com/dealer. “Bank of America” and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names used by the Global Banking and Global Markets divisions of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, other commercial banking activities, and trading in certain financial instruments are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Trading in securities and financial instruments, and strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities, are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., both of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: | Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed| May Lose Value | ©2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. 4882341 05-22-0512 Plan ahead for your dealership’s long-term legacy Setting up a succession plan is an important consideration for the future of your dealership. Now’s the time to think about your priorities, such as maintaining control, taxes, liquidity, employees and family. What would you like the power to do? Learn more with our comprehensive overview of Dealer Financial Services Succession Planning at business.bofa.com/dealer. “Bank of America” and “BofA Securities” are the marketing names used by the Global Banking and Global Markets divisions of Bank of America Corporation. Lending, other commercial banking activities, and trading in certain financial instruments are performed globally by banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation, including Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC. Trading in securities and financial instruments, and strategic advisory, and other investment banking activities, are performed globally by investment banking affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“Investment Banking Affiliates”), including, in the United States, BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp., both of which are registered broker-dealers and Members of SIPC, and, in other jurisdictions, by locally registered entities. BofA Securities, Inc. and Merrill Lynch Professional Clearing Corp. are registered as futures commission merchants with the CFTC and are members of the NFA. Investment products offered by Investment Banking Affiliates: | Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed| May Lose Value | ©2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved. 4882341 05-22-0512
THE SHOTGUN START IS BACK! Our Annual Drive for a Tech Golf Tournament Returns This September The shotgun start is back! Join us on the beautiful greens of Pease Golf Course in Portsmouth, NH, on Friday, September 15th! Register your foursome today at nhada.com/golf or by scanning the QR code. https://www.nhada.com/golf Trust us, you do not want to miss out on this event! Air cannons, cigars and challenge holes are just a few of the exciting things for you to enjoy, all while supporting automotive education! After a great day of golf, we’ll come together to recap the fun-filled day! Get your company name out there — sponsorships are now available! SEE YOU ON THE GREEN! 25
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Visit Apparel.LotDrop.com to see all the sizes and color options or give us a call at 603-224-2369 Port Authority® Torrent Waterproof Jacket Item#J333 Carhartt Force® Solid Short Sleeve Shirt Item#CT105292 New Era® Snapback Low Profile Trucker Cap Item#NE207 Port Authority® Snapback Trucker Cap Item#C112 Port Authority ® Flexfit 110 ® Performance Snapback Cap Item#C301 Port Authority ® Essential Rain Jacket Item#J407 Interested in adding your logo/brand to any of the above items? Contact me at 603-224-2369 or cmarston@nhada.com. View the full catalog at apparel.lotdrop.com. 27
BY THE NUMBERS TITLE STATISTICS REPORT JUNE 2023 NEW HAMPSHIRE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES Current 12 months Prior 12 months % of change June '22 June '23 YTD '22 YTD '23 TITLES ISSUED FOR NEW AND DEMO VEHICLES 117,277 124,847 -6.45 8,371 11,269 62,142 55,334 TITLE ISSUED FOR USED VEHICLES 264,595 280,307 -5.94 19,991 23,362 141,922 118,666 TOTAL TITLES ISSUED 381,872 405,154 -6.10 28,362 34,631 204,064 174,000 TITLES ISSUED WITH A LIEN 12,565 14,447 93,587 74,236 TITLES ISSUED WITH NO LIEN 15,797 20,184 110,447 99,764 SALVAGE TITLES ISSUED 1,157 1,128 7,454 7,328 SALVAGE TAGS 101 256 974 1,872 HEAVY TRUCKS MORE THAN 19 YEARS 33 32 208 190 HEAVY TRUCKS 19 YEARS AND LESS 209 467 2,028 1,603 TITLES ISSUED FOR TRAILERS 1,922 2,335 9,988 8,400 TITLES ISSUED FOR MOTORCYCLES 2,286 2,649 9,370 8,651 TITLES ISSUED FOR MOTOR HOMES 124 144 715 594 UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY AREA March April May United States 3.5% 3.4% 3.7% New England 3.4% 3.2% 3.0% Connecticut 3.9% 3.8% 3.7% Maine 2.6% 2.4% 2.4% Massachusetts 3.5% 3.1% 2.8% New Hampshire 2.4% 2.1% 1.9% Rhode Island 3.1% 3.0% 3.0% Vermont 2.7% 2.4% 2.1% SAFETY/OBD II INSPECTION STATISTICS SAFETY Inspection Results May '23 % of Total YTD '23 % of Total TOTAL 148,662 100.0% 656,770 100.0% PASS 124,476 83.7% 549,434 83.7% CORRECTED 13,598 9.1% 60,374 9.2% REJECTED 7,920 5.3% 34,722 5.3% UNTESTED 2,668 1.8% 12,240 1.9% OBD Inspection Results (20 yrs. old or newer) TOTAL 123,770 100.0% 561,780 100.0% PASS 109,831 88.7% 498,597 88.8% REJECTED 8,090 6.5% 37,775 6.7% UNTESTED 5,849 4.7% 25,408 4.5% 28
NEW MEMBERS CANDIA TRAILERS & SNOW EQUIPMENT CO. 35 High St. Candia, NH 03034 Phone: (603) 483-2541 Owners: Jeffrey Goff CHESTNUT HILL AUTO SERVICE 219 Main St. Sandown, NH 03873 Phone: (603) 887-0911 Owner: Christopher J. Loader RELIABLE AUTO, LLC 725 Second St. Manchester, NH 03102 Phone: (603) 943-3935 Owner: Nathan Goodwin ROUTE 111 AUTO SALES, INC. 409 Emerson Ave. Hampstead, NH 03841 Phone: (603) 329-4600 Owner: Joe Gerraughty SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY 75 Broadway Dover, NH 03820 Phone: (603) 436-0558 Owner: David Lovejoy IRWIN CHEVROLET 623 Union Ave. Laconia, NH 03246 Phone: (603) 524-4922 Owner: Chris Irwin ENXING KIA 137 Lafayette Rd. N. Hampton, NH 03862 Phone: (603) 758-3180 Owners: Daniel Enxing NORTHEAST AUTO EXCHANGE 147A Plaistow Rd. Plaistow, NH 03865 Phone: (603) 275-1143 Owner: Joey Salois ONE LAST THING ... Did you know that you can enjoy your association news anytime, anywhere? Scan the QR code or visit: drive-nh.thenewslinkgroup.org Check it out! The new online article build-outs allow you to: • Stay up to date with the latest association news • Share your favorite articles to social channels • Email articles to friends or colleagues There is still a flipping book for those of you who prefer swiping and a downloadable PDF. 29
These partners have answered the call and supported NHADA programs and events. Please consider your partners first when you need professional services for your business. To become a NHADA partner, please call Kaleena Guzman at 603-224-2369, or email her at kguzman@nhada.com. Companies endorsed by the NHADA are listed first within each association partner level. Learn more at nhada.com/partnership-program. THANK YOU, 2023 NHADA PARTNERS! Cross Insurance — ENDORSED for Dealers’ Surety Bonds ACV Aftermarket Specialists America’s Auto Auction Boston Auto Auction of New England Auto Use Bellwether Community Credit Union Brown & Brown Dealer Services Chase Auto Clean Harbors Environmental Services CM&B ConvenientMD Urgent Care Dominion DMS Drayton Distributors of New England, BG Products EasyCare New England Enterprise Rent-A-Car GW Marketing Services Horsch/Lappen’s Garage Equipment Huntington National Bank iHeart Media Jewett Construction Co. KeyBank Mike’s Equipment Repair Nancy Phillips Associates, Inc. Northeast Auto Auction North East Dealer Services Portfolio ProActive™ Leadership Group QB Business Solutions Right Direction Financial Services Holdings, LLC Rockland Trust Company Salem Co-operative Bank Sanel NAPA Santander Bank, NA Sullivan Tire®/Lift Works Corp. TD Bank/TD Auto Finance TR2 Corp./LSI Industries Triplet Computers, LLC ZURICH BRONZE NHAD Services, Inc., Insurance Division — ENDORSED NHAD Services, Inc., Products Division — ENDORSED NHADA Workers’ Compensation Trust — ENDORSED Gordon-Darby NHOST Services, Inc. WMUR-TV/WMUR.com New Hampshire PLATINUM DIAMOND Assurant Dealer Services — ENDORSED ComplyAuto Privacy, LLC Cox Automotive, Inc. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care — ENDORSED STAPLES Contract & Commercial, LLC — ENDORSED Bank of America Merrill Lynch Service Credit Union TRUECar Withum GOLD Northeast Delta Dental — ENDORSED Albin, Randall & Bennett Ally Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, P.A. Devine Millimet & Branch, P.A. JM&A Group McLane Middleton Sheehan Phinney St. Mary’s Bank Tyler, Simms & St. Sauveur, CPAs, P.C. Wipfli CPAs and Consultants SILVER 30
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