Dear Members, It was wonderful to see many of you this past February at the Chicago Auto Show, First Look for Charity gala or around the CATA! Coming off of the February Auto Show, I have to marvel at its success. The 117th edition of the show welcomed nearly 217,000 attendees to experience the latest cars, trucks and SUVs, automotive technology, and electric vehicles. The First Look for Charity black-tie gala raised more than $2.4 million for 18 local charities, bringing the grand total to more than $65 million raised since its inception! Throughout the show, there was also a record number of in-vehicle experiences (test drives and ride-alongs) of more than 100,000. We also featured two brand-new areas for the show this year. The new Family Zone was geared towards kids of all ages, featuring a power wheels track where they could take a test drive just like their parents. A giant toy replica Chevrolet Silverado and a Toyota Tacoma fishing game out of the bed of the truck, among many other activities, rounded out the area providing entertainment and memories. The Overlanding Chicago dedicated area featured manufacturer displays of specialty vehicles, upfitting vendors, off-road accessories and much more. Overlanding has become a sweeping nationwide trend that appeals to the adventure-seeker and a rugged/off-road lifestyle. The Chicago Drives Electric indoor EV test track returned and expanded from one track to two, providing attendees the opportunity to get inside the latest EVs to experience the power of electrified vehicles from a dozen different manufacturers. Based on research from third-party Productions Plus Insights, nearly 60% of attendees report they are now more likely to purchase an EV due to experiencing one at the 2025 show. This statistic demonstrates the importance that once people experience an EV, they feel more comfortable with the idea of owning one. We see this time and time again with our survey results, whether from the Chicago Auto Show or Chicago Drives Electric (our fall EV test-drive event). It’s not just relative to EVs … 82% of attendees said attending the show was helpful in their purchase decision, and 40% of 2025 attendees were 12-month intenders (with half reporting they plan to purchase their next vehicle within six months!). Furthermore, when brands are absent from the show, 67% of attendees reported it negatively impacts the purchase likelihood of that brand. Our team has worked extremely hard to gain participation from as many brands as possible, and this will remain a focus in 2026. Easing into spring, we will begin to shift our focus from show wrap-up and ramp up our educational events, seminars and webinars for members. We hosted a NADA Leadership Training course two weeks out of the month of March at the CATA and are looking to add more educational experiences throughout the year that provide value to our members. If you have a desire for a particular topic, don’t hesitate to contact us at the CATA. As a reminder, as a member of the CATA, you may also use our office for trainings or meetings. Just simply call the main line at (630) 495-2282. We have conference rooms and seating ranging from 10 people to 100. I hope to see you all at our upcoming CATA Member Golf Outing and Annual Meeting this June! The event will be held at the same location as in years past, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont. Sincerely, Jennifer Morand President, Chicago Automobile Trade Association General Manager, Chicago Auto Show Letter From the President Continuing Our Successes By Jennifer Morand, President, CATA CATA UP TO SPEED 5
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