Pub. 10 2021-2022 Issue 2

4 San Diego Dealer Vincent Castro CHAIRMAN’S LETTER N o one could have predicted nearly two years ago that an impending global pandemic would impact our lives and businesses so profoundly. On the business front, dealers have had to adapt to new operational requirements quickly and make challenging decisions on a regular basis. Fortunately, our New Car Dealers Association (NCDA) was able to provide timely and essential guidance to help dealers comply with ever-changing regulations and protocols throughout the pandemic. And while our lives haven’t fully returned to a pre-pandemic normal, the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter as vaccination rates continue to improve and COVID-19 infections decline. Even during a pandemic, we’ve been reminded how important it is that we engage our legislators to ensure our interests are considered in Sacramento and at the county and city levels. The NCDA, in cooperation with the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA), has continued to represent franchised new-car dealers at the state level, particularly as legislation that challenges franchise laws emerges. To enhance the impact of these efforts, dealers may be called on to reach out to legislators directly to express their thoughts and concerns. And one of the best ways to do this is during CNCDA’s annual Dealer Day event, which includes a policy briefing, guest legislators and a valuable opportunity to meet with your representatives to encourage their support of issues that will impact new car dealers. Look for information about the 2022 edition of Dealer Day in the coming weeks. An unfortunate repeat casualty of the coronavirus pandemic was the 2022 San Diego International Show. For the second year in a row, the NCDA was forced to cancel our most important event due to ongoing COVID-19 health and logistical challenges. This is particularly disappointing as the auto show remains the most effective tool we have to bolster showroom traffic, generate valuable sales leads, influence purchase decisions and dominate local media coverage with news stories promoting the latest and greatest new vehicles available at our stores. In addition, the auto show provides the resources necessary for the NCDA to offer dealers the valuable benefits we enjoy all year long. As such, it’s vitally important that San Diego County’s new car dealers support the auto show to ensure our collective success moving forward. As we approach the end of 2021, I remain committed and excited to work with my fellow board members to help improve our economy, enhance franchise protections and prosper together. I am honored to be of service to my dealer counterparts and welcome your feedback or questions at any time.