ON MY Mind 2024 GADA CONVENTION In June, GADA held our annual convention at The Cloister at Sea Island. Attendees enjoyed a weekend of education, networking, great food and family fun! It was wonderful to see some new faces as well as old friends. As always, we appreciate the participation of our generous sponsors. They are essential to making the convention a productive and enjoyable event. Thank you to our keynote speaker, NADA President & CEO Mike Stanton, who filled us in on the accomplishments of NADA so far this year and the road ahead. Attendees also had the opportunity to hear our business session speakers: Rich Sox of Bass Sox Mercer and Lauren Bailey from NADA provided a comprehensive update on franchise law; Matt Simpson from Fisher Phillips presented the latest news in labor and employment; and Nick Moyes from endorsed provider ComplyAuto gave some great advice on workplace safety. If you haven’t attended a GADA convention in the past, give it a try! You won’t regret spending a few days getting to know fellow dealers and connecting with businesses that can help you succeed. Next year’s convention is back in Sea Island — look for more information in early 2025! ADVOCACY AND ENGAGEMENT Whether talking about state or national politics, it goes without saying that a strong Political Action Committee (PAC) is necessary to maintain connections with lawmakers. GADA’s PAC, the Committee of Automobile Retail Dealers (CARD), supports state legislators who have demonstrated interest in a strong automobile retail business and industry climate. Beyond establishing and maintaining relationships with legislators, GADA promotes the benefits of franchised dealers in the public arena too. With that goal in mind, in 2022, GADA created a Dealer Advocacy Fund (DAF). The GADA DAF is used to advocate for the preservation of the franchise dealer model as well as other significant issues affecting automotive dealers. Funds are used for expenses associated with advocacy on behalf of GADA members, including but not limited to, consultants, public relations and event sponsorships. Some dealerships contribute the suggested CARD and DAF amounts every year, and for that, we are very appreciative. However, some dealerships don’t contribute at all. SINCE ALL DEALERSHIPS BENEFIT from the work that GADA does at the State Capitol, as well as GADA’s public advocacy, it makes sense that ALL DEALERSHIPS SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO CARD AND THE DAF. If you aren’t contributing, it’s time to do your part. Your financial support is incredibly important to our efforts. If you have already paid your annual dues, never fear — it’s not too late to contribute to CARD or the DAF. Best of all, corporate checks are accepted. Contact legislative@gada.com to find out how you can contribute. Not only is financial support a necessary part of GADA’s advocacy, but participation and engagement in the political process are essential too. We are gearing up for our Regional Lunches with Legislators this fall/winter. We hope to see lots of dealers attending these lunches. We plan to again host a Dealer Day at the Capitol during the 2025 legislative session. Both our Regional Lunches and Dealer Day give dealers a chance to interact directly with each other and lawmakers. ALL GADA MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE INVITED and ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. Keep an eye out for details and plan to attend this year. The benefits of establishing relationships with your local legislators can’t be understated — take advantage of the opportunity. As always, feel free to reach out to me with feedback and ideas on how GADA can help you thrive! LEA KIRSCHNER GADA PRESIDENT AND CEO PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE THE GENERATOR 10
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