The National Automotive Dealers Association’s 2020 NADA Show wrapped up in Las Vegas on Feb. 17, a day full of announcements and education.
Newly appointed NADA Chairman Rhett Ricart offered a reassuring message in his first address to franchise dealers and others in attendance.
“You’ll be just fine," Ricart said. "Actually, we’ll be more than fine. There’s something to be said of auto dealers that went through wars, recessions, depressions, oil embargoes, global economic meltdowns, OEM bankruptcies and are still upright, standing tall and stronger than ever.”
Ricart reminded the audience that, historically, “dealers thrive on disruptions,” and the new decade should not be any different.
“For over 100 years, we have been turning disruption into dollars," he said. "And along the way we have shaped how Americans drive, how they travel and how they live their daily lives. And in 2020, we’re going to keep doing it. We will meet disruption at the door and no matter what its name is, we will answer.”
Show attendees also learned the winners of the third annual Women Driving Auto Retail Video contest. The grand prize winner was Wichita, Kansas' Schofield Honda, with service manager Jennifer Snodgrass, who was featured in the dealership’s video, accepting the award. Schofield Honda will receive a gift card for $1,000, plus registration and a $1,000 stipend for travel to attend the NADA 2021 Show next year in New Orleans.
The final general session of the event brought General Motors CEO Mary Barra to the stage in her first time attending the show.
“I’m proud to lead the company in one of the most exciting times in our industry,” Barra said. “I’m just starting to understand the energy and importance of it.”
Barra also had a discussion with outgoing NADA Chairman Charlie Gilchrist in which they addressed how to get more women into the automotive industry.
“You can hire diverse talent, but if you don’t create an environment [they want to be in], they’re not going to stay," Barra noted.
The final day of the show also included an education and consulting event for truck dealers, a discussion entitled The Modern Dealership: Unify the Message to Deliver Results, presented by Joe St. John of AutoFi, and a presentation by Jared Allen and Jonathan Collegio, both of NADA, about the NADA Foundation Workforce Initiative.
The Distinguished Speaker series wrapped up with sessions with former baseball player, author and teamwork expert Mike Robbins, who spoke about how appreciation is a powerful but overlooked way to motivate and empower teams. In another session, six-time Emmy winning comedian, writer and television host Ross Shafer talked about inspiring teams to take charge, even without a guide.
The 2021 NADA Show in New Orleans will be held Jan. 21-24.
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