California is eight months into a pandemic that has changed the world as we know it. Tragically, lives have been lost, social unrest has surged, and businesses have been forced to make radical changes to remain operational. The year 2020 will certainly be a year we look back upon as uniquely challenging. Fortunately, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as schools restart, and the economy regains traction.

Looking back, I am grateful for the informative updates and actionable guidance provided by our local, state and national dealer associations. It’s important to note that membership in the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA) and the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) is provided free of charge for members of the New Car Dealers Association San Diego County (NCDA). As developments unfolded rapidly, dealer members received important directions for health requirements and legal compliance. Enforcing these protocols has been essential for providing a safe and productive environment for everyone in a dealership. If your store still needs guidance, I highly recommend implementing the COVID-19 Member Toolkit available on the CNCDA website.

As your new NCDA Board of Directors Chairman, I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the NCDA staff during this time. For several months, they have monitored daily, city, state and federal press conferences and attended calls with leaders of our state and national associations to discuss local issues. San Diego auto dealers would not have been represented without their attention and may have missed essential updates. On behalf of all NCDA members, we thank you, Dean, Scott, Diana and Claudia, for your exceptional efforts in the face of limited resources and great uncertainty.

As you’ll see throughout this issue of San Diego Dealer, the NCDA continues to provide many other ongoing and valuable benefits for its members. Also, the California Sales Training Academy (CSTA) now offers its free automotive sales training course online for CSTA dealer partners. To become a dealer partner and/or enroll your new sales recruits, just reach out to the NCDA office.

Also of note are NCDA’s significant efforts to provide local, state and national legislative representation. This year, NCDA facilitated vital outreach to dealers and state lawmakers that aided the opposition of two high-impact measures. The first was AB-326, a highly flawed consumer protection bill that raised serious franchise-related concerns, but was successfully defeated on the Senate floor. The second was the creation of the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), which would add an additional layer of regulation for California auto dealers. Despite the measure’s passage, auto industry attorneys are hopeful that new car dealers will be effectively exempt from DFPI oversight since other agencies already license them. NCDA is committed to taking action in all legislative negotiations affecting new car dealers.

Looking forward, I am excited to work with my fellow board members to help revitalize our economy, strengthen 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.