Pub. 5 2016-2017 Issue 2

Fall 2016 7 Cha i rman ’s Le t t e r D ear Dealer Members: In just a few short weeks, the San Diego Convention Center will once again becomes home to the San Diego International Auto Show—December 29th through January 2nd. The New Car Dealers Association staff have been planning this show for the better part of the last 10 months, and I strongly encourage every dealer tomake time to come down and see how the brand(s) you sell are represented. The number one reason for the Auto Show is to stimulate auto sales at our dealerships at a time when most consum- ers have been focused on holiday shopping. One of the major ways to get consumers to purchase a new vehicle is the all-important test drive, and this year’s show has a dozen different opportunities for consumers to get behind the wheel of a new car, truck, SUV or crossover. With new vehicle sales increasing for the seventh consecutive year in 2016, this year’s Auto Show creates a strong opportunity for sales to continue to grow locally in 2017. Now that this year’s federal, state and local elections have concluded, I want to thank all the dealers who supported the association’s efforts by donating to the NCDA PAC. Those donations enable us to have a voice with legislators who understand how critical the automotive dealer industry is to our local, state and national economies. Never before has our industry shown so brightly as an economic engine that creates a multitude of jobs that aren’t exported overseas, provides access to health benefits for employees and their families, and generates tax revenue for local and state governments. As we look forward to 2017, I believe as dealers we can be cautiously optimistic about our industry. America’s aging vehicle fleet combined with continued low interest rates and attractive incentive offers should create continued sales of new vehicles. That said, many challenges still remain as the local, state and national economies continue to recover. The omnipresent threat of legis- lators attempting to utilize our industry as means of taxing consumers with various fees that increase the cost of a vehicle while ben- efiting government coffers continue to be a challenge. One of the best ways to combat those types of risks is to be engaged with your NCDA. Your association serves as a conduit to up-to-date industry information, compliance seminars, the political landscape andmuchmore. NCDA President Dean Mansfield and his staff always stand ready to assist you and your dealership staff, and I strongly recommend you utilize this valuable resource. On behalf of the NCDA Officers and Board of Directors, I want to wish you, your employees and your family a safe and enjoyable holiday season and prosperous New Year. Sincerely, Owen Mossy Chairman, NCDA Board of Directors