MADA-On the Move

MADA members returned Sunday from a truly great convention!

Teaming up with VADA, all who attended enjoyed the elegant comforts of the Greenbrier Resort, important business news, and family fun.

Virginia's Governor, Bob McDonnell, flew in for the Friday General Session for a special bill signing. Michael Charapp, of Charapp & Weiss, presented a concise recap of the Chrysler and GM bankruptcies and advice for dealers moving forward. Also present for Friday, was Jim Ziegler, of Ziegler Supersystems & Dealer Magazine. Mr. Ziegler spoke to members of the importance of social-networking and using Facebook, Twitter, and similar networking sites to the best of their ability. MADA ended Friday with a lovely dessert reception hosted by Chairman Sam Weaver and sponsored by Vehicles for Change.

Saturday began on a high-note with presentations by executives from GM, Ford, and Toyota. Alan Batey, Vice President of Sales & Service for Chevrolet, opened the morning session. Mr. Batey assured attendees that the Chevrolet brand, celebrating it's 100th anniversary in 2011, would successfully move forward into the future and would begin it's next 100 years in strength.

Ford President and CEO, Alan Mulally, followed Mr. Batey. After briefly discussing the bankruptcies and admitting that flying in on a private jet perhaps wasn't the best idea, Mr. Mulally then opened the floor for questions. When asked about Ford's new plan, Mr. Mulally noted that Ford will cover 100% of the American market with 20 nameplates ranging from small, fuel-efficient cars like the Fiesta to larger family-friendly crossovers, while still provided light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks and the new small utility van, the Ford Transit. When questioned about the recent termination of the Mercury brand, Mr. Mulally stated that it wasn't the easiest decision to make, but that the company decided it was best to focus on two brands and to use the time, effort and money devoted to Mercury to turn Lincoln into a truly premium, luxury brand.

Bob Carter, Group Vice President and General Manager, Toyota Division; Toyota Motor Sales, USA, closed the Saturday session by covering the current Toyota hot-topic, the recent recalls. Mr. Carter discussed the timeline of the recalls and then highlighted Toyota's quick response, stating that the company never flinched when it was suggested that they shut down production plants to ensure that dealers had the new replacement parts to fix current customer's cars.

Members enjoyed Saturday afternoon, golf for some and pool for others, before coming back together for the closing party, a Mardi Gras celebration. Many guests arrived with beads on and a mask in hand! We enjoyed delicious Cajun and Creole delicacies, like gumbo, jambalaya and fried green tomatoes. Children had their own special buffet, set on a lower table and at eye-level. Teens enjoyed Wii games, while the youngest kids had fun making their own Mardi Gras masks. A DJ provided fun music and enthusiasts from two years and up danced the night away.

We received glowing compliments throughout the weekend and have received many phone calls since returning to business on Monday. The overall opinion is that this was truly a successful convention. The presence of industry executives was a huge draw and everyone left the Saturday morning session with an overwhelmingly positive impression. To those who joined us, we are so happy that you did! To those who could not, we certainly hope you will join us next time!

We would like to thank the following MADA sponsors for making this a wonderful convention!

American Fidelity Assurance Co.

Bel Air Auto Auction

Computerized Vehicle Registration (CVR)

Councilor Buchanan & Mitchell,CPA's

DealerTrack

Enterprise Rent A Car

Helion Technologies

IWIF

Landmark Insurance&Financial Group / Steve Salamon

Kelly Benefit Strategies/KTBS Payroll

Reynolds & Reynols