Registration forms have been mailed and people are signing up to join MADA at our 2012 Summer Business Convention! We are returning this year to the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa & Marina in Cambridge.

We have a great itinerary in store for everyone, including two highly respected speakers, fun evening events, and plenty of free time to enjoy all the fun that the resort has to offer!  You may register and return your form online via email.  To do this, simply CLICK HERE and follow the prompts!   

Please note that all attendees will need to make their own hotel registration prior to May 17th to ensure the convention rate.  To make your reservation, CLICK HERE.   

Renn Kirby Mitsubishi, in partnership with MADA, recently presented a Little Anne Four Pack and a Resusci Baby Complete CPR Training Units to Citizen's Truck Company in Abingdon.

Representatives from Renn Kirby Mitsubishi, Citizens Truck Co., and MADA gather for the donation.

MADA offers the mannequins through a partnership with the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation. Since 1975, the foundation has distributed over 4,100 training units throughout the U.S., to provide training for more than 1.9 million people. Local organizations may apply for a Resusci-Anne by contacting Al Scrimger at MADA, 410.269.1710.

MADA will host a Legal and Legislative Compliance Seminar on May 10th.  Presenters will be Mike Charapp,of Charapp & Weiss, LLP, and Peter Kitzmiller and Travis Martz.  This seminar will cover new laws and regulations passed during the 2012 Legislative session, as well as the legal and compliance issues that you face in the day-to-day operation of your dealership.   

Event details are as follows:         

LOCATION:  Turf Valley Resort Ellicott City 

DATE:  May 10, 2012 

TIME:  10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

COST:     $99 per person (MADA Members Only!)   

Download the Registration Form and return it to MADA to reserve your spot today! 

A federal court recently blocked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from issuing a rule that would require employers to post notices explaining workers' collective bargaining rights. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ordered that an emergency injunction on the rule be granted, pending appeal. The poster rule was set to go into effect on April 30, but will now be delayed until the appeal is decided.  

NADA and ATD member dealers have until May 2, 2012, to take part in NADA's new Dealership Workforce Study that will analyze employee compensation, benefits, turnover and other data. There is no cost to participate in the study.

"The study will provide dealers with valuable comparative data to assess and adjust, if necessary, their employee compensation programs, health and retirement benefit packages, and find out what it takes to be competitive in recruiting new employees," said Marilynn Youngs, senior director of NADA University. "All individual dealership data will be kept secure and remain strictly confidential."

Once the study is completed, participating dealers will receive a free copy of the Basic Report that compares their individual dealership to the regional and national industry as well as the Driven management guide summary report. To streamline the process for dealership chains with multiple stores, NADA University staff stands ready to work with dealers and their managers who wish to provide an aggregate pull of payroll data, instead of providing data for each store individually. 

To participate in the 2012 Dealership Workforce Study, please CLICK HERE. For more information or questions, contact Cynthia R. Cook with NADA University at (703) 821-7197 or by email.

MADA announces the next live webinar coming to you from DealersEdge...    

How to Fine-Tune Your Used Vehicle Department to Spot Weaknesses and Supercharge Results!

Date/Time: Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 1pm

Presenter: Steve Nickelsen, of Nickelsen Solutions

Cost: $149.00 per person

The car business has changed much in the past decade, but nowhere more so than in the Used Vehicle departments. The Internet has been the main agent of change; often resulting in the turning of established process on its head!

Some have adapted well, others are perplexed with their feet firmly planted: one foot in the old way of doing business, while the other foot attempts to move forward. Result: Many used vehicle departments are under-performing.

Steve Nickelsen joins us for this exploration of just how dealership top managers, as well as Used Vehicle department managers, can perform a self-examination and evaluation with an eye toward spotting areas in which the dealership can do better. Once problem areas are highlighted, Steve will also lay out a plan for addressing and correcting the weaknesses found.

You Will Learn:

• What are the "new" measurements in Used Car Departments?
• How to determine your market's real used vehicle potential.
• How to structure your used inventory for maximum net profit.
• How to attract more on-line prospects to your used inventory.
• How to find used cars to sell in this economy.
• How to increase turns to drive dealership net profits

  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TODAY! 

We thank those members who have already paid their 2012 Membership Year dues. If you have not submitted your membership dues, please do so as soon as possible. We are currently compiling our 2012 membership information to be included in the yearly directory and if we do not have your dues payment, your business will not be included. If you need a 2nd copy of your dues statement, please contact Charlotte Rutkowski at 800.526.7423.