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Iowa Truck Dealer George Grask Is New ATD Chairman
 Dealer George Grask, Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Truck Center, began a two-year term as ATD chairman April 24 at the 2006 ATD Convention and Exposition in Atlanta. The former ATD vice-chairman replaces outgoing chairman Jerry Turnauer.
In his remarks, Grask highlighted the need to attract qualified professionals, especially technicians, for the retail truck industry's long-term viability. He also urged dealers to invest in a higher level of customer service to help their businesses and the industry continue to grow.
Grask told ATD members that he will work to ensure legislators understand the negative impact of increased taxes and burdensome regulations on the business. "You have toiled far too hard to give most of your earnings back," he said. [Return to top]
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Outgoing ATD Chairman Says Huge Sales, Big Challenges Are Ahead
 Sales of new trucks will continue to gain momentum this year, said outgoing ATD chairman Jerry Turnauer at the ATD convention and exposition in Atlanta. "We all expect that 2006 will be a barn-burner year, with sales limited only by the OEMs’ capacity to produce," he said.
Citing projections by NADA chief economist Paul Taylor, Turnauer expects truck sales to jump some 40 percent in 2006, with Class 8 vehicle sales leading the gains. But Turnauer said the industry must address significant challenges, including high fuel prices, increasing federal and state regulations, and a shortage of qualified professionals.
He called on truck dealers to become more actively involved in industry venues, such as dealer councils, state and metropolitan dealer associations, and ATD, and to reach out to students, teachers, parents and community groups to boost awareness of truck-retail careers. In particular, he urged dealer participation in October’s Automotive Career Month, a newly expanded program sponsored by ATD and NADA, to introduce young people to dealership careers through on-site tours and presentations.
Continued industry growth also depends on strong dealer communication with manufacturers and active involvement in ATD’s legislative efforts, Turnauer added, including the push for permanent repeal of the estate tax and an investment tax credit for Class 7 and Class 8 diesel-compliant trucks sold in 2007. [Return to top]
Virginia Dealer Wins Innovation Award for Inventory Management Software
 Earlier this month, USA TODAY and NADA presented the national Dealer Innovation Award to Andrew Budd, Country Chevrolet, Warrenton, Va., at an awards ceremony held in conjunction with the New York International Auto Show. This year’s award competition recognized dealers who have led efforts to improve their business operations with technology. Budd created inventory management software to quickly analyze sales and inventory data, cutting order-to-delivery time and enabling the dealership to stock the most desirable inventory. The program also reduced floor-plan interest expense and dealer trade volume. The software has been so successful that Budd formed a company to sell it to other dealers.
Award finalists included Steven R. Ewing, Wade Ford, Smyrna, Ga.; Richard Graham, Graham Chevrolet/Cadillac/Saab, Santa Barbara, Calif.; and John G. Rickards, Bobby Rahal Honda, Mechanicsburg, Pa. [Return to top]
NADA Offers Guides to Building Accessory Departments
- Increasing Dealership Profitability through Vehicle Accessorization, NADA Management Series SL.31 (2001), written in collaboration with the Specialty Equipment Market Association, gives an overview of the specialty automotive industry, with tips on vehicle displays, marketing tactics, sales training, and choosing a point person.
- Accessories: Not Your Usual Parts Department, NADA Management Series SP.27 (2005), offers advice on creating an accessory department: where to put it, what to stock in it, and how to process sales and scheduling. Plus, it gives updated SEMA statistics about the burgeoning market.
Both bulletins are available to members for $2.50 and nonmembers for $5.00. They may be ordered online at www.nada.org/mecatalog or by calling 800/252-NADA, ext. 2. [Return to top]
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