ARCO/Murray - Our goal is the same today as it was when we started in 1992: to be the very best design-build contractor in the industry. We use a proven design-build methodology to bring our clients’ vision to life while delivering the very best experience.

We have offices to serve clients from coast-to-coast – across an array of industries.

Our expert team of in-house engineers, project managers, superintendents, modelers and architects are capable of designing and building the most demanding projects anywhere in the country.

For more information contact Michele Fournier at mfournier@arcomurray.com.

BMO Commercial Bank - At BMO Commercial Bank, we believe you deserve more from your bank than just a place to get financing or products to manage your cash flow. You deserve a partner that understands your industry, your business and sees your vision the way you see it. A bank that gets you.

Our clients feel the difference when they work with us. We listen to you, anticipate your needs and share our expertise and knowledge to help you achieve your vision. You benefit from the size and strength of BMO Financial Group, with $812 billion in assets and the expertise of 45,000 employees around the globe.

We understand that there’s more to running your business than just finances, so we want to make banking with us easy so you focus on growing your business; confident that all of your financial needs are being addressed. Because in the end, that’s the type of partner a bank should be.

For more information contact Joel Dixon at joel.dixon@bmo.com.

Novella - Dealers trust their salespeople to present sealant products. Novella validates it. Novella is designed to guarantee and track sealants are presented each and every time. ONE additional sealant contract per month will cover your monthly Novella cost. Additionally, if you do not see an increase in sealant penetration within 90 days at a +95% utilization rate, we will refund your fees.

Guarantee your salespeople are presenting sealants to each and every customer. No longer miss an opportunity to capture a sealant sale - the only noncancelable ancillary! Novella is product-agnostic, which means NO change of your sealant provider. Novella is the gateway to increased F&I!

For more information contact Tanya Jindrich at tanya.jindrich@novellatrack.com.

The Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch study for the first quarter of 2023 claimed hybrid vehicles continue to be more popular among vehicle shoppers despite the significant attention paid to EVs and new tax advantages. The report compares a brand or model to its competitors in the industry based on a dozen parameters crucial to a consumer’s purchasing decision. It’s a consumer perception survey that also takes into account shopping behavior.

However, shopping habits remained the same. Since the fourth quarter of 2022, consideration for EVs has stayed the same, and it hasn’t decreased much since the spring of 2022 when gas prices spiked.

On the other hand, since Kelley Blue Book began keeping track of electrified car purchases, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has held the top spot for most-shopped electrified vehicles. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid, ranked number three, the updated Prius, ranked number six; and the Camry Hybrid, ranked number seven, were also included. Ford and Honda each got two listings in the top ten, the CR-V Hybrid and the Honda Accord Hybrid. In addition, the Ford Maverick and the Escape Hybrid.

Read the full report here.

Need help with the new FTC Safeguards Rule? Whether you're just starting or have already initiated the process, this webinar can be an invaluable refresher, highlighting common misconceptions and easily overlooked aspects of the new rules to avoid potential pitfalls and stay on track.

Hear Brad Miller, Chief Regulatory Counsel, Digital Affairs and Privacy at NADA, and Chris Cleveland, CEO & Co-Founder of ComplyAuto, as they aim to equip you with practical tips and straightforward tasks to ensure you meet the deadline. By focusing on essential, easy-to-accomplish items, you'll be well on your way to compliance and prepared for potential enforcement actions. Take advantage of this opportunity to get up-to-speed and confidently navigate the June 9th Revised FTC Safeguards Rule Deadline.

To view the recording, click here.

(NOTE: NADA Login required. If you need assistance accessing member content, contact NADA customer service (Monday-Friday: 8:30am-4:45pm) at 800.557.6232.)

Illinois Senate Bill 1896, which would amend the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for e-signatures for online vehicle sales as well as home delivery to customers has passed both houses of the General Assembly and awaits the governor’s signature.  Sen. Patrick Joyce (D) introduced the bill to clarify language in the vehicle code regarding online sales.  The bill was amended during the legislative process to provide the Secretary of State to continue to regulate off-site sales.

CATA member Napleton Auto Group recently reserved the CATA’s training salons for a sales training presentation for its managers.  CATA members are allowed to use the association headquarters’ meeting spaces free of charge as a member benefit.  Everything from a private office for an off-site, one-on-one interview to a classroom for 120 for large scale training are available for member use.  If interested, please call CATA’s meeting coordinator, Roxanne Sammarco, at 630-495-2282.

To counter the ever-increasing nation-wide crimewave targeting auto dealers, Trydon’s proprietary ChaseLight® feature offers a truly proactive approach designed to enable auto dealers to protect their vehicle inventories from afterhours theft and vandalism.  Police report that such theft typically happens between the hours of 1:00am and 3:00am so whether it be catalytic converters, wheels, or whole vehicles being stolen that has impacted your operation, Trydon’s patented lighting controllers empower your outdoor lighting to become an after-hours motion sensing network capable of detecting and deterring unwanted trespassers from entering your site. 

Our controllers are designed to integrate with both existing and new outdoor LED lighting installations and are installed at the top of each light pole.  Once installed, the light pole now becomes “smart” and will monitor the area beneath each light pole.  Any undesired motion will trigger an audible alarm with flashing light, creating a disruptive and attention-getting environment designed to discourage criminals from remaining on your lot. (Add link to ChaseLight video on our website: www.chaselight-tech.com).

Trydon’s BrowseHours™ feature understands the difference between the behavior of criminals and the interests of car shoppers, welcoming them to enjoy an after-hours walk-through of your vehicle inventory.  This is particularly beneficial now that dealer inventories are finally on the rise.

Trydon’s innovative and unparalleled level of inventory protection saves dealers significant repair and replacement costs.  In addition, ChaseLIght can reduce insurance premiums and self-insurance exposure.  With the onset of recent substantial increases in the cost of energy (+11% in 2022, +13% in 2023), Trydon’s sustainably focused and cost-effective method for managing outdoor area lighting can enable the lighting controllers to pay for themselves within a relatively short period of time.   

ChaseLight systems are being installed in dealerships across the Midwest near Trydon’s headquarters in St. Louis.  Why not have your lighting system work harder for you?  With ChaseLight, it’s easier to proactively chase away risk rather than watch surveillance video the next morning.  Secure your lot today!    

For more information, contact: Don Jacobs at Don@trydontrue.com.

WHEN: TUESDAY, JUNE 13

WHERE: COG HILL GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, LEMONT, IL

Join us for the CATA Annual Meeting and Member Golf Outing to enjoy a day on the course with fellow CATA dealers and allied members. From amateur to pro, this is a fun day for golfers of all levels! Not a golfer? Lunch-only tickets are available for purchase so you can still enjoy the beautiful day and networking before the shotgun begins.

The day will begin with a networking reception followed by a hot lunch buffet. During lunch, the 2023-2024 CATA President & Chairperson will address all members and give an annual meeting update. The shotgun start on all courses will begin promptly after lunch.

The golf outing will take place across 3 courses: Course 1, Course 3 and the Ravines Course (a premier, more challenging course).  Note: there is an additional fee for those who wish to golf on the Ravines course.

MORE INFO AND ONLINE REGISTRATION HERE

At the March 28, 2023, meeting of the CATA Board of Directors, the Board noted that the terms of the following four Directors are expiring at the CATA Annual Meeting on June 14, 2023, and that each is eligible for re-nomination and re-election to the Board:

The CATA Nominating Committee, consisting of J.C. Phelan, Chair, Kelly Webb Roberts, Jason Roberts, Ryan Kelly, and Kevin Keefe met and renominated all four incumbents, but failed to recommend any additional candidate(s). The Nominating Committee then directed that a communication be sent to all CATA members soliciting names of other potential candidates with interest in serving on the CATA Board. That communication was sent to CATA membership via email on April 28, 2023, with a deadline of May 2, 2023, for additional recommendations. There were no additional recommendations provided to the Nominating Committee. Therefore, the Nominating Committee has elected to nominate only the four incumbent Directors. Those Directors, with no opposition, are hereby deemed elected to an additional three-year term on the CATA Board of Directors without the necessity of balloting.

Dealer principal members should bear in mind that the CATA is always looking for interested candidates to join its dynamic board as openings will be available beginning next year. If interested, please contact CATA Co-President Jennifer Morand to learn more: 630-424-6084 or jmorand@drivechicago.com.

Congratulations to Dan Heller, Steve Phillipos, Dan Marquardt, and Kelly Webb Roberts on their re-election to the CATA Board!

As NADA has been warning, discussing, explaining and reminding dealers for several years, the compliance deadline for the Federal Trade Commission’s amended Safeguards Rule is fast approaching.

The original deadline was December 9, 2022, but after NADA sought an extension, the FTC extended the deadline to June 9, 2023. There are no indications of any further extensions. And with the deadline now a month away, dealers are reminded again that full compliance with these complicated new requirements must be completed by June 9. 

As NADA has repeatedly noted, compliance with this rule is complicated and time consuming, and dealers must act now if they have not yet completed their compliance efforts. Compliance is not a simple task that can be undertaken lightly or quickly, or simply outsourced to a vendor.      

You can find guides, program templates, webinars, workshop sessions, third party and governmental resources, vendor services and more at www.nada.org/safeguardsrule. 

More webinars and related material will be issued to dealers in the coming weeks. In addition, NADA continues to work with vendors, OEMs and others in an effort to bring clarity and efficiency to Safeguards compliance for dealers going forward. 

For those of you who have met the requirements of the Rule, remember, this is not a “one and done” type of rule. It will require a consistent effort toward security that should become part of your ongoing operations. 

And even if you have not started, don’t despair, but don’t wait—work with your advisors, staff, attorneys, vendors and others today. You are behind, but that should not stop you from taking the steps necessary to comply with the new requirements in order to protect your dealership and your customers. 

NOTE:  Many of you may likely be aware of a separate proposed rule from the FTC—the Vehicle Shopping Rule—that would regulate dealership sales and advertising practices. These numerous new regulatory requirements can be confusing, but do not confuse that proposal (which is important but unrelated) with the Safeguards Rule and this pending compliance deadline.

With record profits, obvious inventory constraints, and “unique” employment circumstances, automotive sales consultants across the country (many of whom started selling cars during the pandemic) are struggling to remember what it’s like to walk a customer through all ten steps to the sale (if they ever had to in the first place).  Remedial as it may sound, now is the time to focus on getting your sales consultants “back to basics” in order to close the sale and maximize gross… FTC – Find the Cash! Re-train on performing a good needs assessment, a solid selection, a skilled walk-around, a transparent trade appraisal, the “laborious” service walk, and an exhilarating test drive- complete with close-ended questions and a trial close! 

Without these key elements, new sales consultants will grow frustrated with their sudden lack of success, and veterans will start seeking greener pastures as high grosses become minis. 

As the CATA’s Recommended Service Provider for F&I, Zurich is committed to the success of ALL its members- and would love to help!  Whether you call us or call your current F&I provider, ask them what kind of scheduled, impactful sales training (with written follow-up) they provide as a getting “back to basics” for your sales team.