Pub. 1 Issue 1

1 VADA's History: The Story of Its Members F ormed by dealers in 1943 as the Automotive Trade As- sociation of Virginia, the Association came in response to the challenges facing dealers as a result of World War II. Then, dealers had difficulty getting vehicles to sell or parts for repairs. Fortunately, that year, eight of the Commonwealth’s dealers served as elected officials in the General Assembly of Virginia. These individuals recognized the importance of dealers joining together in preparation for the post-war economy. The Association adopted its current name in the early 1970s. From the beginning, the Association’s founding members were focused on dealer advocacy at the General Assembly of Virginia, with regulators and with manufacturers. Their vision for the Association was also one of togetherness and to obtain economies of scale in the purchasing of products and services such as insurance. Today, VADA remains true to these core purposes. The Asso- ciation is one of the most successful and influential lobbying groups in Virginia. Just in the past decade, we have made enormous strides in strengthening Virginia’s laws to protect dealers from unfair trade practices, and the automotive retail industry has, in turn, benefited Virginia. The automotive retailing industry in Virginia is critical to the commonwealth’s economy and the well-being of our communities. Virginia’s hometown new car and truck dealers make up 20% of the commonwealth’s total retail sales. They directly or indirectly account for over 65,000 jobs with over $2 Billion in payroll. However, the story really doesn’t begin and end here – VADA over the years is really the story of the members, and their willingness to put everything they had on the line, at one point or another, to follow their passion in growing their dealerships and making the economic contributions to their communities that they all have. Running a business – any business – successfully, isn’t easy. Running a dealership is hard work and it takes courage because the decisions made today, affect a lot of people tomorrow. The men and women that make up VADA are a resilient sort. Over the past 30 years, I’ve had the honor and pleasure of serving the membership of this amazing association. Being part of the changes and the growth has been rewarding, and I am very proud of the progress we, as a group, have made. I don’t think that we can rest on our laurels by any means. The times are still very tough on our industry, but during this year – our 75th year – we as a group can certainly look at our past and appreciate the efforts it took to get to where we are today. Message from – Don Hall Years! Celebrate