This is our first print issue of Virginia Dealer magazine since before the before the pandemic. And with life returning to normal (all things considered), we wanted to get back to delivering a quality print product to our members. Welcome back.
For the last two years, VADA has fought hard to protect and inform our dealers about restrictions that threatened their business and livelihoods. And as we learned to work in COVID and turn the page on the pandemic, we cast our sights to the Virginia General Assembly, which this year considered a range of bills dealing with numerous business and dealer-focused issues.
One of the best examples of how VADA works in the legislative world is a bill that that addressed unfair warranty and recall reimbursements. It overwhelmingly passed thanks to our efforts, access to legislators, and more than 800 letters that dealers and service technicians sent to their elected officials. Those letters, and our voice, mattered.
The new law, which we expect to be signed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, will ensure your stores are fairly compensated by manufacturers for warranty and recall work. No more struggles to get paid. These are real dollars that will impact your bottom line and protect technician jobs.
If you are not a part of the process, you also can’t fight back against policies you don’t like, such as last year’s passage of the state’s overtime law that failed to protect our long-standing dealership overtime exemptions.
VADA was able to work with legislators to secure a temporary fix last year and secured a permanent fix that is on its way to Governor Youngkin’s desk to be signed.
The last two years have shown us just how important it is that we elect pro-dealer candidates who will work with us at the State Capitol on the issues impacting our stores and our customers. Without elected leaders who understand our industry, we face an uphill path on every issue. We ask every dealership leader and manager to join our “All In” 2022 PAC fundraising campaign — every contribution is more fuel to help us secure policies that keep our industry moving in the right direction. Give now at vada.com/pac22.
We also look forward to welcoming you all to our Annual Convention in Asheville, N.C., June 19-22. If you have not done so, register online at vada.com/convention and take advantage of our room rates for an extended stay in the North Carolina mountains.
This convention offers VADA and our members the opportunity to take to the road and come together in a family-friendly gathering that offers a chance to network and learn.
In the following pages, you’ll meet or be reintroduced to Virginia dealers and hopefully pick up a few new ideas to make your dealerships run more efficiently and effectively. Please also support our partners who advertise in this magazine and show them how much you appreciate their backing of the retail automotive industry in Virginia — one that continues to bless us all and bring competition, innovation, and choice to drivers every day.
