Excitement is already building for the 2023 calendar.
As we head towards the end of the year, it’s time to reflect back on 2022 as well as looking forward to 2023. The biggest thing for us has been the return of in-person events. The Automotive Conference & Expo (ACE), organized by TADA in partnership with Consolidated Dealers was a big success, with around 700 attendees and it signified that things are slowly getting back to normal. As we look forward to 2023; we will see the Canadian International AutoShow return to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre after a three-year hiatus in February. We will also be hosting our annual President’s Conference in April at the Secrets Resort & Spa, Cap, Cana; Dominican Republic. Like the AutoShow, this is an event that was put on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highly anticipated
Next year’s President’s Conference is highly anticipated and alongside it, we will also take the opportunity to welcome our next TADA President, Jim Williamson, of Williamson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Uxbridge, Ont. Jim is one of the most active dealers in the association and a long-time member of our Executive Board. He’s highly respected in the industry and has taken a progressive approach to the business. He’s been actively involved in the industry since a young age, working in the family’s General Motors retail locations before acquiring his first Chrysler store in 2012. Under Jim’s stewardship, Williamson Chrysler has seen significant growth in sales volumes and the dealership has developed an outstanding reputation for customer service—witnessed by numerous five-star Google Reviews and an extremely loyal customer base.
Jim’s approach has always been centred around a willingness to try new concepts and ideas, and you’ll frequently find him at industry events, networking and looking for new tools and solutions to not only help in advancing his business, but also our industry. When we first approached the idea of re-launching our President’s Conference as a physical event, I discussed the idea with Jim, and he was 100% behind it. In fact, when we made a save the date announcement about the event in October, the amount of interest we generated was exceptional.
Winning formula
Although specific details on the agenda, content and speakers will be released shortly, the formula will remain similar to what we’ve provided in past years. This is an intimate opportunity for dealers to network with the leadership of key industry vendors, the TADA board and executive and benefit from top-tier automotive keynote sessions that address the most current issues in our industry. Spouses are welcome and we know that Jim and his wife Tracey will be excellent hosts. The five-day format has proved very popular with attendees and has resulted in the forging of some deep and robust business relationships, creating a real sense of community among our members and the automotive retailing sector.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything it is that relationships are so important to success and nothing beats in-person interaction. We’ve already seen a new-found appreciation for physical events this year and that looks set to continue. Since this is the last issue of Autosphere Magazine for 2022, I would also like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Holiday season from all of us here at TADA, not to mention a prosperous and rewarding 2023!
