Pub. 1 2021 Issue 2

Thank you Vitu for sponsoring the event and a big thanks to all that attended the MTADA 4th Annual Trapshoot on September 13th. A lot of fun was had by both shooter and spectator alike. The day was filled with networking, food, and prizes for the sharpest shooter. We hope to see you at our next event! Learn more at mtada.com.

Unless you live under a rock, you know full-well the crisis of workforce shortage in all the skilled trade industries. The automotive industry certainly is no exception to this problem. The lack of qualified service technicians is one of the most significant struggles dealerships face across the state and nation.

Most dealerships have team members who are responsible for accounting and finance. These individuals might be trained in the position or hired for their expertise. Because managing a dealership is complex, it is easy for dealership owners and managers to entrust these individuals with their tasks without strict internal controls, regular check-ins or process and technology assessments.

COVID-19 changed every aspect of our society, including the way dealerships operate and how consumers purchase vehicles. As states reopen and businesses return to normal operations, some key trends will continue even after the coronavirus is under control. Here is what you can expect to see post-pandemic and how to position your dealership for success in the long run.

During the first quarter of 2021, the number of EV sales in the U.S. was greater than 300,000. More specifically, EV sales outperformed the overall market and increased 81% when compared against Q1 2020. The following table shows the exact numbers:
The largest growth was for hybrids and plug-in hybrids. The reason is obvious. Although an increasing number of people are buying EV technology to help counter high gas prices and reduce their carbon footprint, they don’t want to risk running out of fuel when traveling, even if traveling only consists of a short commute. Federal tax credits on some popular models have been phased out, though, and that has caused a corresponding decline in sales. The pandemic also caused a decline, but it wasn’t as big as many people feared when the economy first shut down in March 2020.

Thank you to all our dealers who made time to attend the convention and to those sponsors who supported the event!

Our 107th Annual Family Convention was a huge hit! We hope to see you next year in Billings!

On Nov. 3, 2020, almost 57% of Montana’s voters approved Ballot Issue I-190, which legalized medical marijuana in the state. Half of Montana’s counties approved the measure, which means that legalization will occur by default in those counties. The counties where voters did not approve recreational marijuana will need most voters to reverse their decision before recreational marijuana can become legal in those counties.

One of the most important benefits of good car maintenance is that you will give the vehicle a longer life. Ideally, maintaining your car will not require as much repair on its parts. You should regularly check the fluid levels, tire pressure, lights, brakes, and battery. If you keep these parts in good shape, they’ll likely last longer. The same applies to the human body.

Q: You won the 2021 MTADA Eagle Award! What does winning the Eagle Award mean for you?

A: The Eagle Award is given to those who strengthen the association. I was touched to be considered for it.
I’ve been working hard the last few years on behalf of the association to get my young partners into MTADA and NADA. I’ve also brought our dealerships into the insurance trust to support the association. It was really neat to get the award after my work in those two areas.

My background has always been in the service business. I studied diesel technology at college, and then I went into road construction after that. I applied all of what I learned to the construction work I did. Now that we have the dealership, my background has really helped us with our shop.
We have a lot of trucks because we have a lot of construction customers. Many of them are people I’ve worked with. My uncle and I each own half of the dealership, but Marvin also has a large construction outfit.

Q: How did you become a car dealer? Did you always aspire to be part of the automotive industry?

A: I grew up in the automotive industry. My dad became a partner in a dealership in 1972, and later on, he owned his own dealership. I started washing cars when I was 10, and I worked my way up from there, but I didn’t necessarily aspire to be a dealer when I was that young. It was more like I had a clear pathway into the industry, and once I got started, continuing on that career path just happened naturally.

My company is brand-new, but I have dreamed about starting it for more than 10 years. It is set up specifically to work with the MTADA trust. In the recent past, I’ve supported MTADA from the carrier side. My work taught me the ins and outs of how the carrier industry runs. I have also worked for years with multiple employer welfare associations (MEWAs).

Bruce and I have worked together, off and on, since 2009. I respect everything he does. He approached me about the trust because I have worked in the insurance industry for 15 years, and I come with a strong background in the financial side. The trust gives me the perfect opportunity to support the MTADA dealers as an independent consultant.

Executive Order No. 1-2021 creates an advisory council to review the time and resources our citizens, farmers, ranchers and business owners are spending understanding and complying with the rules and regulations set forth in the Administrative Rules of Montana. In short, this executive order is looking at doing away with the burdens of excessive red tape.

Your association concluded another solid legislative session in May with the enactment of HB445 sponsored by Rep. Barry Usher. The law became effective upon signing by Gov. Gianforte on April 29, 2021. HB445 addresses the following subjects:

MTADA recently sponsored its 107th Annual Convention in Helena, Montana. It’s been a long time since we could do anything this big in person, and maybe that increased my appreciation for getting together. But pandemic or no pandemic, it was a great experience. MTADA dealers are a wonderful group, and the convention was a success. You could feel an enormous amount of positive energy in the room when we were all together. The board and executive board members were able to meet in person, we had two exceptionally good speakers to teach and entertain us, and everyone had many networking opportunities. Our 108th Annual Family Convention will be held June 9-11, 2022, in Billings, MT. We look forward to seeing you and your family there!