Auto Industry Focus Shifts to NADA Convention in Orlando Feb. 13-15

2010 NADA convention's economic impact on Central Florida to exceed $30 million

MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For more than a year, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) has worked in the trenches to restore retail and wholesale auto financing; lobbied successfully to prevent the collapse of General Motors and Chrysler; and supported legislation in Congress that established arbitration rights for terminated dealers.

Now, the industry focus shifts to the NADA Convention & Expo, where thousands of the nation's new car and truck dealers -- and dealers from 29 countries -- will convene in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 13-15, looking for ways to improve their overall business operations and prepare for an economic rebound. Dealers from Canada, Britain, Mexico, India, Australia, Russia, Italy and Brazil, to name just a few, will join thousands of U.S. dealers for the auto industry event of the year.

"With all that's happening in the auto industry, the NADA convention is a perfect time to assess the future of auto retailing and for dealers to meet face-to-face with their automaker representatives and their peers," says Brian Hamilton, 2010 convention chairman. "With 19 franchise meetings scheduled, 108 workshop sessions to choose from and more than 450 companies exhibiting on the expo floor, this is a 'must-attend' convention."

In Orlando, NADA plans to launch NADA University, which will offer new online educational programs through an interactive-based training system, in addition to instructor-led training and consulting programs. Training demos will be provided on site at the NADA University booth and studio.

NADA is also providing dealers and dealership managers with a $200 voucher to spend on goods and services on the expo floor.

Keynote speakers include: 2009 NADA Chairman John McEleney; 2010 NADA Chairman Ed Tonkin; Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America; Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation; oil-tycoon-turned-energy-activist T. Boone Pickens; and adventurer Alison Levine.

NADA Chief Economist Paul Taylor will deliver his new vehicle sales forecast and economic outlook for 2010. Taylor will be joined by Jonathan Banks, the new senior director of editorial and data services for NADA Used Car Guide and a leading industry analyst. Banks will present his insights and key data on used vehicle pricing and market trends, as well as an outlook for the year ahead.

According to the Orange County Convention Center, the economic impact of the 2010 NADA convention on Central Florida will be about $31 million.

NADA, founded in 1917 and based in McLean, Va., represents about 17,000 new-car and -truck dealers, both domestic and international. For daily automotive-related news and convention updates, sign up to receive NADA Headlines at www.nada.org/headlines. It's free! For more information, visit www.nada.org.

SOURCE National Automobile Dealers Association