2010 NADA convention’s economic impact on Central Florida to exceed $30 million
ORLANDO (Feb. 11, 2010) -- Thousands of U.S. new car dealers, including international dealers from 30 countries, automaker executives and exhibitors will be traveling to Orlando, Fla., this week to attend the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Expo, which runs Feb. 13-15.
More than 15,000 dealers, automaker executives, exhibitors, media and guests are expected to attend the convention.
"With all that is happening in the auto industry and economy, this will be a perfect time to assess the future of auto retailing and for dealers to meet face-to-face with their manufacturer representatives," says Brian Hamilton, NADA convention chairman and a General Motors and Chrysler dealer from Nebraska. “With 19 franchise meetings scheduled, 108 workshop sessions to choose from and more than 465 companies exhibiting on the expo floor, this is a ‘must-attend’ convention.”
For more than a year, 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.
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.
Plus, NADA Chief Economist Paul Taylor will deliver his highly anticipated industry new-vehicle sales forecast and economic outlook for 2010. He'll be joined by Jonathan Banks, the new senior director of editorial and data services for NADA Used Car Guide and a leading industry analyst, who will present insights and key data on used-vehicle pricing and market trends, as well as his 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 nearly 17,000 new car and truck dealers operating about 37,500 separate franchises, both domestic and international.
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ATTENTION MEDIA: While in Orlando, NADA officials and dealers will be available for in-studio interviews, special programming and live/taped interviews. For media credentials or to book interviews, contact Charles Cyrill, NADA Public Affairs, at (216) 870-8837 (cell) or ccyrill@nada.org.