INVALUABLE LEARNING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES MADE THE 2014 CADA SUMMIT A STANDOUT EVENT FOR DEALERS
On a cold February day in Toronto, in a jam-packed conference room, dealers sat shoulder-to-shoulder with their peers absorbing invaluable information at the second annual CADA Summit.
Some hopefuls that were stuck on the CADA Summit waiting list will have to wait until next year to get a taste of what is fast becoming the automotive learning event of the year for Canadian dealers.
For those who missed it, here’s a free bit of advice: register early next year. When the organizers say there is limited seating and the Summit will sell out — they mean it!
This year’s event featured dynamic new speakers who shed light on current trends and offered glimpses of what the dealership network of the future might look like. It’s fascinating stuff. A lot of dealers said their eyes were opened after hearing about the rapid growth the Penske Automotive Group has experienced south of the border.
FAMILIAR, YET FRESH
There were some familiar panel sessions that featured a cross section of economists, winning CADA Laureate dealers and OEM leaders. But while the format was similar to last year’s event, the content and the ideas discussed were fresh and thought provoking. The economists were all bullish about the years that lie ahead for dealers, which was probably the best news dealers heard all day.
Another highlight was the impassioned speech and informal question and answer session featuring Sergio Marchionne, the Chairman and CEO of Chrysler and Fiat. Until you hear the man speak, you don’t really appreciate the passion he has for the valuable role our industry plays in enriching the lives of Canadians.
It’s the type of event where you really can’t help but leave with valuable takeaways. Here’s what one dealer I had lunch with emailed me after the event. “Yesterday was an amazing day and as a young dealer I was like a sponge with some of these great success stories from dealers around me!”
While there’s no substitute for attending and networking with your peers, Canadian auto dealer had the privilege of being the only media invited to attend the CADA Summit. We posted our coverage online within hours of the event ending, and also feature Summit content within the pages of this issue.
While we are pleased to bring you this exclusive coverage, we’d really rather meet you at the CADA Summit and gather your impressions from the event itself. See you next year!
