During the inaugural CADA Summit in 2013, a key (and popular) component were the panel discussions, where industry experts debated economic, dealer and manufacturer related issues regarding the auto industry. In talking with Patrice Maltais, Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA) Industry Relations Officer and coordinator for the CADA Summit, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the panel discussions are also a focal point of the 2014 event.
In regards to the economic panel, Maltais says that a couple of last year’s guests were invited back, including Craig Alexander, senior vice-president and chief economist with TD Bank Group, and Preet Banerjee, personal finance expert, TV host and columnist for the Globe and Mail. They’ll be joined this time by Peter Hatges, Canadian automobile lead partner with consulting firm KPMG. The panel, like last year, will be moderated by Michael Hatch, CADA’s chief economist.
Maltais says the panel format resonates because “it goes beyond the numbers. These guys are going through them and trying to tell you what the numbers mean. They might not necessarily agree all the time, but you at least get a sense of our economic footing.” Maltais says that with Hatges also presenting a retail update earlier in the day, it will also help set the stage for a lively discussion.
The second of the three panel discussions at the 2014 CADA Summit centres around Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Canada. Moderated by Niel Hiscox, publisher of Canadian auto dealer, this year’s panel will include Tim A. Reuss, president of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Jerry Chenkin, president and CEO, Honda Canada Inc. and Don Durst, senior vice-president, sales and marketing, Subaru Canada Inc. “I think we are going to have a good mix this year,” says Maltais in reference to the OEM panel. “We have a luxury manufacturer, a mass-market manufacturer and somewhat of a niche player with Subaru. You’ll have some very different viewpoints and get a chance to understand what the manufacturers are thinking and how that may impact dealers.”
Moving onto the retail panel discussion, like last time, the most recent CADA Laureates have been invited to take part, in this case dealers Al MacPhee, Joe Medina and Sean O’Regan. Joining them will be Glenn Mercer, automotive consultant and lead researcher on the NADA/CADA Facilities Study.
“Glenn will talk about the report, specifically the dealership of the future, in his own presentation,” says Maltais “and then we are going to bring him into the discussion where the panelists will talk about this and other retail issues.” Maltais says that attendees like to hear from the Laureates because they’ve achieved status as the best in the business. “I think it is also going to be good,” says Maltais “because a little earlier, (Penske Auto Group President) Robert Kurnick is going to talk about dealer consolidation, so they’ll be able to bring that topic into the panel discussion as well.” Moderating the retail panel in 2014 will be Chuck Seguin, president of Seguin Advisory Services and Canadian auto dealer columnist.
