Sergio Marchionne
After the success of last year’s inaugural CADA Summit in Toronto, many were wondering what to expect in 2014. A lineup of industry heavy hitters was deemed a prerequisite and with the likes of Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat SpA and Chrysler Group, Ed Welburn, Vice-President of Global Design at General Motors; Robert Kurnick Jr., President of Penske Auto Group and Glenn Mercer, renowned auto industry consultant and author of the joint CADA/NADA Facilities Study, not only does this year’s event promise to be one to remember, the speaker lineup has also driven up industry participation.
So much so in fact, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association reports that dealer attendance is up 60 per cent, meaning that officially, the 2014 CADA Summit is now sold out.
Glenn Mercer
“The industry support we’ve received regarding the 2014 CADA Summit has been incredible,” said Rick Gauthier, President and CEO of CADA. “And we’re very excited that so many industry leaders have chosen to join us in Toronto on February 12.”
Besides the keynote addresses, the 2014 Summit will include a retail update, courtesy of Peter Hatges, the Canadian Lead Automotive Partner for consulting firm KPMG, a look at financing trends from Michael McGhee, Senior-Vice President and Business Head at TD Auto Finance, as well as three panel discussions featuring key industry leaders and experts.
Back by popular demand in 2014 is the economic panel, moderated by CADA Chief Economist Michael Hatch and consisting of Peter Hatges, personal finance expert Preet Banerjee and TD Chief Economist Craig Alexander.
This year’s manufacturer panel, moderated by Canadian auto dealer Publisher Niel Hiscox, features Jerry Chenkin, President and CEO of Honda Canada Inc., Don Durst, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing at Subaru Canada Inc. and Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.
Ed Welburn
Also not to be missed is the retail panel discussion, moderated by Chuck Seguin of Seguin Advisory Services and featuring the most recent CADA Laureates, Al MacPhee, Joe Medina and Sean O’Regan, who will join Glenn Mercer in talking about a key topic on the minds of many — the future of automotive retailing.
Additionally, this year’s CADA Summit will also feature the annual Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) awards, as well as a Delegate Luncheon and plenty of networking opportunities for those in attendance.
“After last year’s CADA Summit, we wanted to raise the bar even higher,” said Rick Gauthier, “and with our speaker lineup and attendee response for 2014, I’m proud to say our planning team have more than risen to the challenge.”
