CADA celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Laureate program
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It’s been ten years since the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association launched its national CADA Laureate dealer recognition program. To mark the tenth anniversary, the association recently held a special two-day event that brought out past CADA Laureate winners together from across the country.
“When I talk to each individual person here, and I look at their stories, at the end of a day, it’s a story of who they are in their community, what they are in the industry through the good that each one is doing everyday in their community and the difference they make,” said Alnoor Jiwani, Senior Vice-President, Business Development and Finance — Dealer Services, at iA-SAL, the exclusive Laureate program sponsor since its inception. “I’m proud that we’re part of that.”
The celebrations kicked off at an evening welcome reception at the National Club, a private club located in Toronto’s financial district. Event attendees were then treated to a dinner featuring entertainment from Canadian comedian, Colin Mochrie.
“I think to have a group reunion of all the winning Laureates over the last ten years is a fantastic opportunity to talk about business, talk about opportunities in our business and to discuss things with peers that have been successful,” said Mary Nurse, dealer principal of Nurse Cadillac Chevrolet in Whitby, Ont. and the recipient of the 2011 Retailer Laureate.
As part of the celebrations, CADA invited the past Laureate winners for a tour and lunch at the historic Parkwood Estate in Oshawa, Ont., the former home of Canadian businessman and philanthropist, R.S. McLaughlin.
Niel Hiscox, publisher of Canadian auto dealer, provided a historical perspective on McLaughlin, known as “Colonel Sam” in automotive circles for being a pioneer in Canada’s automotive industry.
After working for his father’s carriage company, McLaughlin decided he wanted to create his own automobile. His business, the McLaughlin Motor Car Co., is one of the first major automobile manufacturers in Canada, and McLaughlin was later pivotal in establishing General Motors of Canada.
Hiscox also spoke to McLaughlin’s role as a car dealer, who had opened his first store at the corner of Church and Richmond St. in Toronto in 1908.
In 1925, he opened a dealership on Bay St. in Toronto, which operated as a McLaughlin store until the mid 1950s when it was sold to Harry Addison. This store continued to operate until 2007.
Several Laureates said they were inspired by the historic setting that was the backdrop for the event. Alex Baum, Dealer Principal of Cochrane Toyota, in Cochrane, Alta. and the 2009 Ambassador Laureate, said he has two horse carriages made by the McLaughlins. “I knew about the McLaughlins before I got to come to their home,” he said.
Following Hiscox’s speech, CADA posthumously awarded McLaughlin a CADA Laureate jacket — a first in the history of the program — for all of his contributions to Canada’s automotive industry.
“We really couldn’t think of a more deserving person than [McLaughlin] to receive the prestigious Laureate jacket posthumously,” said Rick Gauthier, former President and CEO of CADA, to the Laureates in attendance. “Let me tell you that Colonel Sam McLaughlin passes the test with flying colours,” he added.
Accepting the Laureate jacket was Jocelyn Shaw, McLaughlin’s granddaughter, who had travelled from Montreal to attend the historic events. Gauthier announced that McLaughlin’s Laureate jacket will be on permanent display in Federation Hall, as part of the newly renovated lobby that CADA has donated to the Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) in Barrie, Ont.
“The Laureate program is really a long-term vision we’ve had about elevating the standards of our dealer performance and the whole image that the automobile dealer projects. I want to make the retail industry a great career choice for young men and women who are thinking about entering the car business,” said Gauthier.
CADA also presented a donation of $5,000 to the Parkwood Foundation charitable organization to help the estate operate as a national historic site.
For more information about the CADA Laureate program, visit: www.cadalaureate.ca.
