Luck is always in the air at NADA Show, and this year was no different as tens of thousands of automotive retail professionals came together in Las Vegas this week for the newly revamped NADA Show 2024 and the concurrent ATD (American Truck Dealers) Show 2024.
The NADA Show brings an entire industry together for the world's largest automotive retail conference and expo. Thousands of dealers and managers, OEM execs, allied industry, and international guests connect with their peers and learn about the latest industry innovations. Over the course of four days, attendees found 500-plus exhibitors, more than 100 workshops and education sessions, dealer franchise meetings, and an impressive list of keynote speakers.
What Else?
Women Driving Auto Retail 2024
NADA’s ever-popular annual Women Driving Auto Retail (WDAR) event got a serious glow-up this year. The now all-day program took place at Wynn Las Vegas on Thursday, February 1st, and featured structured and informal networking, inspiring speakers, and expanded educational sessions.
Education That Goes Beyond the Classroom
With more than 100 workshops and education sessions, mini sessions in the Dealer Learning Lab and the EV Solutions Center on the Expo floor, and two Super Sessions, NADA Show attendees dove into every trend, issue, and update affecting dealerships today, such as:
- Leadership,
- Business Essentials,
- Digital and Marketing,
- Fixed Ops, and,
- Human Capital
The popular Distinguished Speaker Series, now called Spotlight Series, is a new educational offering that includes high-profile industry speakers sharing their best leadership advice and tips. Over the course of the show, attendees participated in sessions covering how to thrive in a family auto group, reimagining the customer journey, the lifecycle of an EV battery, and more.
Over at the Live Stage, top industry experts joined NADA hosts throughout the day to offer solutions to build dealership success. Highlights from the Feb. 1 sessions included the second edition of NADA Show’s Pitch Competition (featuring students from Northwood University), a quick overview on ENERGY STAR certification for dealerships, and the ever-popular economic forecast from NADA’s Chief Economist Patrick Manzi.
Just because the NADA Show is over, it doesn’t mean it ends. Many of your favorite sessions can be accessed and shared with others in your dealerships through the NADA member portal. Workshop recordings will be available in about a month, and students can apply for Continuing Education Credits for the workshops they attended.
Highlights and TIME Dealer of the Year
Above: Amanda Grappone Osmer, NH's Time Dealer of the Year Nominee and her team from Grappone Automotive Group at the 2024 NADA Show.
Other highlights from the multi-day conference included a session featuring Hall of Fame quarterback and philanthropist Kurt Warner on the Main Stage and a talk from Jon Taffer, a business expert and executive producer of Bar Rescue, which was not only entertaining but inspiring for many. The event culminated in the naming of Rita Case, dealer principal of Rick Case Honda in Davie, Florida as the TIME Dealer of the Year Award winner.
Don't forget to save the date for January 23-26, 2025 (Thursday-Sunday) for the NADA Show 2025 in New Orleans!
