DF 2010 Q3 - Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia

Black Tie Tailgate News 8
The Next “It” of Social Media 16
Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia
CARingforkids.com
Auto Show Summer Update 19
Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia
ISSUE 1 • 2010-2011
3311 Swede Road, Suite A
East Norriton, PA 19401
T: 610.279.5229
F: 610.279.5240
www.ADAGP.com
Features.
06
Driving Change
08
BTTG News
13
Honoring A Tradition
14
ADAGP News & Events
16
The Next “Big Thing”
In Social Media?
19
2011 Philly Auto Show
20
The Lobbying Side
22
PCC Expansion News
OFFICERS
President
Scott Lustgarten
Martin Main Line Honda
Lexus of Chester Springs
Wilkie Lexus
Vice President
Dominic M. Conicelli
Conicelli Autoplex
Secretary/Treasurer
Michael Chapman
Chapman Auto Group
Immediate Past President
Jay Haenn
Lansdale Chrysler Jeep
DIRECTORS
The future of DAC
6
Completion of $2 million Pledge
Pacifico Family Foundation
Hosts 46th Annual Scholarship Awards
$2 million
2005 - 2010
8
Summer Update
Kevin Dunphy
Dunphy Ford
Drew Fitchett
North Penn Imports
Donald J. Franks
J.L. Freed & Sons, Inc.
An Update on the Wall Street
Reform Bill from NADA and Others
Raymond Glanzmann
Glanzmann Subaru
David P. Kelleher
David Dodge Chrysler Jeep
Stephen P. Kelly
Kelly Chevrolet
Robert Moses
Fiore Motors, Inc.
Bryan O’Reilly
O’Reilly Pontiac Buick GMC
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Jay Dunphy
Dunphy Ford
Mark A. Frankel
Joseph P. Moore, Jr.
Kerry T. Pacifico
Pacifico Ford
David B. Penske
Penske Buick GMC Truck
James A. Peruto
Keenan Motor Group
Daniel H. Polett
Lexus of Chester Springs
Wilkie Lexus
Peter H. Watson
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kevin Mazzucola
19
Home of Philadelphia Auto Show
and Others Gets New Look
Ad Index.
Pg. 14 Amper, Politziner & Mattia, LLP
Pg. 16 Ardex Laboratories, Inc.
Pg. 17 Automotive Training Center
Pg. 05 AutoTrader.com
Pg. 19 Boyer & Ritter
Pg. 15 Crowe Horwath
Pg. 16 Daniel Ferrari & Co.
Pg. 24 JM&A Group
Pg. 13 Key Bank
Pg. 23 Lincoln Technical Institute
Pg. 11 Maxim Automotive
Pg. 18 McNees Wallace & Nurick, LLC
Pg. 18 Mironov, Sloan & Parziale, LLC
Pg. 19 myphl17
Pg. 13 NBC10
Pg. 21 Philadelphia Inquirer
Pg. 12 WPVI - 6abc
Pg. 02 Zurich American Insurance Company
20
22
Driving Force 3
From The ADAGP President.
Greetings Fellow Dealers and Associate Members,
Well, we are proudly at it again. Our 2010 Driving Away the Cold program is
now underway and I hope all ADAGP Dealer Members consider joining the
effort. This is a one-of-a-kind philanthropic opportunity that delivers on multiple
levels. From in-store signage and public awareness to building employee morale
and helping the less fortunate, the takeaways from this program are incredible.
Thank you to the dozens of dealerships that have already registered for our We
Pledge Campaign taking place this September. For those that have not signed up
yet and would like to learn more, please turn to pg 6 for all of the details.
Another item of interest in this issue of The Driving Force includes the
announcement of The Center for Autism Research at The Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia as the beneficiary of the 2011 Black Tie Tailgate Preview Gala.
The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation recently completed its $2
million, 6-year pledge to the Hospital and is honored to continue its support of
the world-class institution, which is ranked the #1 pediatric hospital by Parents
Magazine. More details on the 2011 Gala will be distributed this fall so please
keep an eye out for the information.
The ADAGP staff has also been keeping busy with plans for the 2011
Philadelphia Auto Show. Show Director Mike Gempp recently reported that 90
percent of the floor plan for the 2011 event is complete. As a former auto show
chairman, I’ve gotten the behind-the-scenes look at the Auto Show and the
work that goes into pulling the event together. I know Kevin, Mike and staff are
working hard to produce another fantastic event for the city of Philadelphia and
are excited to share new details when they become available. In the meantime,
for a brief summer update on activities thus far, turn to page 19.
In closing, I’d like to remind all members that the 96th Annual Golf Outing
is set for Wednesday, October 6th, at Rivercrest Golf Club and Preserve in
Phoenixville. Proceeds from the event benefit the Auto Dealers CARing for
Kids Foundation. Sign up today by visiting adagp.com and clicking on Member
Events. Attendance opportunities for both Dealer and Associate Members are
still available.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and see you soon.
Regards,
Scott Lustgarten, President of Martin Dealership Group
Vice President of Wilkie Lexus & Lexus of Chester Springs
From The Executive Director.
Dear ADAGP Members and Friends,
July, it’s hot. We all hope your showrooms have traffic and/or all the bays are full.
At the ADAGP July means the beginning of a new fiscal year, closing of year
end. It means contacting and securing you all to pledge new winter coats for the
Driving Away the Cold Program. It means the phones are quiet, yet Association
Meetings are up. Regarding the Auto Show, July is analogically like the athlete
working in the off season, a dedicated athlete working hard to be better.
What we do this time of year determines how well we will play in February.
Manufacturer space is being sold, Web sites are being redesigned for future
launch, sponsorship contracts are being closed and brainstorming is taking place
for the Black Tie Tailgate creative as well as the 2011 show. What we do now has
a significant impact on the outcome when it is cold. Well we hope not too cold,
40 and clear with no wind for 9 days would be perfect!
As I mentioned, the ADAGP and Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation
close their respective fiscal years around this time. With President Lustgarten
and the Board’s guidance, the ADAGP continued to maintain its strong footing
financially and was able to donate $350,000 to the Foundation this year. Since
the Foundation’s inception in 2003, the Association has donated $4.8 million
4 Driving Force
to this philanthropic arm of the dealer body. By the time you read this, which I
know you all do religiously, you should have received the Annual Report of the
Foundation highlighting its financial and charitable activities.
July is also a time for dues statements. Membership participation by all of the
franchised new car and truck dealers in our region is almost 100 percent. Dues
have not changed. As I have said in the past, we are your company, we are
your Foundation and we work for you. The Board and staff are custodians of
your company. We are a phone call away, well maybe not in 1904 when your
association was formed, but you get the picture.
Keep cool.
Kevin Mazzucola,
ADAGP Executive Director
“I’VE GOT THE HARDEST WORKING MONEY IN TOWN.
DAVE AND I MAKE SURE OF IT.”
Michael Maguire
President–Maguire Automotive Group
Bordentown, NJ
David Torbik
District Sales Manager
AutoTrader.com
“AutoTrader.com has consistently proven their products
market or training our team, Dave makes sure that
and services are an asset. Whether it’s best practices for
we are successful. To hear the rest of Michael’s story
our online merchandising, insight into the Philadelphia
as well as other dealers’, just visit WeWorkForYou.com.
©2010 AutoTrader.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. “AutoTrader.com”
is a registered trademark of TPI Holdings, Inc. used under exclusive license.
Driving Force 5
Driving Change…
The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation
is proud to welcome area YMCAs to its
2010 Driving Away the Cold effort.
6 Driving Force
“Like any project, you learn from past experiences and use that knowledge to better your
program,” commented Kevin Mazzucola, ADAGP executive director. “This new partnership
with the YMCAs does exactly that. We are very excited about the new opportunities
it provides us on all fronts, from marketing and PR to logistics and administrative.”
This past spring, through board and planning
meetings with Operation Warm (the
organization that the Foundation works with
to obtain new coats for Driving Away the Cold
as well as counsel on what organizations are in
greatest need of them) the decision to tap into
the excellent resources of area YMCAs was made.
For those of you who mostly think of swimming
lessons, aerobic classes and racquetball when you
hear “YMCA,” do you know that area YMCAs
also host a long list of after school initiatives,
child development programs and fundraising
campaigns? In fact, dozens of YMCAs around
the country work very closely with regional
social service agencies, school districts and more
to help the less fortunate. So, as a Foundation
that was looking for a fairly large organization
that had a presence in each of the five-counties
of Philadelphia and was aware of the need in its
immediate region because of its deep rootedness
in its community; we were delighted to learn
of the YMCAs’ willingness to get involved and
support our Driving Away the Cold program.
So, how exactly will area YMCAs fit into the
Driving Away the Cold puzzle?
If you recall, the Foundation kicks off its annual
Driving Away the Cold effort with an initial gift
of 10,000 coats to area children via its general
fund. In the past, these 10,000 coats were
distributed through a variety of organizations.
As the Driving Away the Cold program grew
and gained more traction amongst its dealer
members, the Foundation wanted to create
a more cohesive branding campaign for its
giving. With that said, it has partnered with
a specific YMCA in each of the five counties
of Philadelphia that will serve as the “lead
YMCA” in its particular region. Each lead
YMCA will then work with other YMCAs and
beneficiaries in its respective county as needed.
The Foundation’s initial gift of 10,000 coats
will be distributed via these five lead YMCAs
and their partnering branches. The YMCA
network will also be used to distribute coats
from September’s We Pledge Campaign, which
is conducted exclusively by the participating
dealers of Driving Away the Cold.
When a dealership registers to participate
in the Driving Away the Cold Program, it
agrees to pledge one new winter coat for an
underprivileged child each time a vehicle is
sold at his or her dealership during the month
of September. The dealership then has the
option of delivering its donated coats to a
self-selected beneficiary in its community; or
donating the coats directly to the Foundation
for distribution where the need is greatest in the
region. The donated coats of those dealers who
chose the latter will also be distributed via the
YMCA network.
An additional benefit of teaming up with the
area YMCAs is the venue access provided.
The central locations of the lead YMCAs will
help the Foundation plan publicity events and
streamline its media relations efforts. Details
including dates of these events are currently
being discussed. More information will be
shared with all participating dealers when it
becomes available.
To date, more than 36,000 new coats have been
distributed to children in the five-county region of
Philadelphia. The Auto Dealers CARing for Kids
Foundation hopes to topple the 50,000 mark after
its 2010 effort. If you haven’t signed up to be a part
of the program yet, please do so at caringforkids.
com. If you have specific questions, you can
contact Mary Lynn Alvarino at 610.279.5229
or [email protected]. Sign up today-think of the
difference we can make if we all get involved! zx
Driving Force 7
8 Driving Force
Completed.
Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation Celebrates
Completion of $2 million Pledge to Children’s Hospital
Most of you reading this have probably been to the Black Tie Tailgate Preview Gala at the
Philadelphia Auto Show. In fact, some of you can probably recite the details of the event like the
rest of us. The evening’s menu is designed by STARR EVENTS. Entertainment is always top notch.
And, most importantly, proceeds from the Gala benefit The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Now, if you had to guess how much the ADAGP has
donated to Children’s Hospital over the last quarter century,
what would you say? Maybe one million. Or maybe two?
Keep going…
This spring, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation
proudly celebrated the completion of its $2 million, 6-year
pledge to the Hospital. Completion of this pledge brings
the Auto Dealers’ cumulative giving to over $4.3 million.
That’s something every member of the Foundation should
be extremely proud of. So, if you are a member, go ahead
and give yourself a little pat on the back…
$2 million
2005 - 2010
Driving Force 9
Where We’ve Been…
Where We’re Going…
It all started in 1986, when the ADAGP began its relationship with the
Hospital with a donation of $50,000 after the Philadelphia Auto Show. As
the Auto Show grew, so did the amounts of the annual contributions and the
success of the Black Tie Tailgate Preview Gala.
CAR at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is one of the largest and most
comprehensive autism research centers in the world. CAR’s goals are to identify
the causes of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and develop effective treatments.
Since its establishment in 2008, CAR has had multiple breakthrough
discoveries in genetics and brain imaging, culminating in over 50 published
scientific papers on autism. CAR also conducts innovative treatment research,
including the largest autism intervention research study ever conducted
for children with ASD, and is also involved in community outreach and
training programs designed to educate families and professionals about
autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
Fast forward to 2004 when the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation
renewed its support of Children’s Hospital by announcing its $2 million, 6-year
pledge to the world-class pediatric facility. Specifically, the pledge was to be used
for construction and maintenance of the Foundation’s Patient Welcome Center
in the Richard D. Wood Pediatric Ambulatory Care Center of the Hospital. In
addition, through the years, support for a number of other important causes
and initiatives at the Hospital (via the Foundation) has included:
• Support of Friends of Trisomy 21 and its Buddy Walk
• Donation of a Chevrolet Suburban to the Duct Busters
traveling cardiothoracic surgery team
• Donation of a Chrysler Town & Country van to
The Center for Injury Research and Prevention
• Support of the Partners in Palliative Care program
• Donation of a Pontiac G5, along with a driving simulator for
teenage drivers to The Center for Injury Research and Prevention
• Donation of three Chevrolet vans to the Home Health Care program
• Support of the Spina Bifida program in Diagnostic Center
• Support of the Daisy Day Luncheon and Carousel Ball fundraisers
• Donation of a Mazda Tribute to the Pediatric Advanced Care Team
• Donation of a Ford Explorer and Ford Flex to the Security Department Now, as they say, “When one door closes, another one opens,” and that’s
the Foundation’s outlook when it comes to supporting the Hospital. As the
final installment of its pledge came around the corner, the Foundation began
brainstorming ways to reconfirm its support of the Hospital. With that said,
the Foundation is pleased to announce that Children’s Hospital will remain the
beneficiary of future Black Tie Tailgate Preview Galas and for next year, it has
specifically selected the Hospital’s Center for Autism Research (CAR) as the
2011 gala’s beneficiary.
“As we completed the pledge for construction and maintenance of our
Patient Welcome Center at the Hospital, moving forward, we wanted to align
ourselves with a specific department at the Hospital that we could work hand
in hand with to help maximize all fundraising, sponsorship and ticket selling
opportunities,” said Scott Lustgarten, president of the Auto Dealers CARing
for Kids Foundation. “We are truly looking forward to working with the CAR
staff, as well as the Hospital’s Development Team, to get even more people
excited about the gala and take it to the next level when it comes to premiere
philanthropic events in the city.”
10 Driving Force
“Unfortunately, as most of you know, the statistics of those affected by
Autism continue to grow vastly,” added Lustgarten. “Over the last several
months, I’ve learned quite a bit about the fine work the people of CAR
are doing and it’s an honor for us to be able to provide philanthropic
support to them. I look forward to learning more and sharing further
details with you. In the meantime, save the date for the 2011 Black Tie
Tailgate. It’s January 28th and as always, more details to come this fall.” zx
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Attention
Dealer
Members.
Read Out and Read Program Can VisitYour Store
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Read
Out and Read (ROR) program is part of a national
pediatric early literacy initiative that trains primary
care pediatricians and nurse practitioners to advise
parents about the importance of reading aloud and
to give new books to children at pediatric well visits
from 6 months to 5 years of age, with a special focus
on children growing up in poverty.
Primary Care Center at Cobbs Creek, the Primary
Care Center at University City and the Primary Care
Center on Market Street; in South Philadelphia at
the Primary Care Center in South Philadelphia;
in Philadelphia at the Family Care Center; and in
Burlington, NJ at Kids First-Salem Road.
ROR relies on donations and support from schools,
community groups, corporations and individuals to
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s ROR maintain this valuable program, through fundraisers
pediatricians and nurse practitioners reach 18,700 and book drives. To help Children’s Hospital with
children (ages 6 months to 5 years) in need each year. this effort, the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids
Children’s Hospital’s ROR program takes place at six Foundation donated a van to the program that is
6abc Driving Force Ad_Theres NO Comparison.pdf
4/30/09
2:37:20 PM
primary care practices --in West Philadelphia at the now used to pick-up book donations and deliver
C
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12 Driving Force
them to the six primary care practices throughout
the Delaware Valley. In addition, the donation of
this van allows for ROR staff to pick-up materials
at large book drives that take place throughout the
community.
As the donor of the vehicle, the Dealer Members of
the Foundation have access to the program-branded
van should they want to host a new book drive at
their dealership. This is a great community-focused
opportunity that the ADAGP encourages you to
take advantage of. For more details on how to get
involved, please contact Mary Lynn Alvarino at
610.279.5229 or [email protected]. zx
Honoring
A
Tradition.
Pacifico Family Foundation Hosts 46th Annual Scholarship Awards
Kerry T. Pacifico, Sr., President of the Pacifico
Automotive Organization and the Pacifico Family
Foundation, recently awarded scholarships to 15
area high schools. The scholarships were $1500.00
per school and distributed to one, two or three of
its respective students. (The dividing of scholarships
was left to each school’s discretion.) Awards were
based upon academic excellence and financial need.
The following Philadelphia area high schools were
on this year’s recipient list: Academy at Palumbo,
John Bartram High School, Saints John Neumann
and Maria Goretti, Communications Technology
High School, South Philadelphia High School,
Philadelphia High School for Creative and
Performing Arts, Philadelphia High School for
Business and Technology, Edward W. Bok Technical
High School, Motivation High School, Girard
Academic Music Program, Horace Howard Furness
High School, West Philadelphia High School, Lower
Merion High School, University City High School
and Overbrook High School.
The ceremony, which took place on Wednesday, May
19th, was attended by approximately 35 students as
well as dozens of parents and guidance counselors
from the School District of Philadelphia. The event
marked the 46th year of scholarship giving through
the Pacifico Family Foundation. Cumulative giving
to area high schools presently exceeds $1.5 million.
Pacifico Auto Group has been in business for over
75 years. The Pacifico family started the business in
south Philadelphia and in 1968 Kerry T. Pacifico,
Sr. and five other dealers broke ground at the now
famous Philadelphia Airport Auto Mall. The Pacifico
Organization currently operates Ford, Hyundai and
Mazda franchises at the Mall. The organization also
owns Pacifico Airport Valet. Kerry T. Pacifico, Sr.,
also serves as an Honorary Director of the ADAGP
and is on the Board of Trustees for the Auto Dealers
CARing for Kids Foundation.zx
*Note – Attention ADAGP Dealer Members: Do you have news?!
If so, we’d like to hear about it! Please feel free to submit your
dealership news to Andrea Simpson at [email protected]. Details
on scholarship giving, sponsorships of note, dealership milestones,
employee anniversaries and more are all welcomed (including
corresponding photos!). If you have questions, you can reach
Andrea at the Association offices at 610.279.5229.
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go to key.com/kafdealer
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Driving Force 13
adaphillyad2009:adaphillyadrev2.qxd
9/10/2009
3:57 PM
Y
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Page 1
ADAGP News & Events:
Our Condolences to The Meissner Family
The ADAGP is deeply sorry to inform you that John Meissner, 85, former
ADAGP Dealer Member and well known founder and owner of Meissner
Chevrolet/GEO/Oldsmobile, Inc. in Glenolden and then Philadelphia,
passed away on July 5th at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland.
Mr. Meissner founded Meissner Chevrolet
with his late wife, Mary Louise and his two
sons, in 1978 in Glenolden. The dealership
moved to Philadelphia in 1990 and added an
Oldsmobile franchise in 1992 as well as GEO.
The dealership, known as Meissner Chevrolet/
GEO/Oldsmobile, was very successful as he
partnered with his sons, Dave and Doug, to
oversee daily operations. The dealership was sold
in 2008, but Meissner and his sons continued to
operate Meissner Auto Sales in Glenolden where
the original dealership was located.
Mr. Meissner was also a member of the Chevrolet National Dealer Council,
Pa. Zone, the National Automobile Dealers Association DEAC President’s
Club, National Automobile Dealers Executive 20 Group Chevrolet, the
Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Automotive Association and the
GMAC Dealer Council-PA.
In lieu of flowers, contributions made in Mr. Meissner’s memory to the
American Cancer Society, 1615 West Chester Pike, Suite 102, West Chester,
PA 19382 would be appreciated.
The ADAGP wishes peace and comfort to the entire Meissner Family during
this difficult time.
- Maintaining Independent Ownership
- Factory Negotiations
- Interest Rates and Bank Negotiations
- Improving Front-End & Back-End Absorption
- Acquisitions/Mergers
- Reducing Operating Expenses
- Setting Up Sound Internal Controls
- Tax Planning & Financial Statements
- Cost Segregation
- Litigation Support
- Valuations
- Cash Flow Analysis
Dealer Registration for Annual Golf Outing Is Now Open
To rev up your bottom line, call
Charles A. Diegel, CPA, Dawn P. Rosoff, CPA , or
Jerome Shinfeld, CPA, MBA at 215-881-8800.
Your registration fee includes a US Open golf shirt, greens fees, contests, BBQ lunch,
snacks and drinks on the course, cocktails and dinner. In addition, dealer principals
may vie for the 96-year old President’s Cup in the lowest gross competition and for
the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids’ Cup in the lowest net score contest (handicaps
will be verified). All foursomes are invited to compete in the Team Scramble. Signup today by visiting www.adagp.com and clicking on Member Events.
101 West Avenue | Jenkintown, PA 19046
215-881-8800 | www.amper.com
Member:
14 Driving Force
Join fellow dealers for an action-packed day of golf and fun while supporting your
charitable foundation! The 96th Annual Golf Outing is scheduled for Wednesday,
October 6th, at the RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve in Phoenixville. Golf will be
limited to dealership personnel and outing sponsors. The cocktail hour and dinner
are open to all. Proceeds benefit the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation.
The tentative schedule for the day is as follows:
10:30 am - 12:15 pm: Registration, Qualifying Round of Putting Contest, BBQ Lunch buffet
12:30 pm - Shotgun Start
5:30 pm - Cocktails/Hors d’oeuvres, Final Round of Putting Contest
6:30 pm - Buffet Dinner & Awards
Membership Dues Reminder
Attention all ADAGP Members: Invoices for 2010-2011 membership
dues were mailed out earlier this month. Please inform your accounting
department of this! In addition, our Membership Benefits Guide
was also distributed via mail a few weeks ago. The Guide serves as an
annual reminder of all of the benefits you receive with your ADAGP
membership, including access to key resources and networking events!
If you did not receive your dues invoice or Membership Benefits Guide,
please call the Association at 610.279.5229.
AU TO MO BIL E
SO CIA TIO
DE ALE RS AS
ER PH
N OF GR EAT
ENEFIT
MEMBER B
2 0 1 0 /2 0 1 1
ILA DE LPH IA
S GUIDE
Relationships are built on many things...
Like feeling valued
as a client.
Crowe Horwath LLP takes pride in the
relationships we have with our clients. In a
recent client survey, our clients said we do
a better job than our competitors of making
them feel valued as a client.
Serving dealers for more than 25 years,
Crowe is nationally recognized as a thought
leader in audit, tax, advisory, risk, and
Technician Program Returns
performance services.
The ADAGP is proud to once again work with the School District of
Philadelphia and Philadelphia Academies, Inc. to encourage automotive
technology as a wise career choice through a summer internship
program. The benefits of this program are twofold; dealer members
receive an extra pair of hands, for free, for their fixed operations and a
student gets a chance of a lifetime.
To learn more about our commitment
The Association thanks the following dealerships for signing-up to
participate in this year’s summer internship program:
[email protected]
Chapman Chevrolet
Chapman Ford Lincoln Mercury
to building lasting relationships, visit
crowehorwath.com/dealer, or contact
Rick Kotzen at 954.489.7430 or
Bryan Saftlas at 973.422.7162 or
[email protected]
Chapman Nissan
Dunphy Ford
Faulkner Mazda
Pacifico Auto Body
Audit | Tax | Advisory | Risk | Performance
Pacifico Ford
Pacifico Mazda Hyundai
The Unique Alternative to the Big Four ®
Piazza Honda of Philadelphia
The ADAGP started this partnership in 2005 and several of the interns
from previous programs worked extra hours and some are still working
now in the same stores, part-time or full-time, while they continue their
automotive education. If you are interested in learning more and/or
getting involved in the future, please contact Mary Lynn Alvarino of the
ADAGP at 610.279.5229 or [email protected].
Crowe Horwath LLP is an independent member of Crowe Horwath International, a Swiss
verein. Each member firm of Crowe Horwath International is a separate and independent
legal entity. Crowe Horwath LLP and its affiliates are not responsible or liable for any acts
or omissions of Crowe Horwath International or any other member of Crowe Horwath
International and specifically disclaim any and all responsibility or liability for acts or
omissions of Crowe Horwath International or any other Crowe Horwath International member.
Accountancy services in Kansas and North Carolina are rendered by Crowe Chizek LLP,
which is not a member of Crowe Horwath International. © 2010 Crowe Horwath LLP
RET11042
Driving Force 15
The Next “Big Thing” In Social Media?
From the staff of MayoSeitz Media
As we enter a time where every minute there
are 20 hours of video content downloaded on
YouTube and 100 million people are utilizing
Facebook, the question arises what is next on
the social media front. Much of the buzz we
are hearing in the trades from conferences
we’ve attended and questions from our clients
revolves around FourSquare.
FourSquare is a mobile social network. It is one
part friend finder, one part social city to make
recommendations on the best places to go and
one part social game. It uses GPS to track your
location via your mobile device to let friends
know where you are once you check into
FourSquare. The interesting part for businesses
is that the game portion of the network assigns
points for every time a user checks in from a
location. It will track how many times a user
checks in from a particular location and users
compete to become “the mayor” of their
favorite bars, restaurants, stores, etc. There are
currently 2,100 businesses offering discounts
or freebies to FourSquare users. This provides a
very intriguing opportunity for retail locations
to incent loyalty through a social game.
The issue is how many users can FourSquare
16 Driving Force
realistically expect to join and participate in
this social game. A few weeks ago, FourSquare
was expecting to sign up their one-millionth
user. That is pretty impressive growth over a
short period of time and the continued growth
of mobile devices should only help their ability
to bring in new users. Currently, 80% of the
US population owns some type of mobile
device, including 31% that own a smartphone.
We have not seen any statistics yet on the
demographics of FourSquare’s one million
users but we certainly expect it to be a young,
single, early adopter profile.
Recent reports have indicated that Yahoo! has
offered anywhere between $100 million and
$125 million to purchase FourSquare from the
current CEO Dennis Crowley. While certainly
an attractive offer for a social network with
only one million users at this point, it will
be interesting to see if Crowley accepts the
company’s offer. Yahoo! was also interested in
purchasing Facebook a few years ago during
its infancy. While the offer to Facebook was
much larger, reportedly around $1 billion, the
current value of Facebook has far exceeded that
$1 billion offer. It should also be noted that
there are some competitors for FourSquare in
the mobile social gaming world. Gowalla has
a similar mobile location game although they
have not gotten as much press or signed up as
many users at this point.
This is a very exciting concept that could really
tie social media directly to retail loyalty in a fun
way for consumers. The important element for
businesses, as with all social media, is to build
a real strategy and understanding of how this
would work and how you would incentivize
customers who are FourSquare users. While
testing new concepts is very important, it is not
something that should be jumped into hastily.
*The following article was provided by MayoSeitz Media. Located
in Blue Bell, MayoSeitz Media is one of the leading independent
media agencies in the United States. It is also one of a handful
of independent media agencies to qualify and be accepted to the
American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s), the leading
industry association. MayoSeitz Media is the media agency of
record for the Philadelphia International Auto Show. To learn about
the company, please visit them online at mayoseitzmedia.com.
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Driving Force 17
2011 Philly Auto Show.
Summer Update
Like family members or friends of the ADAGP
employees, you’ve probably wondered, “What
does the Auto Show staff do when the Show isn’t
going on?”
Here’s the answer:
A lot of planning, traveling and brainstorming.
While work for the Auto Dealers CARing for
Kids Foundation and other Association-related
projects certainly keeps the staff of the ADAGP
busy year-round, the Auto Show is like a comet, it
never stops moving…
This summer, Auto Show Director Mike Gempp
has added more miles to his frequent flyer accounts
by traveling to see several manufacturers. In
addition, this month, Mike, along with ADAGP
Executive Director Kevin Mazzucola, will travel
out west for the Summer Auto Shows of North
America (ASNA) Meeting.
“What is great about ASNA is that it provides a
forum for more than 60 auto show executives and
their suppliers to get together and talk about hot
topics, current challenges and much more,” said
Gempp. “It truly is an unbelievable resource to be
a part of. I always walk away with a great deal of
welcomed knowledge.”
Mike’s traveling to date has paid off. He is happy
to report that 90 percent of the floor plan for the
2011 Philadelphia Auto Show is complete. And
when he’s not working on the floor plan or visiting
manufacturers, he is busy collaborating with the
rest of the ADAGP staff to make improvements
for next year’s event.
“One of our biggest enhancements for the 2011
show will be our new Web site,” added Gempp.
“Through a multi-layered RFP process, we
selected a top notch agency named EFK Group
HOME
out of Trenton. They have worked with dozens of
big name clients and we’re confident that they will
bring all of that experience to a new and improved
phillyautoshow.com.”
In addition, EFK Group will assist with expanding
the Show’s presence online and throughout several
social networking mediums, including Facebook
(which if you haven’t become a Facebook fan of
the Auto Show yet, you may do so at facebook.
com/phillyautoshow)!
The 2011 Philadelphia International Auto Show
is scheduled for Saturday, January 29th, through
Sunday, February 6th, at the Pennsylvania
Convention Center. The 2011 Black Tie Tailgate
Preview Gala is set for Friday, January 28th. Be
sure to visit phillyautoshow.com for more details
and to check out its new look this fall!zx
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Driving Force 19
The Lobbying Side.
An Update on the Wall Street Reform Bill from NADA and Others
INCHING CLOSER…
The House passed the 2,300-page Wall Street Reform
Bill on Wednesday, June 30th. The bill, which now
awaits final action in the Senate (as of print date of
this publication), includes a new regulator whose
aim is to make sure mortgages, credit cards and
other products from big banks do not mishandle or
confuse consumers. Thanks to their lobbying efforts
in Washington, auto dealers and community banks
managed to keep themselves outside the reach of
the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The exemptions for auto dealers and community
banks - defined as those with less than $10 billion
in assets - reflect their vast influence in Washington.
The National Automobile Dealers Association began
barraging congressional offices with phone calls and
e-mails as early as last fall. As a vote neared, dealers
visited Washington to plead their case to lawmakers,
according to Ed Tonkin, the NADA chairman. They
argued that auto dealers had been unfairly swept
up in the zeal to rein in Wall Street’s excesses. They
noted that dealers merely arrange most auto loans,
linking customers with lenders, and are already
20 Driving Force
subject to regulations on auto financing. The lenders
- including the auto finance arms of automakers like
Ford and Toyota - will fall under the new bureau’s
authority.
banks, and we shouldn’t be subject to
bank rules…the goal all along was to keep a
After the Campbell amendment passed the
House, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., took up
the cause in the Senate. Grassroots efforts by
dealers and dealership employees garnered a 6030 vote urging Senate conferees to accept the
House language to exclude dealerships from the
proposed agency. As a concession to secure the
dealer exclusion, the Federal Trade Commission,
which already oversees dealer-assisted financing,
was granted expedited rule-writing authority
over unfair or deceptive practices.
WHO HELPED GET US THERE…
In late 2009, House Financial Services Committee
member John Campbell, R-Calif., generated strong
bipartisan support for an amendment to the bill that
excluded dealer-assisted financing from “an unwieldy
new agency with almost unlimited authority to
fundamentally alter the vehicle financing process.”
WHAT’S NEXT…
Before the full bill can come to a final vote, at least
60 senators must agree to let it proceed, as noted
above. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
delayed the Senate vote until after the July 4 recess.
At the time of printing this publication, expectations
are that Reid will likely push for a final vote during
the middle of July. As updates become available, the
ADAGP will communicate them to its membership
base. With that said, please be sure to add mazz@
adagp.com to your electronic address book so
important emails are not marked as SPAM. zx
“This is a government overreach into private
business,”Tonkin said.“Dealers are not
new, untested government agency from creating
burdensome and unnecessary rules that would
make it harder and more expensive for car buyers
to access auto credit,”Tonkin further added.
Performance counts
Fast, nimble and responsive ... are words that
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Driving Force 21
PCC Expansion News.
Home of Philadelphia Auto Show and Others Gets New Look
The PCC staff and its partners have developed an electronic newsletter
to keep current and potential customers updated on the progress thus far
and details on the renovations. In the July issue of the PCCA Expansion
Update, the following information was shared:
• The Broad Street Atrium glass curtain wall is being installed and masonry work is
proceeding on both the outside and inside of the Atrium. The high canopy of this
portion can actually be seen extending from the top of building - when complete,
it will be ten stories high!
• Also in the Atrium, limestone and granite medallions are being installed for
decoration. This Atrium space spans 400 feet north-to-south, 130 feet at the
widest east-to-west point, and is 110 feet high.
ByThe Numbers...
The expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention
Center (PCC), home of the Philadelphia
International Auto Show, is now significantly
underway. The expanded Pennsylvania
Convention Center will have the following:
1 million sq. ft. of saleable space
• Most new meeting rooms have reached the stage where walls are painted, the
ceiling grids are installed, wainscoting is underway and movable partitions are
in place on the floor, waiting to be positioned on their tracks. All that remains is
carpet and ceiling tile.
The largest contiguous exhibit
space in the Northeast
(541,000 sq. ft.)
• The escalators from the Exhibit Hall level to the Ballroom Level are nearing
completion. They have a rise of over 50 feet and will ride guests over 100 feet.
Another set of escalators is underway; this set will carry PCC guests from street
level to the Exhibit Hall level.
The largest convention center
ballroom on the East Coast
(60,000 sq. ft.)
The date of completion for the expansion of the Center is March 2011. If
you would like to learn more or follow the expansion yourself, please visit
the “Expansion Information” section at www.paconvention.com. zx
22 Driving Force
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