- Southland Motor Car Dealers Association SMCDA

Representing South Los Angeles County New Car Dealers Since 1932
Winter 2014
SMCDA’s
82nd Annual Meeting
&
Installation of
Mr. Greg Timmons
and the
2014 Board of Directors
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Virginia Country Club, Long Beach
By Invitation Only
RSVP
(562) 467-5252 or [email protected]
INSIDE
Straight Talk on GHS:
No Big Deal,
Page 5
Potential Hire Sales
Training at Very Little Cost,
Page 9
Golf Tournament Raises
$45,000 for Education,
Page 10-11
The Southlander is an official publication of
President’s Message
By Nick Worthington,
Worthington Ford
A
11111 New Falcon Way
Cerritos, CA 90703
Phone: (562) 467-5252
Fax: (562) 653-7876
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Nick Worthington
Worthington Ford
VICE PRESIDENT
Greg Timmons
Timmons Volkswagen/Subaru,
Long Beach
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Bill Stephens
Cerritos Infiniti
DIRECTORS
Greg Bozzani,
Bozzani Volkswagen, Covina
Matt Browning
Browning Auto Group, Cerritos
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
John Davis
Glenn E. Thomas Dodge, Signal Hill
SMCDA STAFF
Todd Leutheuser
Executive Director
Dianna Docton
Executive Assistant
To advertise in an upcoming issue,
please contact
Todd Leutheuser at
(562) 467-5252
2 Winter 2014
nother year is in the books, and the car sales in
the Southland have outpaced the nation. We
saw an increase of 22 percent from 2012, while
the nation’s increase was 8 percent. While we aren’t
quite at pre-recession sales levels, it’s good news for
our industry when we sell 15.6 million cars. Now we
are looking forward to 2014, and industry experts
say it will be a better year with more sales.
As the industry gears up for more sales, I am
pleased to announce that we are launching a sales training program that
offers first-class training to people who are looking to get into our industry.
This program is another public/private partnership your SMCDA has put
together. The idea is simple: use public workforce development funds,
partner with Cerritos College and hire one of the best trainers in the country
to offer sales training for our membership at little or no cost.
This is a great program, and it is designed to train people who are potential hires for your dealership. Send these prospective employees to us on
January 20 for an orientation/qualification session. We will then process
them through the Workforce Connections team. Then, during January 29-31,
Paul Webb will teach the applicants three days of basic, in-class training and
an additional two days of online training. They will then be ready for hire.
We completed a test pilot program with our first class late last year, and
the program graduates shot straight to the top third of their dealership’s sales
ranking list. What is the cost? When you send us a qualified candidate:
nothing. When you send us someone who doesn’t qualify under the
workforce development guidelines, we have to charge $250. Alternatively, the
SMCDA will find, recruit, and train new salespeople for you. You can hire an
SMCDA-trained recruit free of charge. If you like them and choose to keep
them on at your dealership for more than 60 days, then a minimal fee of
$500 will be assessed to help fund the program for our members. This
service will provide our members with a strong bench of trained, screened,
and motivated salespeople ready to go whenever you need them. See the
story and the insert on page 3 of this bulletin for more details.
January 16 will be the installation of Greg Timmons as your association’s
82nd president. I look forward to seeing you there as we enjoy great food,
great drinks, and even better company.
Sincerely,
Nick Worthington
SMCDA President
Start the New Year Right: Save the Date for
Sales Training at SMCDA Offices
Register today by calling 310-344-4388 or fill out enclosed registration form
I
f you have any sales prospects who you have not
yet hired and don’t have a lot of experience
selling cars, consider sending them to us at the
SMCDA Monday, January 20 for mandatory
orientation and then for training January 29-31.
Our pilot program in November was a hit, and
the students are doing
very well at their
respective dealerships.
We have secured
funding for a second
pilot with Workforce
Connections, Cerritos
College, and Sales
Trainer Paul Webb.
Eligible candidates will
be able to attend the
training free
of charge
with training
funds
obtained
through
Workforce
Connections.
Upon
completion,
candidates
will be
“certified”
and available
to work at your dealership.
If you have any questions or candidates, have
your sales manager contact Mareta Zuniga, the
president of Workforce Connections at 310-3444388.
It is important that we have at least 15 candidates
in order to make this pilot program work. Register
your potential hires today, and we will have them
selling cars at your store before you know it. n
Sales Trainer Paul Webb will provide training free of charge
with training funds obtained through Workforce Connections.
Employee Appreciation
For the Holidays
Café n’ Stuff
Catering
Reserve Your Date by October 31st &
we will include FREE Holiday Cookies
For the Day after Thanksgiving
www.cafenstuff.com
Special Luncheon Packages
Begin at $12.95 per person
Served at Your Location or Ours
Breakfast ~ Lunch ~ Dinner Menus Available
Call Café n’ Stuff 888-888-9292 today
minimum 50 guests for bbq on site
Follow us on Facebook
Winter 2014 3
NADA Retirement Trust Introduces New Team Members
T
wo industry
California dealers.”
veterans provide
Virginia has relocated
Southern
to California from New
California dealers
England where she
added support and
serviced 150 dealers.
NADA insight.
“I’m looking forward
NADA Retirement
to meeting our clients and
Plan Consultant
building relationships,”
Virginia Graham is
said Graham.
busy visiting the
“We have a host of
myriad of dealers who
new products and want to
use the NADA
make sure we get the
Retirement Trust
word out to the NADA
(NADART). Graham
membership.”
spent 11 years with
Graham also states
Jack Collins and Virginia Graham represent NADART.
NADART initially
while she and the other
helping clients with
retirement plan consultants
reporting and compliance issues. She later
specialize in the NADART products, they are also
transitioned to NADART Client Service Relations
the eyes and ears of NADA and often answer and
and New Business Development.
report on many of the NADA programs and
“She is no stranger to the car business”, said Jack
services. Virginia Graham may be reached at 657Collins, NADART’s new Sales Manager.
464-0880 [email protected]. n
“Virginia will be a perfect fit for our Southern
By Sam Celly, Celly Services, Inc.
No Big Deal: A Straight Talk on GHS
W
e wrote to you about Globally Harmonized
System (GHS) in the July 2013 Newsletter
and the July 2013 monthly training memo
on GHS & SDS. Clients have received last
minute newsletters and seminars drumming up
business for GHS and some are uncertain as to
whether they have complied with their
obligations in a timely manner. We write this
memo to reassure clients that they have met the
training deadline, presuming the July training
was done in a timely manner. Needless to say,
each CSI client will receive training on GHS as
part of an ongoing annual Hazard
Communication Program (HCP). Here are
answers to some common questions.
July 2013. Employees only need to review the
pictogram and the training is done, presuming
the employees have received and completed the
training on HCP. Post a copy of the pictogram
on your parts dispensing counter for quick reference by employees. A copy of the pictogram
can be downloaded from https://www.osha.
gov/Publications/HazComm_QuickCard_Pictogram.html. The deadline for GHS training is
December 1, 2013.
3. Are these signs new? 6 out of 9 signs have been
in effect for decades. The GHS has a red box
around these old signs. The three new signs are
: “!” for skin irritant, “human with glowing
lungs” for cancer hazard, and a tree with no
leaves and a dead fish around it indicating
1. Why was GHS put in place? The global trade in
aquatic toxicity i.e. disposing under a tree
chemicals is well over a billion dollars and the
would cause duress to plant life and that disposauto industry imports chemicals from Japan,
al into a river, ocean, or stream would be harmGermany, Korea, etc.. These chemicals are
ful to aquatic life.
often labeled under the statutes in effect in that
country. So a chemical imported from Germa- 4. Why these three new signs? Globally, the functions inside a factory and the toxic chemicals
ny may not have the US-OSHA required labels.
leaving the factory are not as well defined as in
The GHS provided a universal global labeling
the US, where EPA (toxic chemicals entering
system that is acceptable in 60 countries.
and leaving factory) and OSHA (toxic chemi2. What is the GHS labeling system? The pictocals affecting employees inside factory) have
gram on GHS labels was mailed to all clients in
well defined roles. So educating workers on the
environmental impact via labeling
the chemicals through GHS was
adopted.
5.
Who does the GHS labeling?
Manufacturer,
vendors,
and
distributors of chemicals label the
chemicals shipped to your facility. If
you transfer these chemicals to spray
bottles (secondary containers), have
your vendor give you pre-labeled
bottles with all necessary signs.
There is no way an employee with a
sharpie can label the bottle with all
the complicated signage. Worse yet,
any hand written labeling washes off
in a day. Aboveground tanks and
$
0
.
1
"
/
:
- - 1
$ & 3 5 * ' * & % 1 6 # - * $ " $ $ 0 6 / 5" / 5 4
4 Winter 2014
Continued on page 6
Winter 2014 5
Continued from page 5
1. drums will need new labeling. Call your vendor
merely information that will be beneficial to end
and get them to label! Deadline for shipment of
users.
chemicals (and at your facility) with GHS is
4. Do written Hazard Communication Programs have
December 1, 2015.
to be updated indicating the GHS, labeling, and
2. What is the SDS? This is the new format for the old
other matters? Yes, training programs must be
MSDS. One could get an MSDS for gasoline that is
updated. Deadline for updating the Hazard Com2 pages long and also 16 pages long. In essence, the
munication Program and training under the new
old law gave manufacturers too much flexibility to
hazards reported under the SDS regime’s June 1,
write the MSDS and they were often difficult to
2016.
understand. OSHA believes that the new SDS will
5. Is CSI doing any seminars on GHS? No client has
be easier to understand which will better protect
requested one after reading the Newsletter, training
workers, chemicals users, and their employers.
memo, or the pictogram. To date, none is deemed
3. Does SDS have any new sections? Four new secnecessary. n
tions have been added to the SDS over the old
Sam has been helping automobile dealers comply with
MSDS. They are Environmental Hazard (EPA
EPA & OSHA regulations since 1987. Sam is the pastguided), Ecological Information (dead tree etc.),
Chair of the Law Committee & the Environmental
Disposal Consideration (EPA guided), and TransIssues Committee of the AIHA and currently the
port Information (DOT guided). These were added
President-elect of the Southern California AIHA. Sam
in order to use SDS as the channel of communicahas a BE & MS in Chemical Engineering followed by a
tion since one is available on other safety matters.
JD from Southwestern University School of Law. Send
OSHA will not have any enforcement on these secyour comments to [email protected].
tions or training matters. EPA and DOT have other
enforcement mechanisms. In summary, this is
O U R S T R AT E G Y F O R S U C C E S S
SMCDA Dealers Attend NADA D.C. Conference
In September, Nick
Worthington and Greg
Bozzani represented the
SMCDA and had
successful visits with the
local congressional
delegation.
A
fter a morning of updates and speeches on auto
dealer issues from NADA luminaries, attendees
heard from Senator Ted Cruise from Texas,
several members of congress, and political strategist
Carl Rove discuss budget issues and the possible
government shutdown. The SMCDA team them
made visits to the local Southland congressional
delegation, including Allan Lowenthal, Jane
Harmon, Linda Sanchez and Grace Napolitano. n
Supercharge Your Education
BKCG offers outstanding representation to auto
dealers and their owners. In fact, BKCG has the
largest jury verdicts in California for dealers against
manufacturers. Legal services include prosecution
and defense of manufacturer disputes, strategic
defense of consumer litigation, dealership real
estate acquisition and sales, and employment law.
Call Alton G. Burkhalter at BKCG today to discuss
winning legal strategies for your business.
Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
in Automotive Marketing and Management
from Northwood University.
• Degrees for working adults
• Year-round enrollment
• All classes taught on campus
S TA R T S M A R T. F I N I S H S T R O N G .
2020 Main Street, Suite 600, Irvine CA 92614 ■ 949.975.7500 ■ www.bkcglaw.com
Learn more at cerritos.edu/northwood
6 Winter 2014
OC_1209040_BKCG_auto_7x4.75.indd 1
Winter 2014 7
10/10/12 1:34 PM
Winners Announced for 14th Annual Los Angeles County
Auto Tech Competition for High School Students
SMCDA, GLANCDA and Cerritos College hosted the competition for High School Seniors on December 14
O
n December 14, 2013, Phase II, the hands-on
competition, was held at the Southland Cerritos
Center for Transportation Technologies
(SCCTT) at Cerritos College. The hands-on
competition included 13 work stations and
encompassed all eight ASE areas of automotive
Van Nuys team (Armando Rodriguez and Sonny Salas)
with Todd Leutheuser and Bob Smith.
technology, including: Engine Repair, Automatic
Transmission, Manual Transmission, Steering and
Suspension, Brakes, Electrical/Electronics, HVAC,
and Engine Performance.
14 High Schools are participated from SMCDA
and GLANCDA, including; Artesia, California,
Montebello, Narbonne, Pioneer, South East ROP,
Whittier, Agoura, Canyon, Mark Keppel, Palmdale,
Saugus, Upland, and Van Nuys. There were 28
students because each team consisted of two
students.
The winning team from GLANCDA is Van Nuys
High School and the winning team from SMCDA is
California High School. The winning students will
compete in New York to compete at the National
Auto Tech Competition at the New York Auto show
on April 22 and 23, 2014.
Sponsors for the event included; Mercedes-Benz
USA, Longo Toyota, Subaru, LA CarGuy, Snap-On
Tools, BMW, and Ford.
“It was great to have high school students along
with their teachers and family members supporting
them for this event. We were also fortunate to have
13 judges for the competition that included
representatives from manufacturers and dealerships
here in Southern California,” said Cerritos College
Automotive Instructor, Joe Mulleary.
“This provided an opportunity for networking
between students and potential employers after the
event was over. It was also a chance for us as
instructors to make connections that may assist in
enabling our students here at the college to gain
employment in the automotive field.”
Cerritos College Automotive Technology Program
offers certificates, degrees and special programs in
automotive repair, collision repair, alternative fuels,
smog training, advanced transportation technology
and automotive management. n
Powerful Advertising Solutions
One call can deliver to an audience that spends
over 3.93 billion dollars* annually on vehicles.
SMCDA Debuts Redesigned Website
O
n July 2, SMCDA launched its newly redesigned website,
featuring a streamlined and simplified landing page,
reorganized content, new images and social media
integration. Visitors can now easily link to SMCDA’s Facebook
page (facebook.com/SMCDA) and Youtube channel (youtube.
com/smcdavideos) from the home page.
A publication archive includes recent and past issues of The
Accelerator, The Southlander and the monthly L.A. Times/Cars.
com Southland Auto Outlook.
The dealer education page features information about
DealersEdge® webinar series, Northwood University courses
and apprenticeship programs at Cerritos College. The page also
includes an informative video describing Northwood
University’s offerings.
“The new design showcases the core elements that drive the
SMCDA: membership benefits, our SCCTT training center,
dealer education and consumer outreach through the Test Drive
Experience,” explains SMCDA’s Executive Director Todd
Leutheuser.
“Visitors to the site can now more easily navigate all that
SMCDA has to offer.”
Visit www.smcda.org today to see the updates for yourself! n
C E R T I F I E D
P U B L I C
A C C O U N T A N T S
We’re focused on you
Focused on your
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Accounting
Taxes
Audit
Review
Bookkeeping
Internal procedures
Cash flow
Consulting services
With a combo buy of Long Beach and South Bay's four major
newspapers, you can target your audience from LAX to Orange County.
Since the 1940’s we have provided a complete
range of services to the owners of dealerships and other
automotive related businesses.
Call 562-499-1301 or 310-543-6695
Put our experience to work for you.
www.presstelegram.com | www.dailybreeze.com
8 Winter 2014
*2007 Claritas
www.L S L CPAS .com
O r ange Count y ( 7 1 4 ) 6 7 2 - 0 0 2 2
Winter 2014 9
SMCDA and Northwood Raise More Than $45,000
for Scholarships and Educational Programs
Scholarships will support students attending Cerritos College and Northwood University
J
uly’s annual scholarship
golf tournament was a
sold out event and raised
a significant amount of
money for students
attending the Cerritos
College Auto Tech
programs and Northwood
University.
SMCDA and Northwood
Raise More Than $45,000 for
Scholarships and
Educational Programs
The winning team included
Kevin Cho, Eric Bolstad,
Ray Baldizon and Leonard
Serigno, who won the
SMCDA Golf Tournament
by shooting a 14 under 58.
1st Place Team
Eric Bolstad
Kevin Cho,
Ray Baldizon
Leonard Serigno
SMCDA’s past president
Brad Willingham presided
over the evening’s event.
Thank you to all players,
volunteers and sponsors
for a successful event. n
2nd Place Team
Wade Downey
John Johnston
Scott Smith
David Ortiz
Kevin Cho, Eric Bolstad, Ray Baldizon and Leonard Serigno won the SMCDA Golf Tournament by
shooting a 14 under 58.
3rd Place Team
David Braun, Mark Claman, Bruce Nowel
and Jeff Richardson
Poker Rally winner
Wade Downey
Putting Contest Winner
Rob Neri
The firm of Michael L. Cox & Associates, recognized experts in automotive dealership accounting for over 18
years, recently joined GYL Decauwer LLP effective May 1, 2013. The Cox group adds a new niche to the specialty industries currently served.
10 Winter 2014
Winter 2014 11
Reach Southern California
car buyers at every turn.
From print to online to mobile media, our advertising vehicles fire on all cylinders.
Our network of websites and newspapers provide
the most in-depth coverage relevant to South Bay/
Southeast communities.
Create a customized package targeting consumers
you want to reach:
• Innovative ad units
• Mobile
• Event activation
• Custom publications
Special Sections
New Vehicle Preview - Publishes Sept. 19
Trucks, Crossovers & SUVs - Publishes Oct. 10
Print network
Los Angeles Times (East Zone – OC)
Daily Pilot (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine)
Huntington Beach Independent
Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot
Online network
latimes.com (geo targeted - South Bay/Southeast)
cars.com
Call Kevin Davis
714.966.7503
[email protected]