Greetings CATA Members,

I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jennifer Morand, Co-President of the CATA along with Dave Sloan, who earlier this year announced his plans to retire in spring 2024. I am beyond fortunate for Dave Sloan, our current board members and outgoing Chicago Auto Show Chairman Kevin Keefe who have elected me to serve in this prestigious role.

That said, I am not new to the CATA or the automotive industry. Prior to this role, I served as the Director of Public Relations and Social Media for the CATA for more than a decade. I look forward to bringing my background and skills into this new role as President of the CATA and General Manager of the Chicago Auto Show.

As a CATA dealer member, you and your dealership(s) have access to a variety of vital resources to support your business ranging from:

• Dealer point-of-sale forms
• Legal services
• Employee relations and HR consultation
• Legislative support
• Educational resources and seminars
• Fun networking events
• Complimentary meeting/staff conference and training space
• Dealership listings and new and used vehicle inventory posting on DriveChicago.com
• Chicago Auto Show perks/discounts
• In-store signage and materials to help you run your dealership efficiently and effectively

All of this and so much more is available to dealers and included with your CATA membership. In addition to this Directory and Annual Report, we recently launched CATA’s new quarterly publication, CATA Up to Speed, designed to keep members apprised of the latest happenings within the CATA and our dynamic, fast-paced industry.

Beyond serving this powerful, charitable dealer community, I have the honor and privilege, along with our outstanding CATA team members, of producing the largest and best auto show in the country: the Chicago Auto Show. We’ve been hard at work to maintain relevancy at a time when the impact of an auto show is questioned, and I can honestly say that the future is bright for the Windy City show.

Another barometer of success was the 2023 First Look for Charity black-tie gala. The event surpassed fundraising expectations, bringing in $500,000 more than anticipated, for a total of $2.5 million raised for 18 local charities. The attendee number resembled pre-pandemic attendance, another indicator that the show is growing again. Over the years, First Look for Charity has raised more than $60 million for organizations that need it the most.

This is great news for the local dealer community as the Chicago Auto Show directly impacts consumers, piquing interest and — very importantly — driving customers to the dealership. Heading into 2024, we’re on track to win brands back to the show and hope to maintain and even add to the total number of indoor test tracks we had in 2023 (where we had a record-breaking seven indoor test tracks).

Leading the way to the 2023 Chicago Auto Show was a new event, Chicago Drives Electric. We launched this event in the fall of 2022 with the intent of enticing consumers to learn about and experience the latest EVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the form of test drives. The event was held at CATA headquarters in Oakbrook Terrace, and its success was overwhelming. Overnight, we filled up all test drive slots, and media came out in droves to cover the event, generating exposure. The branding and excitement carried over to the 2023 Chicago Auto Show in the form of a 100,000 sq. ft. indoor EV track. We held another successful Chicago Drives Electric from September 28 to October 1, which attracted more brands, more vehicles, test drive registrations and overall attendees than the first year. The number of test drive registrations increased by a substantial 50 percent over 2022! We’re excited to bring the EV track and education back to the 2024 Chicago Auto Show this February.

Speaking of success, this summer 80 new-car dealers fired up their grills to host the USO Barbecue for the Troops to raise awareness and funds for the local military. This year marked the 10th anniversary, and dealers once again rallied their communities to raise $100,000 for the USO. Last year marked a huge milestone when dealers hit the $1 million dollar mark for the total amount raised since the program’s inception. That truly shows the power and impact of local dealers.

Finally, the CATA recently underwent a rebranding/logo redesign project. The refreshed CATA logo was strategically designed to symbolize many of the elements that make up the fabric of this wonderful organization. We hope you like it.
We look forward to another great year. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with an idea, a suggestion, feedback or just to say hello. We value you and your membership of the CATA!

Sincerely,
Jennifer Morand
Co-President, CATA