Greetings CATA Members,

It’s been a pleasure to serve the dealer community for another year. I wanted to take a moment to remind you of the benefits of being a CATA member, as well as share some highlights from the past CATA fiscal year.

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 Annual Report and Directory, we hope you’ve been enjoying CATA Up to Speed, introduced last year. CATA Up to Speed is a quarterly publication 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. I just concluded a yearlong elected position as the Auto Shows of North America chairwoman, leading the country on a strategic planning project. The outcome is in the form of a new entity called Automotive Experience Alliance (I will continue to serve on this board). The new group is a coalition of auto shows that will define and adopt a standard set of processes, practices, methodologies, metrics and messaging that drive more value for the entire automotive ecosystem including consumers, OEMs, dealers, suppliers and show producers. It has already been well-received by manufacturers, showcasing strong momentum.

The Chicago Auto Show’s First Look for Charity black-tie gala attracted more than 8,000 attendees and raised $2.8 million for 18 local charities, further demonstrating the ways car dealers play a significant role in their communities.

As a prelude to the 2024 Chicago Auto Show, we produced the second Chicago Drives Electric EV test drive event last September, which included 40 EV vehicles and saw 1,437 registered test drives from more than 3,600 attendees. Chicago Drives Electric showcased electric vehicles from a wide range of automakers. We held our third annual Chicago Drives Electric event this fall at CATA HQ Oct. 3-6. The Chicago Drives Electric indoor test track and EV education hub will be returning to the 2025 Chicago Auto Show.

This past July, 65 new-car dealers fired up their grills to host the USO BBQ for the Troops to raise awareness and funds for the local military. This year marked the 11th anniversary, and fundraising continued throughout the entire month of July. The previous year marked a solid milestone when dealers hit the $1 million mark for the total amount raised since the program’s inception, once again demonstrating the power and impact of local dealers.

The CATA’s political action committee, CATPAC, annually contributes approximately $130,000 to state and local officials, and we seek direct contributions from our members to NADA PAC, which contributes to federal officials. With our help, NADA PAC raised over $55,000 last year from Chicagoland dealers. In addition, CATA representatives meet in person with our state legislators in Springfield and attend the annual NADA Washington Conference in September, where we are able to meet in person to discuss our concerns with many of Illinois’ congressmen and congresswomen. We’ll continue to ensure the dealers’ voices are heard and well-represented.

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
CATA President and Chicago Auto Show General Manager