Scarpelli rolls out MyDealership.org, praises dealer network

Scarpelli rolls out MyDealership.org, praises dealer network

In his first official remarks as 2017 chairman of NADA, Mark Scarpelli, a dealer from Chicago, unveiled a new initiative designed to help local dealerships showcase all the benefits they bring to their millions of consumers, along with the 1.1 dealership employees in the U.S., and to countless communities across America. The initiative, MyDealership.org, uses videos, social media and PSAs to communicate the significant benefits of a strong, vibrant franchised dealer network.

–There are five hallmarks of any local dealership in America today,” Scarpelli told the Convention crowd. –We are local; we are modern; we are diverse; we save consumers money; and we create great jobs.”

MyDealership.org doesnêt come from the perspective of dealers, said Scarpelli. –It comes from the perspective of dealership staff, who benefit from gainful employment at all levels, with opportunities for advancement. And it comes from the perspective of local community leaders, who benefit when local businesses like ours plant roots, contribute to the tax base and give back to the local community.”

Scarpelli concluded that the auto industry is a –people business.”

–It starts with the people we employ,” he said. –The ones who sometimes get in at 6 a.m. and donêt leave until 9 p.m. or even later. It starts with the customers we see, walking through our doors and then coming back when they need help over the life of their car. And it starts with all of us dealers who have pledged their lives and livelihoods to this business, come hell or high water.”

Scarpelli said the new initiative is just the next step for an industry that for more than 100 years has been the conduit to reliable and affordable personal transportation for American consumers from all walks of life.

–Auto dealers carried the privilege and burden of answering one question: How could we sell an automobile to everyone?” said Scarpelli. –We knew from the beginning that this engine with four rubber tires wasnêt a luxury or even a fad. It was a necessity, and it was here to stayÄ. ours was an association at the forefront of helping dealers do the job of selling and servicing cars for the people who wanted them, whether blue-or white-collared.”

In closing, Scarpelli made the standing-room-only Convention audience a promise: –I will be your gatekeeper for this great industry,” he said. –When I sit across the table from a member of Congress, Iêll show them how we save our customers money in the finance process, not cost them. When Iêm on the phone with federal regulators, Iêll tell them that our job is to serve American consumers, not ourselves. When I meet with the manufacturers, I•ll encourage them to implement programs which help dealers, not strain them.”