But I certainly understand the confusion since the Dealers have graciously allowed me to chronicle the progress of NPDA from Day 1. Bob Althoff and the founding incorporators can explain it better, but although Bob is involved with both Dealernews and NPDA (as well as formerly being a member Harley-Davidson’s Dealer Advisory Council and heading the MIC Dealer Advisory Council before Rick Alcon was recently appointed), NPDA is not a Dealernews organization. The process was self-selecting as dealers from around the country raised their hands and opened their wallets to stand this Association up.
Editor’s Note By Robin Hartfiel
RIDE WITH US, TOO
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istory was made at 3:30 pm CST May 24, 2021 when recent cover Dealer Gail Worth nominated Bob Althoff to Chair the National Powersports Dealer Association. The motion was seconded by Bob Kee from Destination Cycle in Kerrville, Texas. No other candidates were nominated, allowing Mr. Althoff to be voted in unanimously. Just like that, 115+ years of historical oversight was overcome. However NPDA’s founding is just the first step toward “retail excellence” for the nation’s Dealers. Dealernews was fortunate to have had a front row seat to witness history in the making. Literally. Like the legendary Knights Of The Round Table, forward-thinking Dealers came together for a common cause at a round table (deep in the heart of Texas rather than in Camelot). Although we were physically seated at the table, we do not have a seat at the table, so to speak. NPDA has been established by Dealers for Dealers and Dealernews can not be a member of the Association by virtue of the fact that we are not dealers. Granted, it gets a little confusing since the magazine has been covering the efforts of the “Founding Incorporators” for the better part of two years, starting with the surveys of the Dealers appetite for such an Association (you may remember the results in the April 2020 issue: https://issuu.com/dealernews/docs/ issue__4_apr_2020/36) and many of our contributors were part of an ad hoc committee assisting with some of the fact finding and dealer temperature taking exercises leading up to the historic moment in Texas. For the record NPDA is now stood up on its own two wheels, has duly elected officers, a bank account and operating budget, incorporation filed and 501 (c) status applied for.
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However Dealernews will support the cause in any way we can. Just as we have done since the beginning when Larry Hester and Bill Bagnall had the vision to launch a trade magazine for Dealers (since there was no National Association with a newsletter in 1965). Over the years a number of Dealernews dynamic duos have stepped up… like that time when Don Emde and Don Brown orchestrated the Palm Springs Summit that led to the creation of Discover Today’s Motorcycling, or the time when former Publisher John Murphy and I cooked up the Top 100 Program 30 years ago, and more recently Bob and I serving the MIC, he on the DAC side and me with the MIC Board. Dealernews’ mission is to support the dealers and our industry in any way and every way we can. With all of us — OEMs, AMA, MIC, NADA, MRAA, RVIA and all the other associations who graciously offered words of wisdom and support to the fledgling NPDA — communicating and working together to support the dealers, the industry will be sustainable and successful, continuing to exceed the expectations of the consumers we collectively serve. To borrow a phrase from our friends at MIC, Dealernews wants everyone to Ride With Us, too. Get the straight scoop starting on page 20 and hear it right from those early adapters themselves. Each of them offers insights on why they believe you should be a member of NPDA. In addition to their comments in this issue, we have archived all of them on YouTube so you can hear it in their own words and feel their passion for why the Association is critical to the future success of our entire industry. Each Founding Board Member’s comments are embedded into a player box, just hover your cursor over the player arrow… or cut to the chase and hear them archived in one place: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCZE6q4gQ5EIz0nOX4WaXw1w As Bob says, the birth of NPDA is needed, and needed now. “We are focused on Retail Excellence because as they say, if you’re not busy being born, you’re busy dying! We’re in a position of being the creators of final demand for these wonderful products… Let’s help one another become better at what we do…” Thanks to the NPDA for allowing Dealernews to tag along for the ride so far! I can’t wait to see where the Dealers take NPDA in the next 115 years! Former Editor-in-Chief and publisher of Dealernews circa 19902003, Robin returns to the magazine. In addition to having been instrumental in creating the Dealernews Top 100 program (still the industry’s ultimate accolade for a motorcycle dealership), Hartfiel has worked for most of the B2B publications in the Powersports arena. Prior to the trade side, he worked as a beat reporter for a local newspaper and was an editor of publications ranging from All About Beer to VW Trends.