Executive Director’s Message WSIADA is Upping Our Game! Get Involved!

WSIADA is Upping Our Game! Get Involved!

BY BRIAN DANSEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I think one of the things I love about the automobile industry is that most of our dealers are family enterprises—everyone in the family pitches in! Many of WSIADA’s current and past board members have multi-generational roots in dealerships all over the pacific northwest. To be honest with you, it reminds me of the history of our Association. What those businessmen understood back in 1953, when WSIADA came into existence, was that they needed a trade association to not only combat some of the laws, rules and regulations in Olympia, but to act as a resource the dealers could rely on to help the entire industry. These people were competitors of course, but they understood that while they were competitors in business, they were colleagues in an industry. They knew their kids would likely some day take over the family business and that they needed a long-term strategy to ensure the industry withstood anything that came its way.

Why do I mention this? As I travel and speak with dealers across the entire state, I hear the same things everywhere I go— everyone wants to see the industry flourish, but they don’t know how or what we are doing to combat some of the things coming down the legislative turnpike. I think that is a fair concern. The vision we have is to be able to reach out and survey the WSIADA members directly to understand where we need to prioritize our focus. We will then meet with our contract lobbyist and formulate ideas to bring to legislators who are supportive of our cause. Once a legislative agenda is developed, it will be provided to the general membership so that you all can actually see what we are doing and where your lobbying dollars are being spent. Along with regular communications via this magazine, I will send out regular bulletins to all WSIADA members, so that you can see what is happening in Olympia. This will allow everyone to have direct input to the Association so that we can have an organized strategy going into these legislative sessions. I have seen many trade associations get complacent and what

happens in those cases is that they simply get cut out of the conversation. I wish this wasn’t the way it worked—but it is. This leads to always operating on your back foot and always being on defense. I do not see how that will pan out as a long-term strategy.

As a former Senator and Presidential appointee, I can tell you many stories about many different industries that get “cut out” of the conversation. Let’s not let that happen to us. I want to go on the offensive. I want you all to have legislative clout, and I need your help to make that happen. I have scheduled chapter meetings in the fall in an area near you. At those chapter meetings I will be bringing Senators, State Representatives and local elected officials, so they can hear our story, and that is not a hypothetical—these people are already lined up. We will up our game when it comes to communicating with you all and getting input into these matters. What we

ask of you is to come and get involved with us. We need everyone who has a love for this industry to come together so we can protect it for the next generation. I believe this is our 1953 moment. As always, I know the best answers to the many issues we face come from those who are in the trenches. Please feel free to contact me at executivedirector@ wsiada.com or on my cell at (509) 322-5768 to discuss anything you wish. n