OPENLANE's digital marketplace makes wholesale buying and selling easy for dealers, featuring 24/7 inventory sourcing you can do from anywhere. 

KADA members receive special credits when they sign up to use OPENLANE, Click here to get started. If you'll be at NADA next week, make sure to stop by the OPENLANE booth (#1511W)  for a chance to win: 

• an all-inclusive trip to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico
• a Napa Valley experience
• a trip to Vail
• a Presidents Cup golf trip; 
• a Kentucky Derby & Bourbon Trail package.

If you'd like to join the movement and contribute to improve the lives of Kentucky's children, visit our website to learn more: https://www.kosair.org/kada

To register for the class click here: https://web.kyada.com/atlas/events/kdu-osha-keys-to-compliance-virtual-class-4107/register

You can register here to join our virtual class:  https://web.kyada.com/atlas/events/kdu-back-to-school-with-nada-virtual-class-4106/register

Tune in to hear about the property, dress code, weather, and activities at The Grand Hotel and on Mackinac Island!

They're giving us a sneak peek at some of the topics you can expect to hear about at our workshop on Thursday, May 8th, from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the Frankfort Country Club.

Tune in to hear updates and information regarding:

• Tariffs
• Direct sales
• Non-compete ban
• DEI initiatives
• Amazon
• Employing minors

With the recent news of Trump's tariffs, there are a host of questions as it relates to how this affects our industry. Tune in to hear Kevin discuss the short-term and long-term effects of these tariffs and what he's seeing in the market. 

He's talking supply and demand, domestic production, labor changes, affordability, revenue diversity and more.

An expense reduction company, Merchant Advocate focuses solely on the merchant services space—helping your dealership save money on credit card fees without switching processors.

In speaking with Don, we've understood just how unregulated and non-transparent the credit card processing industry is. Did you know that the average processor in the U.S. raises rates 3-4 times a year by slipping increases into merchant statements without notifying the business? If not challenged or contested, your business is stuck with this increase.

This is where Merchant Advocate steps in. They act as a watch dog, auditing your account each month, reviewing the statements line by line and ensuring their solutions stay implemented and there are no surprise charges or fees. In doing so, they help your dealership save significantly, all without switching your credit card processor, bank or DMS.

Tune in to hear more about how they operate, and how you can participate in a complimentary analysis and start uncovering hidden savings.

For questions or more information, don't hesitate to reach out to us.

We're discussing cybersecurity, how to ensure your dealership has secure systems in place, and what are the current issues you need to be aware of. 

We're talking:

• What we learned from the CDK incident
• Business continuity plans
• Phishing 
• Multi-factor authentication
• Encryption
• Vendor security
• The importance of training your staff
• Email and texting protection

For questions or more information, don't hesitate to reach out to us or to Sherryl at sherryl@complyauto.com.

Listen in as they talk about 2025 used car market trends, challenges and opportunities.

They're touching on some big topics like:

• Best practices for sourcing inventory directly from consumers & why it's so important
• How to maximize your used car purchasing opportunities
• Enhancing your trade-in process
• Taking advantage of your service department

Make sure to also check out ACV at the NADA Show next week! Visit them at booth #1901 to learn more about the solutions they can offer your dealership.

A KADA Preferred Partner, Digital Air Strike continues to innovate their Consumer Data Experience Platform (CDXP) as well as AI capabilities, scaling most of the heavy lifting for dealers through automation.

Listen as Scott talks about embracing AI and how they're using this technology for:

• Lead response and follow up
• Recalls
• Automated CDXP email and communication
• Chat bots and live chat agents

Scott will be discussing this in even more detail next week at the NADA Show as a guest speaker. Check out his session on Saturday at 12:20 on the live stage where he'll be debunking many of the myths on AI and explaining how dealers can best jump on this technology wave. 

Make sure to also check out the Digital Air Strike Booth—2538—where you can chat with Scott and his team, and pick up a pass for their big party on Saturday night.

We're taking a look at how far we've come since our first electronic transaction in April of 2024 to now.

Our growth has been exponential and we are seeing

• more transactions
• expanded functionalities
• increased dealer adoption
• growing positive feedback

The proof is out there - so if you haven't signed up with Vitu or submitted your form to become an ELT approved entity, NOW is the time!

We look forward to a 2025 with completely seamless transactions for dealers and county clerks. As we work towards this, we want to reinforce that communication is key and if you have any questions or issues, do not hesitate to reach out to our Vitu team.

As we look ahead to 2025 and a new presidential administration, Todd discusses how he thinks financial policy and various markets will be impacted, to include automotive. 

He shares with us what we should be paying attention to and how to make good financial decisions in the coming year. 

Keep an eye on:

• Interest rates
• Inflation data
• What the Federal Reserve is saying
• Earnings growth
• Bonds/equities
• Diversification
• Artificial intelligence

In his new position as Director of Research for The Presidio Group, Kevin continues to be a thought leader in objective auto industry analysis. 

According to Kevin, it's a good time to be a retail auto dealer. He forecasts that dealers can expect more volume in 2025 and more activity/transactions, however perhaps not as much margin.

Listen in to learn why, what market conditions are looking like moving forward, and what are the hot topics you need to be aware of.

We're talking:

• What to expect under this new administration
• The need to reduce capacity and address structural costs
• Refocusing where the money is; fixed ops, used car market
• Hyundai/Amazon and this new concept for selling 
• Volkswagen/Scout/Rivian
• Tariffs
• Revenue diversity

We sat down with Barry Dunn, President and CEO of Kosair for Kids, and past KADA Chairman, Kosair Board Member, and owner of Craig & Landreth Cars, Larry Craig.

Listen to Barry and Larry share their stories of how they became involved with Kosair for Kids, and how you can too.

Kosair for Kids has been serving children in all counties across the state for over a century. Their mission is to serve as a safety net for children in need through four main programs:

1. They provide kids with once-in-a-liftetime experiences and outings
2. Their grants program where they work with over 100 children's nonprofits across Kentucky
3. Their advocacy movement to end child abuse
4. They provide financial assistance to children with complex medical issues

Last year alone their programs reached 260,000 children across the state, and with this new partnership alongside KADA, you can help increase this number.

All you have to do is contribute $1 per vehicle sold to Kosair for Kids at the end of each month.

You can make your donation via kosair.org/kada or by mailing a check to:

Kosair for Kids
PO Box 950136
Louisville, KY 40295

We know how important it is for our dealers to serve their communities, and we are honored and excited to grow this program in 2025!

Listen in as we chat about everything you can expect at our upcoming November Workshops for title clerks and controllers!

You've heard us announce this program before, but why does it have the potential to be so beneficial to your dealership?

1. Better service
2. Better pricing
3. Benefits your association, therefore your business

For those who don't know or have not yet attended one of these meetings, they are extremely informative and pertinent to your business (as well as fun!).

You'll join fellow dealers in the area as well as your local legislators to learn about topics affecting our industry on a state and national level. We'll provide a review of important issues from this past year as well as look ahead at what we can expect to see in the coming year.

Dealer Merchant Services’ mission is to help dealers recoup one of their largest expenses, credit card processing fees, by helping them pass along those fees to their customers. They currently have 750+ rooftops on their compliant surcharge program in 41 states and have saved their dealers over $33M since inception. They have educated over 3400 dealers through NADA webinars and have certified & trained over 13,000 dealership employees.  

The pilot program has officially ended and electronic titling and registration is now available in all 120 counties in Kentucky! Listen to learn more.

We sat down with our team of partners who have been working on this initiative since the beginning—Zach Newsom and Stephanie Riddle from Vitu, and Chris Keller and LT Slater from CHAMPtitles.

Listen in as we chat about:

• Dealer and County Clerk integration and feedback
• Details on what things look like moving forward as we continue this roll out
• Training
• What to expect and how your dealership can be prepared

We are thrilled to share that August 5th is the official go-live date—meaning that KY ELT will be available in all counties, on an open enrollment, rolling basis. Dealerships will “roll on” by region and the counties will follow suit, with training and ground support for dealerships and clerks readily available. 

This is an incredible development for our state and our dealers, and we look forward to driving this forward!

Listen to Adam share stories from his incredible journey in football and  how these insights can help make your business function like a Super Bowl winning team.

Tune in as we chat about what you can expect to hear at our workshop coming up on Tuesday, May 7th. We've got a great lineup of speakers, discussing several important compliance and regulatory issues. You won't want to miss this! Plus, it's at no cost to KADA members.

As you have seen and heard us communicate, Vitu is our endorsed vendor partner assisting with the move to electronic titling and registration in KY. Their team will be working directly with dealers to integrate this new KAVIS system, and it will be their interface that you utilize in your dealership. Which is why it's even more advantageous that you get started with Vitu now, as it's the same platform and login across all their programs. 

Tune in as we discuss how NTX & Interstate can significantly speed up and facilitate your titling and registration process today, both in-state and out-of-state.

Learn how you can:

• Reduce the time it takes to get a vehicle front-line ready for retail
• Drastically reduce holding costs to make sure you’re getting the maximum amount of wholesale value in the most timely fashion 
• Skip duplicate titles – get your digital title in 3 business days or less
• Obtain a digital title when you don't have a valid chain of custody
• Increase F&I product profitability 

Tune in as we discuss:

• How the EV conversation has evolved
• The EPA's proposed requirements & how to reconcile them
• EV business plans and inventory across manufacturers
• The battery sourcing situation
• Current political environment and legislators' positions

Born and raised in Owensboro, David has been in the car business for 38 years, working in just about every position in the dealership, including washing cars at 15 years old. 

The Moore Automotive Group began in 1919 with David's grandfather and his stepbrothers. To this day, it is still a family business with David and his brothers, Don III and John, operating 12 franchises. In fact, Don III was KADA Chairman in 2011, and David's daughter, Kaitlyn Moore Cunningham, also works at the dealership.

Tune in to learn more about your new KADA Chairman (like his 175-acre farm), and hear about his philosophy on managing a dealership, the future of the auto industry, and why it's such an incredible time to be a part of KADA.

Tune in as we discuss:

• Sourcing cars directly from the consumer market
• Trade-in leads and enhancing your trade-in process
• How to maximize your used car purchasing opportunities
• The latest in car valuation and inspection technology
• How to maximize your digital real estate

Tune in as we discuss:

• 2023 General Session highlights 
• Meetings at the Capitol and with legislators
• Electronic titling and registration
• EVs and current issues affecting our industry
• The upcoming General Session
• KADET

Listen in as Kevin chats about what he learned at the recent SEMA and AAPEX shows in Vegas. The Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association Show (SEMA) and the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) bring together the global community of auto parts & technology suppliers, distributors, and retailers. He shares his insights about what's going on/trending this very minute in automotive.

As EVs continue to make headlines, he's talking EV mandates and demand/profit, as well as the potential shift to hybrids and plug-ins. He's also emphasizing the massive market for trucks and consumer demand for customization. 

Make sure you tune in as he also talks about the trending focus on software packages/systems.

Digital Air Strike provides digital marketing, reputation management, AI chat, and patented lead response technology solutions that enable dealers to attract, convert, and retain more customers.

Listen as we chat about all the capabilities that Digital Air Strike can offer your dealership, filling in the gaps left by COVID, co-op dollars, processes and more.

Together, they comprise the team that is working to bring electronic titling and registration to the dealers of Kentucky. 

Vitu is an expert in electronic titling and registration nationwide, and it is their interface dealers will use at the dealership. CHAMPtitles is a software development company that is working directly with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to ensure all dealer information is transferred correctly. Through their partnership, these seamless electronic transactions will be possible.

Listen as we chat about what this entire process looks like now, where it's headed, and what this means for you at your dealership.

The mobile learning platform allows your dealership staff access to a constantly updated library of 90-120 second videos covering various aspects of the automotive business, including sales techniques, customer service, product knowledge, and industry trends.

With only about 5 minutes a day, you can empower your team with the tools they need to excel in their field. Listen to learn more about how you can turn your dealership staff into customer-centric, high performers with RockED's fast and easy program.

Listen to learn more about your new KADA Chairman! 

Whether you’re a small dealership under 50 employees or have over 500 employees, SESCO can be an incredible resource for you. They provide knowledge and expertise regarding labor market changes and trends, regulatory updates, company policy and culture, and more. We encourage you to take advantage of this incredible member benefit.

ComplyAuto has partnered with NADA and 30 other states across the U.S. to automate the complexities of these new regulations and offer a comprehensive set of privacy and cybersecurity tools to let your dealership get back to selling cars.

And there may be no going back.