Message from the Chairman, Anthony Gordon – 2nd Quarter 2024
On behalf of the Ford MDA board of directors, management, and staff, I want to offer you our most sincere thanks to all our supporters of Ford’s MDA 11th Annual Conference and Membership meeting. Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit Company have been solid partners for our conference each year that we have held the event. Our members appreciate how they can speak openly and candidly with the Ford and Ford Credit senior management team. Many of our members have other OEM franchises. The feedback that we hear is that none of the other OEM’s engage with their ethnic minority dealer body, the way Ford and Ford Credit interact with our members during the conference.
This year’s Town Hall meeting participants, made up of predominately female Ford executives, demonstrating the diversity, equity, and inclusion Ford supports in its corporate ranks. Members left the Town Hall meeting feeling reassured that Ford supports and listens to its dealers. Ford’s relationship with our association is not just during the conference, we have constant contact with Ford and Ford Credit senior management team during the year.
At our membership meeting at the conference, I am pleased to announce our newly elected board member, Mr. Steve Kahlon, President Whitmoyer Auto Group. Steve has a wealth of knowledge in the Retail Automotive industry and a genuine understanding of what entails being an ethnic minority own Ford dealer. When you see Steve, please congratulate him on his willingness to serve as a board member for our association.
We are excited to see so many of our new members at this year’s conference. The blend between veteran dealers and newly appointed dealers gives us a newfound energy that will carry us for years to come. The synergy of our members created a fellowship that we are proud of as board members. As your Chairman, I want you to know that I am only a phone call, Email, or text away from assisting you with any questions or concerns about your dealership’s performance or opportunities.
This year we have been adding dealers to our standing committees with Ford Motor company and Ford Credit company. The committees we have are Sustain and Strengthen, Liquidity, and Candidate Location. All committees are chaired by a Ford MDA member with the assistance of Ford and Ford Motor Credit Staff. Committees meet monthly or as needed. If you have any interest in being on a committee, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Ford MDA staff.
As I stated in our previous newsletter, as Chairman of your association, I need your input with putting together a coaching program for our dealers. In all aspects of life, one is starting to see more coaches used to improve and accomplish goals. Owning and operating a dealership is exciting and rewarding. However, it does come with situations where the task at hand can be daunting and overwhelming. I believe that having that coach as a “safety valve” for those times that can become challenging will be a game changer for new and senior dealers alike in our businesses. Please stay tuned, I will have more to report soon.
It is also part of our strategy as an association that we will constantly be on the lookout for opportunities to share with our members. And for any reason, if you are contemplating selling your dealership, please let us know. The information you provide us with is confidential. Thank you for your continued support of our association. We look forward to having a great third quarter in 2024.
Sincerely,
Anthony Gordon,
Chairman
