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LAS VEGAS (Feb. 2, 2023)—During his final remarks as 2023 chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Geoffrey Pohanka stressed to America’s franchised dealers the importance of strong automotive industry relations for future business success and consumer satisfaction.

“It is my experience, that the best results for both is when there is a successful working relationship between dealers and manufacturers,” said Pohanka, a third-generation dealer and the chairman of the Pohanka Automotive Group in Capitol Heights, Md.

Pohanka underscored the importance of the NADA Guiding Principles on Evolving Business Models and the Dealer Franchise System to help dealers and OEMs improve the customer experience. Introduced in late 2022, the principles outline dealers’ “core beliefs about the process by which dealers and OEMs can best create unparalleled customer experiences at the dealership.”

Pohanka also spoke to dealers about the U.S. government’s emission regulations, which aim to speed up the mass-market adoption of electric vehicles. “As many of you are, I am very concerned about the too-rapid transition to electrification,” shared Pohanka. “It is unfortunate that our government appears to be on the road to banning the sale of gasoline powered cars and without consideration of the lack of domestic supply of critical minerals, the lack of charging infrastructure, and an inadequate electrical infrastructure.”

He further stressed the implications of government regulation on the auto industry as a whole: “Failure of our government to change these proposed rules could lead to a significant reduction in vehicle sales.”

Pohanka went further to demonstrate the detrimental impacts to dealers specifically in the absence of strong OEM and dealer relations. “Without manufacturer support dealers can be falsely accused of sabotaging the transition to electrification… Dealers are ready for an electric vehicle future… Dealers are ready to continue selling as many electric cars as their manufacturers make available and consumers want to buy.”

“Dealers are resilient, and I am confident we will adapt to whatever comes our way,” added Pohanka. “We have faced obstacles before and have overcome them.”