NADA Directors, staff, and ATAES,

I can’t believe January and the NADA Show are behind us. I was amazed by the resilience of our dealers, staff and vendors in overcoming the many obstacles and challenges posed by the historic snowstorms in the New Orleans area. As I mentioned in my opening remarks at the NADA Show, I was genuinely thankful to all the dealers who made it to the event, and for the trials and challenges they overcame. Thank you all again for your support of NADA and our dealers. A special thank you goes to the NADA Show Committee and staff for their Herculean efforts (behind the scenes). 

For those who attended the Sunday night reception at the WWII Museum, it was an honor to share military history with you. The show staff, as always, did a magnificent job. Thank you!

As I have spoken about, my role as this year’s chairman involves serving as an ambassador for the dealers. In this capacity, I – along with all the rest of the NADA board – represent the franchised dealers across the entire nation, as well as everyone who works daily for our customers, employees and communities. 

My experience in the Marines has shown me that effective leaders rely on strong teams, and NADA boasts an exceptional board of directors and a skilled staff of industry professionals. Throughout my 35 years of military service, I've learned the importance of leadership and achieving results. Additionally, I have another significant supporter in my life: my wife, Anita. 

As we move throughout 2025, there will be and are challenges to how we operate our businesses and care for our customers. I ask for your leadership and engagement, which are critical for overcoming any obstacles. My commitment to you is to communicate as best that I can, along with the board and staff. Keeping the franchise dealer body informed about regulations, legislation and industry decisions that impact our business is critical to our long-term success.

As many of you know, on January 27, 2025, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a petition filed by NADA and the Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) to vacate the FTC Vehicle Shopping Rule (“CARS Rule”). As a result, the FTC “CARS Rule” has no force or effect. 

We see promising movement from the new administration regarding emissions standards and the belief that consumers should be the one making choices about what to drive, rather than government regulators. NADA will continue to pursue a unified national tailpipe emissions standard and advocate for removing the Biden Administration EPA’s waiver that permits California to enforce its ZEV mandates. NADA will also persist in pushing for reduced federal emissions standards for all vehicles to establish fair and balanced market-driven standards. 

NADA is fully engaged in planning and meeting with government officials and private industry concerning tariffs and the balance of national and international considerations that could impact our dealers and customers in any actions taken. 

And of course, NADA has made it clear to both Volkswagen and Honda that any attempt to sell vehicles directly and compete with their U.S. dealer partners is outrageous and misguided, and NADA is fully committed to supporting efforts to challenge this decision in statehouses and courthouses across the country. In the coming weeks and months, NADA will continue working with the ATAEs and the state and metro dealer associations to determine the best paths forward to protect the franchise system and stand behind Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Honda and Acura dealers.

Please know that as NADA Chairman, and with the support of the board and staff, we will pivot and respond to the ever-changing landscape and developments that affect our dealers and our industry. 

In closing, I want to thank the NADA board of directors and the NADA staff for their support and the hard work of every ATAE for backing their dealers and our franchised system. It is a team effort. Do not forget that the NADA Directors work for your associations and your dealerships. Please reach out to each one of them with your concerns and questions. That is why we are here.

Semper Fi

Tom Castriota