Lessons from the Road

Throughout each year, VADA leaders and members participate in events and meetings hosted by other industry organizations. Recently, Jason Wilson, VADA general manager, attended a peer group meeting of the Automotive Trade Association Executives. He walked away with some key insights about VADA.

VADA Stands as a Unique Organization

This is an important first distinction that brings me great pride when I attend these meetings. The level and depths of VADA’s programmatic areas isn’t found elsewhere in our industry. As I take a quick survey of peer groups, for example, I can tell you that few offer their members any support with insurance or workers compensation.

Not only do our members and staff tackle complex subjects like those, but they bring unparalleled expertise and knowledge. The more that they are able to navigate through these challenges with people they know and trust – starting with your VADA team – the more our members benefit. Having a for-profit section of our organization further ensures VADA’s long-term viability and vitality.

Integrated Service to Members

VADA serves as a one-stop shop that puts your needs first. We take that seriously, as we provide leadership in every key area to support your business: legislative matters, revenue, training, education, compliance, and much more. Our dedicated Field Reps, who work to ensure our message is being heard, echo that commitment. VADA’s investment in people is unique and goes to one of our core values: relationships.

If that’s not enough, we remain one of the few states that still hosts an annual convention. Many of our peers – by their own admission – just can’t pull that off. Virginia truly does lead the way.

What Makes Us Different?

Our team and our relationships with each other, strategic partners, and – most importantly – our members set us apart. The businesses and members we partner with know VADA delivers on our commitments, and we show up armed with knowledge and a desire to succeed. Your collaboration and pursuit of excellence in your areas of responsibility also makes us different. You should be proud to be part of such a unique and thriving organization.

I will leave you with a quote from Vince Lombardi as he addressed the great Packer teams of the 1960s (before they were great).

“Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”