Happy 2022! Here at NCDU, we’re hoping for a great new year for everyone, including Utah’s dealers. I have always been bullish on our industry, especially locally, and I have never been disappointed.

Utah responds well to pretty much everything because we approach problems with pragmatic optimism. Our response to the pandemic is a good example of that. Utah has truly done well overall compared to the rest of the nation. But my optimistic attitude is also rooted in what I know about our members, who are consistently great at meeting challenges. Are there potential problems ahead? Yes. However, the picture isn’t completely dark, either. Like their national counterparts, we know Utah dealers are good at adapting to difficult circumstances. It was that way when people started buying the Model T, and it is still true today when they are starting to buy EVs. Dealers sell cars, and we are really good at it because we understand the importance of building relationships, providing great service to our customers and strengthening our communities.

In this issue of Utah Auto Dealer, we welcome our incoming president, J. Blake Murdock. We look forward to his leadership and all that he has to offer to the Association. We are also celebrating our Time Dealer of the Year nominee, Chris H. Wilson. Congratulations to Chris!

We address the current issues of the economy and employee shortages. The state of Utah has implemented a program to help with this; we hope you get to know more about the Apprenticeship Utah program.

All in all, we are moving past COVID and looking forward to a great selling year!

Please give us a call when you need help with some of the current challenges. NCDU is here to help you in any way we can, whether that means talking about the latest twist in the ongoing pandemic, talking about legislative issues or just providing access to educational and networking opportunities with other like-minded dealers. The year ahead may have its challenges. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with it alone.