May 7, 2021

In March 2021, Kelley Blue Book’s valuation analysts reported an estimated U.S. average transaction price for light vehicles of $40,472. To put this number in context, the estimated average was $38,812 in March 2020. The percentage change between March 2020 and March 2021 was a 4.28% increase.

As someone who has dedicated his career to advocating on behalf of America’s franchised auto dealers, I’ve embraced the reality that one of my chief roles is to serve as Myth Buster In Chief.

Many first-year MBA students learn a marketing concept called the “Iron Law of Distribution.” The idea is that when you bring a product to market, you can change who owns the distribution channel for that product — but changing who distributes the product doesn’t change the cost structure associated with distributing the product.

Cheri Fleming and her husband, Don, had the entrepreneurial spirit. Cheri grew up in Parma Heights, Ohio, and moved to Southern California’s Santa Clarita Valley after graduating from Ohio University. She decided to create a tanning salon. She met Don, a tanning salon equipment supplier who lived in Austin, Texas, at that time, during a trip to Texas to buy equipment. He helped her open her salon in upscale Woodland Hills.

Earlier this spring, our State’s two U.S. senators urged President Joe Biden to set a firm date to phase out gas-powered passenger vehicles as the White House grapples with how to rewrite vehicle emissions rules slashed under President Donald Trump.

Valencia Acura – Santa Clarita’s Friendship Dealership – is proud to be a Ruby Sponsor for the Soroptimist International of Greater Santa Clarita Valley’s 2021 Little Black Dress Fashion Show and dedicates this sponsorship in loving memory of co-owner Cheri Fleming, who cherished her community and friendships. As a former President of Soroptimist International of the Americas, Cheri dedicated her life to being a positive influence for improving the lives of women and girls locally and around the world, so they can live their dreams as she did hers.

We hope all our dealer members and industry partners share our optimism that we are all headed in a good direction. The roll-out of vaccinations has been great news for the retail automotive industry. The challenges that a global pandemic created in 2020 are slowly being replaced with glimpses of returning to business as usual.