Pub. 1 Issue 3

“Fromwhat we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” ~ Arthur Ashe ach year, as GLANCDA prepares to publish our annual report, it is always humbling to see what we as a group have accomplished. And as always, I couldn’t be prouder. As the incoming president of GLANC- DA, I am extremely grateful to be taking the reins from my friend and colleague, David Ellis. David’s leader- ship and past year accomplishments on behalf of our association have contributed to our relevancy and value for our membership. We have, in my opinion, one of the most engaged dealer groups in the country, which speaks to the quality of leadership, and the membership itself. As many of you know, my grandfather was in- strumental in founding GLANCDA. At the time, GLANCDA was formed to abolish the gross re- ceipts sales tax in the city of Los Angeles – which by the way, happened just last year. However, along the way, GLANCDA grew in scope and its mission became broader. While we are first and foremost an advocacy group for our dealer members, we are so much more. As our annual report will show, we also provide many educational opportunities for our members, along with a network that is unparal- leled in the quality of dealer members. We are fortunate to have some of the most successful auto dealers in the country as our members. The annual report of the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association is a tool not only for our dealer members and associate members, it is important to everyone in the industry, our political representatives and their staffs from lo- cal, state, and federal governments. The report shows them how much we contribute to our lo- cal economy and proves us vital to the health of our communities. The events hosted this past year by GLANCDA were hugely successful, and if for some reason you did not attend, I would encourage you to schedule them in for this upcoming year. Mem- bership in GLANCDA is by far one of the most valuable business resources I personally have. In this year’s edition of the annual report, you will see the highlights of our accomplishments in 2012-2013. The GLANCDA leadership is stellar, and the wealth of knowledge is impressive. However, it is the opportunity for philanthropy within GLANCDA that adds so much to the quality of life for me and so many of my fellow dealers. As local business people, we know that our success comes from the communities we serve, and many of us believe strongly in giving back to the communities that help support our operations. Through the philanthropic activities supported by GLANCDA, our efforts, however, can make a much bigger impact. Together we can easily do what one or two dealers on their own could never accomplish. I appreciate the opportunity to work with you all. Sincerely, Dear Colleagues, E Ian Thomas President 3