The 2025 NIADA Convention and Expo brought together more than 800 dealers at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas for four days of learning and celebrating the industry.
Nearly two hundred dealers, including Joshua and Misty King of Express Motors in McMinnville, Tennessee, were attending their first NIADA Convention.
“We are so glad that we came. We want to bring more of our key team members in the future. There’s just an excitement here,” said Joshua King. “With the dealer rounds, sitting around with other dealers and having conversations, we gleaned a lot of valuable information.”
Shea Phillips of Number One Auto Sales in Buckhannon, West Virginia, who served on a social media marketing panel said, “This was the best convention I’ve been to. The knowledge I’ve developed as a dealer came from other dealers and this was a chance to pass the torch and pay it forward.
“Dealers need to get here and network with other dealers. You really get out of it what you put into it. If you come and are open-minded, you will take home knowledge to help your business.”
Here are the highlights of this year’s Convention:
Meeting other dealers
Dealers from across the nation traded best practices and tips with each other over the four days of the NIADA Convention. The conversations carried on through the Expo Hall, in the hallways and through the Dealer Rounds.
“Dealers like to talk to each other and share information. We’re not really competitors. Dealers like to help dealers,” said Mark Anderson of Anderson and Sons in Newton, Illinois.
More than 50 hours of education
Dealers gained impactful knowledge in marketing, management, BHPH, retail and compliance, in breakout education sessions and panels led by successful dealers and industry experts.
“There’s plenty of knowledge in the building to help you,” said Lawrence Breaud of Autos of Forney in Forney, Texas.
Celebrating the industry
Jack Carter, owner of Turn & Burn Motors, in Conyers, Georgia, was named the 2025 National Quality Dealer of the Year during the NIADA Awards Ceremony. He was one of 12 finalists for the honor.
“This is one of the most humbling things that’s ever happened to me,” Carter said. “Being backstage with those guys. It’s just an amazing group of guys that deserve it as much or more. Everybody’s so passionate about what we do and just really thankful. I can’t imagine winning this.”
Amy Bennett, the Georgia IADA Executive Director, was named the AEC of the Year. Adam Moule received the $10,000 NIADA Northwood University Scholarship presented by Cox Automotive.
Filling the need for speed
Fifty dealers and guests sped around the track at Speed Vegas as part of the NIADA Super Car Driving Experience sponsored by AutoZone and ALLDATA.
“It was great,” said Guy Thorpe of Thorpe Automotive in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Supporting the cause
Rick Wagner of Livingston, Texas, captured the sporty BMW 335i xDrive, with 68,500 miles donated by Manheim, a Cox Automotive company, with a bid of $25,500 during the NIADA Foundation Auction.
“I liked the car and the cause. It was a good time to give back to the industry. The business has been good to me,” Wagner said.
Mike Widhalm of Reds Auto and Truck in Longmont, Colorado, and Fahad Sayani of Car Corner in Memphis, Tennessee, provided winning bids totaling $9,500 for paintings by Matt Nagy of ACV.
Words of wisdom from Joe Theismann
Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann enthralled the crowd during his Keynote Address. Theismann provided advice to car dealers on adapting to change, which he had to after the career-ending injury suffered on a sack by Lawrence Taylor.
“Never stop dreaming, working hard and believing,” Theismann said. “Every day, take advantage of the opportunities. There’s no guarantee about tomorrow.”
