{"id":1317,"date":"2021-08-06T00:29:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-06T05:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/niada.com\/?p=1317"},"modified":"2021-11-24T14:07:05","modified_gmt":"2021-11-24T20:07:05","slug":"joe-mccloskey-begins-term-as-new-niada-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/niada.com\/dashboard\/joe-mccloskey-begins-term-as-new-niada-president\/","title":{"rendered":"Joe McCloskey begins term as new NIADA president"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Colorado Dealer Aims to Unify Members, State Associations and NIADA into a ‘Force’ to Elevate Services, Advocacy<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Antonio, Texas (Aug. 25, 2021)<\/strong> \u2013 Joe McCloskey, owner of McCloskey Motors in Colorado Springs, Colo., began his term as president of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association for 2021-22 by receiving the President’s Ring during Tuesday’s National Leadership Awards at the 75th annual NIADA Convention and Expo at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his inaugural address, McCloskey, who succeeds 2020-21 president Louis Tedeschi, said he is committed to improving NIADA\u2019s services to its members and advocacy for the used vehicle industry, as well as implementing the association\u2019s strategic plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy priority is to work to unify all members, state associations and NIADA to join as one force to elevate our joint efforts to new levels of service to our membership and better protect the interests of our industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe we can accomplish that by continuing to serve NIADA\u2019s renewed commitment to be the national association to all members, regardless of their size or business model. \u2026 We\u2019ll also continue to assist and develop the management of regional, state and local independent dealer associations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe NIADA Dealer 20 Groups program is an NIADA priority. It\u2019s poised for amazing growth this year. Look for exciting things to happen with our 20 Groups and education programs. Our commitment this year is to make 20 Groups available and affordable for all dealers, regardless of their size or business model.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As NIADA celebrates its 75th anniversary as an association, McCloskey is celebrating his own milestone \u2013 50 years in the car business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1971, 13-year-old McCloskey got his first industry job \u2013 sweeping the garage floors at Bear Axle and Wheel in Pueblo, Colo. But it didn\u2019t take long for him to start moving up. He was soon recruited by a Volkswagen\/Mercedes dealership in Pueblo as what was then called a \u201clot man\u201d. By the time he was a 17-year-old high school junior, he\u2019d worked his way up to selling cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCloskey went into business for himself in the summer of 1989, but the first location of McCloskey Motors didn\u2019t exactly inspire confidence in his wife, Ann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe started in a garage in an alley with one light bulb and no phone,\u201d he recalled. At the time we had four children and not much money. I showed Ann this sketchy garage in an alley. I flung open the garage door and there was one light bulb, hanging on a string.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told Ann, \u2018This is our future! This is the future of McCloskey Motors!\u2019 And being supportive, she said, \u2018Yes.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That business has since grown to three locations in Colorado Springs \u2013 McCloskey Truck Town, McCloskey Imports and 4x4s and Joe\u2019s Car and Truck Repair \u2013 with some 80 employees and 275-300 vehicles in inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCloskey\u2019s operation has been honored by the Better Business Bureau for Excellence in Customer Service, has twice been named Colorado\u2019s State Quality Dealer and in 2013 won NIADA\u2019s highest dealer award \u2013 National Quality Dealer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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