The Vancouver International Auto Show has never had more momentum. Attendance continues to set records. Manufacturers are choosing Vancouver to showcase new products and technologies. Visitors are embracing an event that has become much more than an auto show – it’s one of Canada’s premier automotive experiences.
That’s why, on behalf of BC’s New Car Dealers, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome Eleasha Naso as the new Executive Director of the Vancouver International Auto Show.
For more than two decades, Eleasha has built a reputation as one of Canada’s most respected automotive event leaders. She has successfully led the Edmonton Motor Show while working closely with dealers, manufacturers, sponsors and industry partners across the country. Now she’ll bring that experience to Vancouver while continuing her leadership role in Edmonton, creating an exciting opportunity for two of Western Canada’s premier automotive events to learn from one another.
What makes Eleasha the right person for this role isn’t simply her experience. It’s her passion. When we first talked about this opportunity, she shared something that perfectly captures why she belongs in this industry. She said, “Automobiles have been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent my entire career working in an industry I love.”
That’s not a manufactured soundbite. It’s someone who grew up fascinated by automobiles and who never imagined that passion would become her career. As she recently reflected, she feels fortunate to have “stumbled into it” early in life and has spent more than twenty years creating automotive experiences that bring people together.
That enthusiasm matters because today’s auto shows are about far more than displaying new vehicles. Consumers can research almost every specification online. They can watch countless reviews and compare features with a few clicks. But as Eleasha says, purchasing a vehicle is the second-largest investment most people make after buying a home. People still want to “see, touch and experience” a vehicle before making that decision. Even for vehicles they may never own, there is something special about seeing them in person that simply can’t be replicated on a screen.
She’s absolutely right. The Vancouver International Auto Show succeeds because it creates experiences.
Families discover the newest technology together. Enthusiasts admire rare and exotic vehicles. Consumers compare brands side-by-side. Industry professionals reconnect. Future technicians, engineers and designers find inspiration.
Auto shows remind us that while technology continues to evolve, people remain at the heart of this industry.
Eleasha asks questions like: “What has not been done? Where can we push the envelope?” She wants manufacturers saying, “I have to be part of that event,” and visitors leaving the show asking, “Can you believe they had that?”
That kind of thinking is exactly what has helped transform the Vancouver International Auto Show into one of North America’s fastest-growing automotive events, and it’s the mindset that will help take it even further.
When asked what still gives her goosebumps after producing auto shows for more than two decades, Eleasha didn’t mention a particular manufacturer or a spectacular vehicle. She said it’s “the energy and anticipation” that she feels the moment she steps onto the show floor and watches months of planning come to life as visitors arrive.
That’s exactly what the Vancouver International Auto Show is all about. Energy. Innovation. Passion.
We’re thrilled to welcome Eleasha Naso to the Vancouver International Auto Show family. I have no doubt her leadership, creativity and enthusiasm will help ensure that the best years of this remarkable event are still ahead of us.
Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC.
