NCDA 2021 AGM Results – New Board Chair and Two New Directors

Welcome to Mr. James Carter, (Carter GM Northshore), NCDA Chair

About James: James Carter is currently Dealer Principal at Northshore Carter GM in North Vancouver, BC. James has been extremely active in the industry for over 30 years. This has included serving on the Board of Directors of the New Car Dealers Association (currently serving) and the Motor Dealer Standards Association, as well as one previous term on the board of the Vehicle Sales Authority. He has also been active in several Chrysler, Chevrolet and General Motors industry marketing associations. A “Big Picture” thinker with excellent strategic planning skills, James has contributed to the community as a board member for many organizations. Past Chair of the North Vancouver Chamber of Commerce and Currently a member of the Economic Partnership North Vancouver, he also served on the board of St. John Ambulance and is currently one of the New Car Dealers representatives on the board of the Vehicle Sales Authority of BC.

James’ artistic ability is well known as a past member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir, the Phoenix Chamber Choir, and Chor Leoni Men’s Choir for 28 years.

Welcome to Ann Marie Clark (Family Ford, Parksville), Director

About Ann Marie: “When asked how long I’ve been in the car business I like to say my age plus nine months. I was born and raised in Campbell River and in the car business. After graduation I went to UVIC and received my degree in Biology. Maybe not useful knowledge for the car business, but university really helped me to develop a study and work ethic that helped me so much in my career.
“I attended NADA dealer academy in McLean Virginia for both our Campbell River dealership and Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have had the chance to work in every department in a dealership; from wash bay, to service advisor, to vehicles sales, and in administration. I am so grateful for this experience as it has helped me to develop my leadership abilities and prepare me for running a dealership.
“In 1997 I moved to Nanaimo to help with the transition from Meyers Holland to our current Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln location. I had the honor to run the dealership and be the leader of the family there since 2001. As of October 1st, 2012, I have had the true honor of continuing the Ford legacy in Parksville with Family Ford and I am proud to be part of that amazing family too.
“I strive every day to nurture both stores’ fun loving and relaxed family atmosphere; all the while maintaining our education, training and equipment. Our vision is to build strong, lifelong relationships internally and with our guests. Our teams’ do their best to go over and above to take care of our guests to create a better experience with our stores, while continuing to be a meaningful contributor within the community.”

Welcome to Darren Johnson (First Canadian), Director, Member at Large

About Darren: Regional Manager – BC / Yukon since 2007 with First Canadian Financial
My automotive career started 25 years ago as a salesperson for a franchised new car dealer on Vancouver Island. I quickly worked my way into management roles as a Fleet / Lease Manager and then a Financial Services Manager. I loved cars and working with people, so the retail side of our industry was a natural fit.

• In October of 1999, I joined the First Canadian Financial Group as the Account Manager for Vancouver Island. This position provided a great opportunity to get to know many of the NCDA Members on the Island. It was also a great learning opportunity for me, as I got to see different aspects of our industry from the perspective of our many dealer partners. My primary responsibility was helping our dealers improve their Financial Services Departments.
• In 2004, I moved to Edmonton, to work out of our head office in Alberta. In this role, I was able to work closely with some of our largest national dealer groups and gained more experience in the Alberta market. In January of 2007, I accepted the management role for our BC / Yukon Region. In my current role, I lead our team in BC and oversee all aspects of our business in the area. I also have the privilege of working closely with many of the NCDA of BC members across the province as well as dealer partners in the RV, Marine and Powersports industries. In addition to my regular duties, I serve internally on our company’s Strategic Marketing Committee and Technology Development Committee.
• I have served as a Director for the Recreational Dealers Association of BC (RVDA) for over eight years. My committee work includes chairing the Social / Fundraising Committee that organizes the annual AGM and Golf Tournament, the association’s largest revenue and fundraising event. I represented the RVDA on the VSA Legislative Review Committee as the VSA consulted with the industry on the implementation of a Code of Conduct. Most recently I took a leadership role for the board in succession planning and steering the committee to recruit a new Executive Director after our long-serving Executive Director retired at the end of last year.
• When it comes to giving back, our BC team has conducted a successful Movember campaign to raise money for men’s health issues over the past few years. I support our annual United Way campaign at First Canadian. Through my work with the RVDA, we were able to fundraise over $50,000 for the Canucks Place Children’s Hospice. I support charities that aim to make a difference in the fight against cancer, help sick or disadvantaged children and preserve our natural environment for generations to come.

BC’s New Car Dealers Make A Difference #drivinglocaleconomies

The NCDA’s nearly BC New Car Dealer Members make a significant difference in communities across the province each day for a wide variety of charities and community supporting events. We thank our members for the tremendous impact they are having.

We also know that this is a difficult time for many, especially for those who rely on food banks, the Canadian Red Cross and more for assistance. Here are some further needs to consider supporting.

• Canadian Red Cross: Local BC and Yukon: Find your local branch here and support.
  • Direct link to donate here.
• Fall Food Bank Drives: Consider a donation of food or financial support here.
• Canadian Blood Bank has issued a call to donate here.
• PNE Prize Home – get your tickets here and chance to win the Grand Prize. Learn more.

We want to hear more about how you are supporting your local community – tweet us at @NCDA_BC and use the hashtag #BCCommunityDriver

If there are any ways that you are contributing, or are aware of needs in your community, please contact us and let us know.

For Immediate Release

The New Car Dealers Association of BC commends the Province on rebate programs and partnerships that have helped make this possible

Vancouver, BC – This week, the Provincial Government put out a news release indicating that a record number of British Columbians have switched to electric vehicles (EVs) with more than 54,000 light-duty EVs now on the road. This is the highest reported uptake of rates of EVs in North America and solidifies BC as a continued leader in the EV space.

“I am immensely proud of the work that BCs New Car Dealers have been doing with government for over a decade in this province to encourage and support the adoption of EVs,” stated Blair Qualey, President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. “Without our collective efforts, I am sure that the adoption of EVs would not be where they are – and climbing. I commend the Province on the continued support of vehicle and charging station rebate programs so that we ensure that EVs are more accessible and affordable for BC consumers and can continue this upward trend.”

In 2019, BC passed legislation that requires all new vehicles sold to be emission free by 2040. BC is well on its way to exceeding the 2025 targets with light-duty EV sales representing 9.4% of all new light-duty vehicle sales in BC in 2020. Given that all vehicle sales dropped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a dramatic increase in EV models being available, this number is expected to climb in the coming years.

With a growing number of EVs on the roads, the steps the Province is taking through ongoing programs like CleanBC Go Electric and SCRAP-IT® must be acknowledged. The programs provide attractive incentives for vehicles along with charging stations, to make the switch to greener vehicles more affordable for British Columbians.

For more information on CleanBC and rebates available, please visit: https://cleanbc.gov.bc.ca/

About the New Car Dealers Association of BC:
The NCDA is the provincial industry association that represents close to 400 new car and truck dealers in 55 communities throughout British Columbia. Members of the Association provide over 30,000 family supporting jobs for British Columbians and are responsible for over $16-billion of retail sales in the province. The Association speaks on behalf of the retail new automotive industry to the public, media, and government, and deals primarily with the legal, environmental, and consumer issues relating to vehicle sales in BC. The NCDA owns and manages the Vancouver International Auto Show, which was postponed due to COVID-19 health orders.

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Contact:
Shona Wercholuk
604-805-4821
[email protected]