Partnership Introduces Innovative Program to Make 20 Groups Accessible to Smaller Dealerships – And Pays Group Members’ Association Dues

Six state independent dealers associations representing seven states have joined with SmartGroups™ in a partnership that includes picking up the tab for dealers’ state IADA dues – and introduces a groundbreaking new way to put the advantages of 20 Group membership within reach of virtually every dealer.

As part of the partnership, SmartGroups: 20 Groups Reimagined will pay the annual state association dues for any dealer from a participating state who joins a SmartGroups 20 Group, whether the dealer is a current member of the association or not. That applies to any dealers from the participating states who are already members of a SmartGroup.

The joint venture with Alabama IADA, Carolinas IADA, Colorado IADA, Michigan IADA, Missouri IADA and Ohio IADA includes education and training opportunities for the associations’ member dealers.

OIADA executive director Wendy Rinehart, who was named Association Executive of the Year for 2022 by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, called the partnership “a very exciting opportunity for OIADA.”

“We’re always looking for ways to increase membership and bring additional value to our association’s dealer members,” said Rinehart, a past chair of NIADA’s Association Executives Council, “and this partnership is a way for us to accomplish both of those goals.”

The partnership creates an innovative new concept in 20 Groups, designed to be cost-effective and far more accessible to smaller operations than traditional 20 Groups.

SmartGroups Lite are state-specific 20 Groups featuring meetings held in the dealers’ home state with an accelerated two-day schedule, minimizing the time spent away from the dealership and the costs of travel and accommodations.

Members of SmartGroups Lite will still have the benefit of the industry’s best moderators/consultants and best meeting content, topics and speakers, but in less time and at lower cost.

“We’re excited to launch a very first in 20 Groups,” SmartGroups founder and CEO Justin Osburn said. “Low prorates, no air travel necessary, all dealers from within the state. Thanks to these state associations, this is literally the most affordable 20 Group program ever offered to independent retail dealers.”

Lite 20 Groups will be available in every state in which the IADA is partnered with SmartGroups, and SmartGroups will pay the state IADA dues for all members of the Lite Groups in participating states.

For more information or to join a group, visit smart20groups.com, click on the SmartGroups Lite tab and select your state from the dropdown menu.

If your state IADA isn’t partnered with SmartGroups and you’re interested in joining a SmartGroups Lite, contact your state association’s executive director or email SmartGroups director Howard Bullock at [email protected].