UTA Annual Meeting: Fun in the Sun

 

We at Commercial Truck Trader are really excited to tell you all about our experiences at the Used Truck Association Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ!  This meeting took place last week and our team was there from Wednesday through Saturday.  Our team members from Norfolk, VA were excited about the weather Arizona was expecting… Coming from weather being in the 40’s in Virginia, to sunny and 80’s was what we needed!

 

The resort was absolutely beautiful and with the sky being so clear, we could see for miles.  Scottsdale was clean and the people were friendly.  UTA changes their location for the meeting every year so this area was completely new for all attendees.

                  The meeting started off with an evening reception that was outside  in the courtyard of the Talking Stick Resort.  Although many were tired from their long journey, it was great to meet some of the dealers we work with on a daily basis.

Kicking things off the next morning was a meeting about the state of the Used Truck Association, a recap of accomplishments from 2011 and their plans for the future; both near and far.  This was a very informative session and all attendees seemed to enjoy it.  Hearing from such a great organization within our industry was very motivational!

Groups split up for team building activities which included golf and water sports; and, although all of the members came back looking tired, they were ready for the Vendor Expo that started shortly after.  Below is a picture of our booth prior to the attendees entering the expo area - I like to refer to this picture as the calm before the storm!

All in all, the Used Truck Association Annual Meeting was fun and informative and was an experience for everyone who attended. Here are some perspectives from a few of my fellow team members.
 

"Thoroughly enjoyed the break out sessions at the UTA convention especially the NTEA presentation. UTA predicting a growth stage for the next four years and the industry is recommending to begin hiring and investing for these growth stages. Good news! The exception is businesses and dealers linked to municipalities and state and local government agencies. Everyone at the UTA meeting was upbeat and looking forward to the coming years. We at www.CommercialTruckTrader.com look forward to our continued relationship with the UTA and their members."

                                                   ~ Roger Sanford, VP Industrial Field Sales

"The UTA convention this year was a terrific learning experience. Now that Social Media has taken a front seat in dealer's marketing strategies, they are reaching out to my team for advice, instruction, and tactics.  All dealers have the same goal: to reach more potential customers.  Commercial Truck Trader has always been a terrific venue to do just that, and as we move forward with promoting our own brands, we're bringing the dealer with us.  One dealer I spoke with during the opening reception told me: "I got on Facebook just to see pictures of my grand kids.  When I see my customer's names come up as a suggestion, I friend them too. Now, we talk about each others grand kids together."  I can't think of a better way to forge a personal connection with a customer!"
                                                   ~ Nadene Evans, Marketing Manager

"This year's Used Truck Association's annual convention in Scottsdale, AZ was my favorite so far. As a matter of fact, it was the best industry show that I have attended. There were a couple of reasons for that, namely the strong bond that we have with the UTA, and the overwhelming friendliness of the members. The UTA's members are smart business people, and I learn a great deal about the industry and trends every time I meet with them.  The "State of the Association" and "UTA Website Update" meetings were packed full of really good, useful information. The "Vendor Expo" was phenomenal. I can't recall having that many great, insightful conversations at any other industry event.  I can't wait until next year's show in New Orleans!" 
                                                  ~ Charles Bowles, Sales Development Manager

"I had such great time at the 12th Annual UTA Convention in Phoenix.  Sheri Aaberg and the UTA Team did an amazing job.  The balance between business and fun was spot on!  The Dealer Group session with the manufacturers was very open and spirited (always good).  The River Float was entertaining (Ricky Bobby:  Stay away from those wild mustangs).  The workshops were educational and made most think a little differently about the data that is available to us.  Tom Flick (www.TomFlick.com/UTA) was very inspirational (Get your hands dirty and show your Team the way).  Most importantly, the Awards Dinner recognizing the Member/Vendor of the year and the Jerome Nerman Family Foundation scholarship winners made the entire room proud to be a part of UTA.  I cannot wait until next year" 
                                               ~ Brian Dawson, Regional Manager

Hope to see everyone next year, including those who didn't have the opportunity to attend this year!
 
~ Cassandra D.