This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, we are pleased to present this commemorative issue of the 2020 IADA Quarterly Magazine.
In 1920, a group of car dealers from around the state of Illinois joined together to accomplish what a number of widespread local associations had been unable to accomplish. The automobile dealers believed the auto industry was capable of becoming a huge force, and a more powerful and unified organization was needed to serve and protect its interests. As a result, the Illinois Automobile Dealers Association (first known as the Illinois Automobile Trade Association), the twelfth state automobile trade association in the nation, was chartered.

IADA has grown as our needs have increased. The association’s headquarters was originally opened in Peoria, Illinois and began its 32 years of service to the new automobile dealers. The new association had a membership of 600 franchised dealers and was divided into senatorial districts, with one dealer from each district elected to sit on its governing board.

In 1953, the association headquarters moved its offices to the capital of Illinois to be nearer to the state’s regulatory offices; namely, the General Assembly, the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue, and all other offices that had rule-making authority affecting the auto industry. Today, IADA is recognized as one of the most influential organizations in the state due to its relationship with the Illinois General Assembly and with state department officials.

Since 1920, IADA has been dedicated to serving the car and truck dealers’ needs in Illinois. United through membership in IADA, members seek to achieve through “one voice” that which is impossible or too expensive to achieve alone.

Today, IADA is an organization of 750 new car dealers, and our mission is to protect and promote the interests of those dealers throughout Illinois. This publication is intended to share a historical perspective of our association and personal stories highlighting the industry we all love. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the thousands of current and past dealers who have worked diligently to make our state association the powerful advocate that it is today. Dealers dedicate their lives to running their businesses, delivering the absolute best service to their customers, and then selflessly donating their time and efforts to support an association that benefits the entire industry.

IADA has a proud history of promoting the collective interests of member dealers, and our continued support ensures an exceedingly strong representation in the industry’s future.