Dealer magazine had the pleasure to start 2025 by interviewing Ryan Rohrman, CEO of Rohrman Automotive Group. Rohrman is a third-generation leader of one of the largest family-owned automotive groups in the U.S. For more than 60 years, Rohrman Automotive Group has provided consumers with the highest quality new and pre-driven automotive products, combined with excellent customer service in sales, leasing and vehicle maintenance services.
During our exclusive interview, we discussed how Rohrman is at the forefront of a massive industry shift to adopt Consumer Data Platform, the importance of clean data that improves marketing communications experiences for customers, how prioritizing relationships is their key strategy for growth, and how Ryan works to maintain his connection to the showroom floor.
With this being the first issue of 2025, some of the leading experts in the industry offer up trends they see affecting the automotive industry in the coming year. At the top of that list is the Trump Administration and how their priorities on trade tariffs, electric vehicles and environmental regulations could impact auto dealerships over the next four years.
And the new year brings two new columnists to Dealer magazine: BG Products's Sy Stewart and Dealer Synergy's Sean Bradley. Taking over from Charlie Polston who retired after 42 years in the auto industry, Sy's first column titled Misguided Focus in Dealerships carries on Charlie's look under the hood of how a dealership is run from a fixed ops perspective.
The back of the book is a key spot in any magazine. That is why we are so fortunate to have Sean Bradley jumping on as a contributor. Sean is jumping into this with his usual energy, bursting with ideas to make his column as a jumping off point to have a conversation that goes past the page (stay tuned for this space in the coming months on that end). In Be Careful of Distractions Disguised as Opportunities, Sean details actions that will help your dealership eliminate distractions, optimize resources and achieve sustained success.
Plus, we our closing in on DealerPoint, set for April 9-11, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, FL. DealerPoint is a VIP networking experience highly curated for each dealership attendee that features 1:1 private meetings and boardroom presentations foster long-term relationships for both the Dealer Executives and Solution Providers. Through this unique format, both dealership attendees and vendors will have the opportunity to connect like never before.
We are excited to see all our friends in the auto industry this year, discussing and covering the issues that makes a differences at dealerships across the U.S.
Sincerely,
James Hickey, Managing Editor, Digital Dealer
