Driving Vermont Forward: GW Marketing’s Decades of Support Shine at This Year’s Auto Conference

Driving Vermont Forward: GW Marketing’s Decades of Support Shine at This Year’s Auto Conference

On September 18th, the Vermont Auto Conference brought together over 130 industry professionals, dealers and Allied Industry,  in Montpelier—an event we were proud to attend as longtime sponsors and leaders in the New England dealership brokerage and valuation market. I was delighted to greet attendees from our table next to the VADA registration desk and reconnect with friends and colleagues from across Vermont’s automotive sector. For those who missed out, it was the most dynamic Vermont Auto Conference yet! Matt Vada, the managing director, Kim Gauthier, the office manager, the insurance program administrator, and the rest of the VADA team did a spectacular job arranging this conference this year.

With 45+ years of experience serving the region, we know Vermont’s market inside and out and remain dedicated to supporting local dealerships with unmatched expertise as the industry evolves.

The Vermont Auto Industry & GW Marketing Services

The Vermont auto industry has experienced a slight decline year over year; 9.6% fewer vehicles were registered in the first 8 months of 2025 compared to 2024, according to the Vermont Transportation Energy Network. Also, tariffs are a significant topic for Vermont’s franchised dealerships in 2025, substantially impacting costs and business operations. Newly implemented tariffs on imported vehicles and parts—including many models and replacement parts popular in the region—have led to higher dealership operating expenses and increased price tags for both new and used cars. Dealers must now contend with steeper acquisition and reconditioning costs, influencing everything from inventory management to customer affordability. 

For Vermont dealers, that means proactively adapting strategies to manage risk, adjust pricing, and communicate value in a more challenging marketplace. Despite these challenges, there is still a strong sense of community, and GW Marketing Services is proud to be a part of it. 

We were excited to attend the Vermont Auto Conference, which underscored the value of regional expertise and long-standing relationships in this evolving landscape. 

The Vermont Auto Conference: Highlights

As a decades-long broker and conference sponsor, GW Marketing Services has continued to demonstrate our deep commitment to Vermont’s automotive community. We must emphasize the continual  importance of local insight and long standing relationships amidst the influx of “alien” brokers from other regions.

Key conference sessions featured:

• Mike Stanton, President & CEO of NADA, offering a national perspective
• Chris Nihan of EVReady and Andy Graff of Comply Auto highlighting electrification and regulatory issues
• The DMV Dealer Unit and VADA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs covering compliance and legislative updates and a greatly improved relationship with the state’ auto dealers and related industries
• Presentations from VADA’s Insurance Team, reinforcing the critical role of insurance and risk management for dealerships

GW Marketing Services: The Local Advantage

With 45 years of brokerage experience in New England, GW Marketing Services stands apart from newcomers to the Vermont market by offering unmatched knowledge of local conditions, dealership valuation, succession planning, and exit strategies. Our ongoing involvement in events like the Vermont Auto Conference underscores the value of trusted, on-the-ground representation in a very challenging auto retail environment. 

In short, Vermont’s auto industry is resilient and adaptive, with innovators and experts like GW Marketing Services actively supporting its future. 

Ready to explore your next dealership opportunity? Call Gordon at 508-395-2500 and benefit from decades of local expertise guiding Vermont’s auto industry forward.