February 28, 2025

As we sit in Q1 of 2025, it’s become very clear that the landscape in our industry has drastically changed and changed quickly! In 2023 and 2024, we witnessed inflation, interest rates topping a 20-year high and global conflicts, which added to economic uncertainty for the consumer.

The Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association (MADA) Self Insurers Fund (SIF) Board of Trustees has announced a historic $1 million dividend for participants, along with a rate reduction of 5.7%. These changes will take effect starting April 1, 2025.

The MADA Board of Directors, along with dealers representing the next generation of automobile professionals, recently made a significant impact at the Mississippi Capitol.

Recently, Marty Milstead, MADA president, interviewed Amberly Allen, founder and managing partner of Dealer Merchant Services (DMS). DMS is an Endorsed Partner of MADA that focuses on maximizing a dealership’s profitability with the largest, and oftentimes, overlooked expenses and credit card processing fees. DMS uses a unique and proprietary method, backed by a U.S. patent, to help dealers recoup an estimated $5-15k per month, per rooftop, without jeopardizing CSI and is the fastest-growing merchant provider that focuses solely on dealers.

On Jan. 29, Toyota of Hattiesburg celebrated receiving the highly coveted Toyota President’s Award for 2023. The local community turned out to help commemorate the occasion — including the local police, the fire department and Marty Milstead, president of the Mississippi Automobile Dealers Association.

Hattiesburg’s only luxury import car dealer and Mississippi’s only Genesis dealership, Genesis of Hattiesburg, hosted their grand opening on Sept. 17, 2024. Customers and the community, including the Area Development Partnership, came out to celebrate the momentous occasion.

Since September 2006, Crossroads Chevrolet GMC has been a cornerstone of the Corinth, Mississippi, community. Throughout that time, it has been important for owner Jeff Smith, who has been in the industry for over 40 years, to give back to the community he cares deeply for.

MADA has once again demonstrated its vital role in protecting the interests of franchised auto dealers. Since the state legislature convened in January, MADA has maintained a steadfast presence at the state capitol working on legislation that could negatively impact dealerships across the state.