How long have you been a dealer?

I bought my first dealership in 2004, along with partners who have all been bought out.

What dealerships do you have in Picayune?

I currently have Mossy of Picayune, a GM dealership, and Nissan of Picayune, which is next door, about 100 yards away. In total, the two dealerships cover 10 acres, right off the interstate between Slidell, LA, and Hattiesburg, MS.

How long have you been the Auto PAC Chairman?

I have been the Auto PAC Chairman since about 2014.

Why did you have an interest in serving as the chairman of Auto PAC?

I had been involved in the Louisiana association for many years on a state level, but I hadn’t had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. and see what that was all about. Then, as a MADA Chairman and Past Chairman, I spent some time in D.C., lobbying with NADA, and I realized it was very important for us to have a presence. I also realized how valuable our contributions are. Those contributions open doors for us to discuss industry issues with our congressional delegation, along with key members of their staff.

What is the main purpose of Auto PAC?

Auto PAC is a way to financially support candidates who are business-first and understand our industry’s priorities. When we look at our overall legislative and grassroots strategies, Auto PAC plays a major role.

Every significant trade organization in Mississippi has a PAC that writes checks to politicians. This would also include most automobile manufacturers. Our dealer body must be a part of the process and we want to stand out as a major contributor. I view supporting our PACs as an investment in our business.

The contributions we make to candidates give the dealer body the ability to speak with one voice about how legislation impacts our business. A strong Auto PAC shows that we are engaged in our communities and are committed to helping the men and women running for statewide office or the legislature get elected. There is no question that our PAC contributions forge strong grassroots relationships with elected officials that serve in Jackson.

The importance of having a healthy PAC cannot be understated as we help elect candidates that we can educate on the need for laws and regulations that uphold a strong dealer network. A great example is HB 401 which the Governor recently signed into law.

So, supporting good candidates who understand, know, and vote pro‑business is important to our organization and the industry we have committed so much.

What should dealers do to support Auto PAC?

First, please contribute to both PACs, State and National. It goes a long way in helping to determine the future of our industry. We now have money to be relevant in elections. The MADA PAC supports candidates in State and local races. We have the NADA PAC, which is extremely important right now, asking our Congressional delegation to address issues from LIFO, taxes, recalls, etc. We need business-friendly representatives at all levels, and the PACs help us in our efforts to elect them.

Second, get involved — from attending the convention to regional meetings to serving on the Board. We have a committee that vets candidates who will be in elections around the state. This committee makes the determination of who we’re going to support and at what monetary level. We usually meet once every other year to discuss races and candidates. MADA has become a very significant PAC because of the support we receive from our dealer members.

Who can we expect to be the voice on our issues if not MADA? Protecting, advancing and promoting the interest of Mississippi’s franchised car dealers is the mission of MADA and we are finding success.