Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 1

44 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 CONNECTICUT IVE RETAILERS ATION (CARA) T he Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association (CARA) has been representing the State’s new car dealerships for 100 years. We are proud of our history, and we rely on our core values as we focus on the future of our industry. Connecticut’s over 240 new car dealerships provide a huge economic boost to the state. They created more than 14,000 jobs last year: jobs offering good pay, often with benefits and opportunities for advancement, without the need for a four-year college degree. The dealerships have a combined payroll of $869 million and generate $9.8 billion in total sales, which is a 17.7% share of total retail sales in Connecticut. In addition to the dealers’ economic significance, automotive retailers play a critical role in the communities where they do business. They provide tremendous financial support to local charities and foundations and are very active in their communities. There’s no doubt that the problems with the global supply chain have affected our dealerships. With microchips hard to come by and the shutting down of assembly lines by the automobile manufacturers at the beginning of the pandemic, dealerships are EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE BY SARAH FRYXELL, PRESIDENT, CONNECTICUT AUTOMOTIVE RETAILERS ASSOCIATION