Equipment dealer associations vote to form NAEDA

A joint membership among four equipment dealers in North America has voted in favor of merging to form the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA).

NAEDA now represents around 3,000 dealerships in 24 states and nine Canadian provinces, including dealers selling agricultural, construction, industrial, forestry, outdoor power, and lawn, garden, and turf equipment. It will also represent dealers in federal government affairs in Washington D.C., and Ottawa, Canada.

The member vote was the final step in the merger process to create this new association, and it is projected to go into effect July 1, 2022. The joint membership is made up of Midwest-SouthEastern Equipment Dealers Association, the United Equipment Dealers Association, the Western Equipment Dealers Association, and the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA).

"We appreciate the overwhelming level of support that we have been given by our members," says Tom Rosztoczy, chair of the long-range planning group. "Now that our members have ratified the merger resolutions, we will start with our transition plan and consolidating our resources — taking the best of all four organizations to enhance our value proposition to dealers."

Other regional equipment dealer associations outside of this partnership will maintain their independence from the NAEDA, and will be allowed to participate in national conversations if they choose to do so.

"With the expansion and consolidation of dealers, to keep the same numbers and to make everything financially viable, we need to consolidate some of the associations as well," says Kim Rominger, president and CEO of EDA. "These associations and their dealer members have decided this is the best course of action for their associations."

The NAEDA will continue to offer the same services to dealers the individual associations did before, helping them in areas of data collection, government affairs, and manufacturer relations, says Rominger. It also has a number of educational, legal, and insurance programs available to its members.