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Bob Kee elected Chairman of NPDA Board of Directors
The NPDA is ringing in the New Year with a new Board of Directors and a new Chairman of the Board — Bob Kee, owner and co-founder of Destination Cycle in Kerrville, Texas.
The 2025 Board of Directors election took place from Dec. 9-15, 2024. Six incumbents running for re-election all held their seats for another two years, with the seventh position filled by a Dealer with extensive ties to the Powersports industry.
Seven of the 14 Board positions were up for election, with seven candidates vying for Board positions.
As stated in the NPDA bylaws, only Dealers with current “Basic” level membership were eligible to vote. “Affiliate” members (those Dealerships associated with a “Basic” membership) were not eligible.
Re-elected to terms that end Dec. 31, 2026, are the first six Dealers below:
Jay Goodart, Lawless Harley-Davidson, Missouri
Michael Kiley, Tytler’s Cycle and Moto Union, Wisconsin
John Leach, Pete’s Cycle, Maryland
Donald B. Meyers, Jr., Harley-Davidson of Baltimore, Maryland
Mark J. Sheffield, Woods Cycle Country, Texas
Brett Tekavec, Harley-Davidson of Washington, DC and Queen City Harley-Davidson, Ohio
Justin Alpiser, Team Powersports, North Carolina, was elected to his first term.
Board Members completing their two-year term that ends on Dec. 31, 2025, are as follows:
Bob Althoff, Farrow Harley-Davidson, Ohio (Past Chairman and Founding Board Member)
Bob Kee, Destination Cycle, Texas (Chairman and Founding Board Member)
Kim Harrison, Coleman Powersports, Virginia (Secretary/Treasurer and Founding Board Member)
Jayson Davis, Powersports of Greenville, South Carolina
George Gatto, Three Rivers Harley-Davidson and Gatto Cycle Shop, Pennsylvania
Mark Peterson, Southwest Superbikes, Texas
Gail Worth, Shawnee Cycle and Powersports, Kansas
The Board's first order of business at its first meeting of 2025 was to elect officers. The results were as follows, with each officer serving a one-year term:
Bob Kee, Destination Cycle, Texas (Chairman and Founding Board Member)
Jayson Davis, Powersports of Greenville, South Carolina (Vice Chairman)
Kim Harrison, Coleman Powersports, Virginia (Secretary/Treasurer and Founding Board Member)
NPDA Co-Founder Bob Althoff, previously owner of Farrow Harley-Davidson in Ohio and Chairman of the NPDA, becomes Immediate Past President and retains a seat as an NPDA Board officer for one year.
Kee: 'Ooze optimism in your dealing with customers'
By Bob Kee (BK) Chair, NPDA
Welcome to 2025! What will the New Year bring? I won’t try to predict too much since the polish level of my crystal ball is no better than average.
I feel fairly confident that high dealer flooring costs will remain for most of the year. As inflation is still an issue, I think consumers that are already currently stretched financially will continue to become more cautious on discretionary purchases.
I’d like to think that the OEMs in the powersports industry would learn a lesson from the marine manufacturers and start working more closely with their dealers about building the appropriate level of inventory to ensure dealer profitability (but I won’t hold my breath on that one too long!).
In our first NPDA Board call of the New Year, I asked the dealers on the call to share what they saw happening in the coming year. The H-D dealers, still visibly battered from a very rough 2024, voiced very little optimism, but seemed determined to make every effort to survive whatever lay ahead. The main consensus amongst the powersports dealers, especially those with an off-road focus, was that it would be a challenging year for smaller stores that lacked processes and quality people to implement them.
Want some good news?
Kim Harrison, our Secretary/Treasurer, runs several stores in the Virginia area outside of Washington, DC. In addition to moving a lot of units from all the major brands, she finds the time and bandwidth to run what has to be the largest independent rider training program in the country, training over 5,500 new riders in 2024. She shared that enrollments are at a record high level coming into 2025, and this with close to a foot of snow on the ground! This speaks well to future consumer demand.
Justin Alpiser, Team Powersports, North Carolina is our newest Board Member. His answer to my question was that he was looking forward to a great 2025 because he was ignoring those things that he and his team had no control over, and focusing on what went on inside the four walls of his dealership. Things like quick responses to customer inquiries, clean and well displayed machines and P&A, smiling faces to greet prospective buyers and more. By creating an enjoyable and memorable buying experience for his customers, Justin will undoubtedly succeed in the coming year.
Make solid plans, ooze optimism in your interactions with customers and employees, remain nimble, and constantly keep your eyes open for opportunity. When the weather warms up a bit, take some personal time on the motorcycle, UTV, ATV, or watercraft of your choice to remind yourself of the reason we do what we do. Then share that enthusiasm!
Keystone Harley-Davidson promotes Marcum to Managing Partner
Complete with a Dealer Profile number in the teens and a "joined date" of September 2021, Keystone Harley-Davidson has shown its support of the NPDA since we opened the doors to the association.
That’s why is awesome to see owner Bob Eggstein is taking a great step forward with news that Shannon Marcum has been promoted to Managing Partner of the operation of the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, dealership.
This significant milestone reflects Shannon’s exceptional leadership, dedication, and contributions to the success and growth of the organization.
Since joining KHD, Shannon has displayed a remarkable commitment to excellence, guiding the team through both challenges and triumphs with unwavering determination. His innovative thinking, strategic vision, and passion for the company’s mission have earned him the respect and trust of colleagues, customers, and leadership alike.
“This promotion marks an exciting new chapter for Keystone Harley-Davidson,” said Bob Eggstein, CEO of KHD. “Shannon has been instrumental in driving our operational success while embodying the core values that define our organization. As a Managing Partner, he will bring fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a steadfast commitment to ensuring our continued growth and success.”
In his expanded role, Shannon will focus on advancing the company’s mission of delivering unparalleled value to customers, fostering a strong and dynamic company culture, and upholding the integrity that has made KHD a premier Harley-Davidson dealership in the Lehigh Valley.
“I’m excited about the future we’re building together,” Eggstein added. “With Shannon as Managing Partner, I’m confident we’ll reach new heights, create incredible opportunities for our team, and continue to set the standard for excellence in our industry.”
Keystone Harley-Davidson invites its community to join in congratulating Shannon on this well-deserved promotion. Together, the future looks brighter than ever, and this marks the beginning of an exciting new era for the dealership.
Adventure Specialty joins NPDA as Gold Partner, offers special NPDA membership incentive
Florida-based Adventure Specialty has started 2025 by becoming a Gold Partner of the NPDA.
Principals Haley Wright and Michael Elswick are based out of Stuart, Florida. Both Wright and Elswick bring extensive experience at RPMOne and Protective with her new role as Owner/Director of Operations at Adventure Specialty and his as Owner/Director of Business Development.
Adventure Specialty offers a full line of F&I products, dealership sales, services and F&I training, participation programs and best-in-class customer service.
NPDA Dealers will benefit from doing business with Adventure Specialty thanks to this special incentive. Any Dealer who signs up through Adventure Specialty receives NPDA membership reimbursement in the amount of $395 for year 2025 after writing 10 Service Contracts or 10 Priority Maintenance contracts or combo of the two within the first 90 days. In addition to gaining new NPDA Dealer memberships by engaging with non-members, the offer also is open to current NPDA Dealer Members. They will simply have their next renewal invoice paid by Adventure Specialty during 2025 if they meet the criteria above.
Their contact info is as follows for NPDA Dealers:
While their website is still being built, it can be found at www.adventurespecialty.com when it goes live.
Make plans to join the NPDA at AIMExpo, Feb. 5-7
Make plans now to join us at the NPDA Booth #3134 during AIMExpo, being held Feb. 5-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the NPDA will hold a press conference at 10:00 a.m. to reveal special news.
“We’re proud to once again show our support of the industry during AIMExpo,” said Dave McMahon, NPDA Executive Director. “It’s always an event that allows our association to get the year off to a great start alongside current and future NPDA Members. As we aim to lessen exposure and steer our Dealer members to sustainable profitability, we’ll be ready to share some 2025 growth news at AIMExpo.”
Dealers, Partners and industry members are invited to visit the NPDA booth throughout AIMExpo to speak with Executive Committee members Bob Kee (Chairman), Jayson Davis (Vice Chairman), Kim Harrison (Secretary/Treasurer) and Bob Althoff (Past Chairman).
Minnesota Dealers start New Year with ban on selling youth vehicles
Dealers in Minnesota have seen the PFAS issue land squarely at the dealership front door. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2025, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency began prohibiting the sale and distribution of products with intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals,” in these 11 categories:
Carpets and rugs
Cleaning products
Cookware
Cosmetics
Dental floss
Fabric treatments
Products designed or marketed for use by children under 12 years old, excluding electronics or adult mattresses (but including youth motorcycles and ATVs)
Menstruation products
Textile furnishings
Ski wax
Upholstered furniture
An article on Alphanews.org checks in with David Glassman, President of Tousley Motorsports, the MIC's Scott Schloegel and others in an article titled "State PFAS ban leaves young outdoor enthusiasts in the dust."
NPDA Partners LeadHelm, Rollick team up for latest podcast
The goodness coming out of the inaugural 2024 Dealer Connect conference in Columbus, Ohio, continues on in 2025 with the latest collaboration by NPDA Partners Rollick and LeadHelm.
LeadHelm’s newest Take The Helm podcast with CEO John Greene and Co-Founder Aaron Barney features guest Chris Yeloushan, VP of Dealer Solutions at Rollick. Among other things, the discussion includes insight on how both companies can help dealers with their online leads and email nurture strategies.
Watch or listen to the podcast here: https://www.leadhelm.com/podcast/ep17
If you want to learn how to transform digital leads into loyal customers, give the podcast a listen. Chris also offers up a No. 1 tip for boosting conversions.
You’ll also learn about:
Rapid digital responses
Email strategies that work
Phone & text integration
The power of dealership visits
Communication is the response you get
By Glo Cuiffi, Garage Composites
As we start off 2025, I want to remind everyone that effective communication is not defined by what we say or how eloquently we say it, but rather by the response we get.
The true measure of communication lies in the impact to the listener and his/her response. We need to say what we mean and mean what we say with clarity, empathy and in a way that encourages engagement and action.
Often, miscommunication stems from assumptions. We assume the recipient understands our intent, tone, or context. If the response we get doesn’t align with our intent, it signals a need for change in how the message is conveyed.
Do we need simpler language, or to provide more context, or to communicate in a different medium?
Feedback is a crucial part of this loop. Actively listening to responses — verbal and non-verbal — provides insights into how the message is received and whether adjustments are necessary. A two-way interaction fosters collaboration and ensures alignment.
Think about the responses you are getting from your communication internally and externally at your store — Are you getting the response you want?
If you are not, remember that the responsibility of communication lies with the communicator — and adapt.
Glo Cuiffi is COO of Garage Composites. She can be reached at glo@garagecomposites.com.
Manchester Harley-Davidson moving into 50K square-foot location in Spring 2025
Manchester Harley-Davidson, an NPDA Member since 2022, is thrilled to announce the upcoming move to our brand-new, state-of-the-art dealership located in Hooksett, New Hampshire.
Set to open in Spring 2025, this permanent home for Manchester Harley-Davidson spans 50,000 square feet and features 10 double technician bays, over $1 million in parts & accessories, and an extensive collection of genuine Harley-Davidson apparel and collectibles.
While our new dealership is being finalized, we will temporarily relocate to 1 Bouchard St, Manchester, New Hampshire, starting on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. This interim move will allow us to continue serving our loyal customers without interruption as the finishing touches are completed on our new facility.
"We are incredibly excited to move into our new home and welcome you to our new dealership," said Matty Laughlin, Managing Partner at Manchester Harley-Davidson. "Our new location will offer hundreds of events in our event space and parking lot, providing ample room for parties, gatherings, and community fun."
Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the grand opening of our new dealership. We can't wait to share this next chapter with you!
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