LOS ANGELES -

Two of the auto industry’s big players revealed this week they have teamed up to launch an all-new automotive conference set to debut this fall.

The National Automobile Dealers Association in partnership with J.D. Power and Associates announced the creation of the Western Automotive Conference, which is set to coincide with the Los Angeles Auto Show at the Biltmore Hotel on Nov. 27.

Commenting on the news, Forrest McConnell, chairman of NADA’s Industry Affairs Committee and president of McConnell Honda in Montgomery, Ala., said, "Southern California is home to several international auto manufacturers, and NADA represents thousands of new-car dealerships on the West Coast, so it makes a lot of sense to have our industry event in their backyard.”

The half-day conference, hosted by the Los Angeles Auto Show in association with the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, will include keynote remarks and presentations from top-level executives on the state of the industry and U.S. economy; panel discussions with automakers, innovative new-car dealers and allied professionals; and a networking lunch and reception, officials shared.

"Conference attendees will gain valuable insight into the new developments in global auto manufacturing and U.S. retailing and hear from industry experts," McConnell said.

"Many dealers are what I call ‘students of our business.’ This event will provide dealers with timely information to stay on top of future trends and gain a competitive advantage. Media attendees and manufacturers will have an opportunity as well to learn more about the dealership side of the auto industry," he added.

And one dealer shared his enthusiasm for the new event, noting an automotive industry conference on the West Coast is “long overdue.”

"Dealers, as well as industry executives, should attend this conference to see what is happening in California. It’s one of the largest and most vibrant markets in the world," said John Symes, president of the Symes Automotive Group in Pasadena, Calif., and a member of the GLANCDA. Symes also represents Southern California on NADA’s board of directors.

And this isn’t the first the two have teamed up for an industry event; NADA and J.D. Power recently held the International Automotive Roundtable this past February.

Commenting on the success of this past event, as well as his enthusiasm for the new conference, John Humphrey, J.D. Power’s senior vice president of global automotive, said, "We are very pleased to be teaming with NADA once again, following the overwhelming success of our International Automotive Roundtable in February.

"Combining our unique set of consumer insights, retail transaction data and forecasting information, J.D. Power will be able to provide attendees with an unparalleled view of the California market,” he added.