OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -

This week marks the launch of two new Dealer 20 Groups, part of a 10-group addition for franchised auto dealers announced Monday by NCM Associates.

Launching Thursday and Friday is a Kia 20 Group, which will conduct its organizational meeting, moderated by Jeff Bethel, at NCM Associates’ headquarters here. Getting under way the same days is a Western Ford Dealer 20 Group, conducting its organizational meeting in Irvine, Calif., facilitated by Kevin Cunningham.

Bethel and Cunningham are NCM Executive Conference Moderators and serve in executive management positions at NCM Associates.

“NCM already has several Kia and Ford Dealer 20 Groups,” said Cunningham, who is also director of 20 Group operations for NCM. “But because our groups are comprised of non-competing dealerships, and due to the increased interest by these particular franchised dealers, we were compelled to add more groups.”

Bethel added, “Getting in on the ground floor of any NCM 20 Group is a real bonus. As charter members, the dealers attending these first meetings will shape the groups’ membership profile and by-laws, and will define the format, location and schedule of future meetings.”

New members will be voted into these groups once they’ve conducted their inaugural meetings, said Bethel, who also serves as NCM’s director of research and development.

In a key feature of the program, he said members may customize their group composite, the operational analysis tool used to compare and contrast member dealerships’ operating performance.

According to the company, other benefits for dealer participants include peer meetings to analyze composites, fine-tune processes and find new ways to maximize profits, along with monthly financial composites that allow them to compare performance against each other and industry benchmarks.

Paul Faletti Jr., president and chief executive officer of NCM Associates, stated, “NCM Associates is excited to be forming these new Dealer 20 Groups in response to industry demand; it’s yet another positive sign of the current robust growth in the auto industry.

“Our 20 Group clients know the value of group participation to their personal and leadership development. Today’s best performers are in a constant state of evaluation and review, even when metrically they appear massively successful. Gone are the days of periodic evaluation. With the tools, resources and access to information today, it’s now a fluid and daily exercise.”

The company said five other new Dealer 20 Groups will hold organizational meetings later this summer. They are Acura, Internet/BDC, Volkswagen, Chrysler, and FIAT.

Three new groups formed earlier this year: a Mega Dealer 20 Group; a Honda Dealer 20 Group and a general franchise General Sales Manager 20 Group.

For more information, visit www.ncm20.com.