McLEAN, Va. -

If you have an idea for a car or truck industry discussion topic, the National Automobile Dealers Association is taking proposals for workshops for the 2015 NADA-ATD Convention now through May 2.

The deadline to submit is 5 p.m. EST on May 2.

NADA is expecting thousands of dealers and their employees to attend in addition to other auto industry professionals.

“Each workshop should be new content not previously presented to auto and truck dealers on a timely topic of broad interest to the automotive industry.  The presentations should generate lively discussions and exchanges among attendees,” the association said in a release.

The boards of directors for NADA and the American Truck Dealers will choose speakers, and those chosen speakers will present their workshops as many as three times during the convention, which is scheduled for Jan. 22 through Jan. 25 in San Francisco.

The workshops will be grouped into four tracks covering various aspects of a dealership’s business, including:  Dealer/Executive, Internet and Marketing, Human Resources, Legal and Regulatory, Sales, Business Office/F&I, Parts, and Service and Body Shop.

Organizers are asking that each proposal include the following: title, synopsis, learning objectives, presentation format and 60-second video clip covering the workshop’s main focus. 

The NADA and ATD board workshop selection panels are scheduled to meet in June. If you submit a proposal, officials say you be advised of the proposal’s status by July 18 at the latest          

Instructions for submitting a proposal (including a video clip) can be found at www.nadaconvention.org.

“There’s no other opportunity like this in our industry to share creative growth strategies and solutions with such a large group of auto retail professionals who are all looking for a competitive edge,” said Wesley Lutz, chairman of NADA’s Dealership Operations Committee and a new-car dealer in Jackson, Mich.