Important Dates

First Look for Charity
Friday, February 07, 2020

Since its inception in 1992, the Chicago Auto Show's benevolent event has raised nearly $50 million for numerous Chicago area charities and the causes...

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History of the CATA

Founded in 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association is on of the nation's oldest and largest metropolitan new-car dealer associations. Today, it lists 400+ new-car dealers as members.

Mission of the CATA

For more than a century, the CATA has stood for high principles of business. Its basic tenets remain as steadfast today as they were a hundred years ago: Promoting honesty and dependability in business operations; Employing truth and accuracy in dealer advertising; Standing by guarantees; Improving business methods and ethics and keeping competition fair so that dealers and the public are well-served; and Refraining from practices detrimental to the industry or contrary to the public interest. Currently, CATA dealerships employ more than 20,000 people in Chicagoland. Over the past century, these locally based small businesses have provided good paying jobs for their employees, who, in turn, contribute to their communities. The CATA’s commitment to excellence in automotive retailing remains its core value and will remain so through the next century.

Chicago Auto Show

First staged in 1901, the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition in the world. 2020 will mark the 112th edition of the show.

Since 1935, the CATA has had the honor of presenting the Chicago show. Over the years it has grown with the city moving from the Coliseum to the International Amphitheatre to the original McCormick Place and then to the current McCormick Place. Today, the show occupies two exhibition halls with more than 1 million square feet of exhibition space.

The CATA’s generosity and commitment to the community is shown not only at the Chicago Auto Show’s "First Look for Charity" where last year more than $2.6 million was raised in one night for local beneficiaries, but throughout the year in countless episodes of humanitarianism and community involvement.

Latest News

November 01, 2019
D'Arcy nominated for prestigious Time Dealer of the Year award
Terry D'Arcy, 63, is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country competing for the 2020 Time Dealer of the Year award.

November 01, 2019
IADA nominates Roesch for Time magazine award
The nominee is president of Larry Roesch Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-Ram in Elmhurst and Roesch Ford in Bensenville.

November 01, 2019
New OT rules, effective Jan. 1, add to slate of new employment laws
The new overtime rule increases the salary level for the white-collar exemptions to $684 a week ($35,568 annually), up from $455 a week ($23,660).

November 01, 2019
BBB seeing loyalty, conquest rebates included in advertised lease payments
The ads might be prepared by manufacturers or other third-party website developers. Such advertising may be acceptable in other states, but it is not...

November 01, 2019
DSi Recycling named CATA recommended service provider
DSi Recycling Systems, Inc., is a full service Clean Burn furnace and boiler distributor.

November 01, 2019
Dealer associations amp up efforts to recruit young technicians
"The tech shortage is a serious issue, not only for dealers but for OEMs," said Charlie Gilchrist, a Texas dealer and the 2019 NADA chairman. "Older...

November 01, 2019
Let's make USMCA happen
The U.S. auto industry is reliant on a favorable trading relationship with our two biggest trading partners: Canada and Mexico.

November 01, 2019
In Memoriam: Eugene D. "Gene" Heller
The founder in 1957 of Heller Ford in El Paso, Illinois.

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Important Dates

History of the CATA

Mission of the CATA

Chicago Auto Show

Latest News

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