CATA News

Mike Cook, 1997-98 CATA Chairman and 1999 Chicago Auto Show Chairman passed away this week.

"I talked to several past CATA directors this week who served with Mike and he was remembered fondly, said CATA President, Dave Sloan.  We spoke of his sense of humor and his love of life.  He so enjoyed serving his fellow dealers during his tenure on the CATA board."

Cook was dealer principal at Bill Cook Buick Mazda in Arlington Heights. He later owner a Ford dealership in Harvard, IL.  Funeral arrangements are pending.

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) presented the 2022 Spirit of Carol Cooling Scholarship to John Hersey High School graduating senior Grace Listopad. The CATA, Chicagoland’s new-car dealer association and producer of the Chicago Auto Show, established the Spirit of Carol Cooling Scholarship–a $1,000 grant–to honor Carol Cooling. Carol was Hersey alumna and long-time NBC 5 Chicago Special Events Director who died in 2013 following a battle with cancer.

The CATA worked closely alongside Cooling during the annual productions of NBC's Chicago Auto Show TV special and developed a lasting relationship that went beyond the production of the special. Cooling was the strong foundation to a successful partnership that led to multiple Emmy Award wins for the show. Although Cooling's official title at NBC was "Director of Special Events," she was most frequently referred to as the "heart and soul" of the station.

"This scholarship is very personal for us as we look for ways to keep Carol’s legacy and larger-than-life outlook alive and are honored to present this year’s scholarship to such an outstanding student," said Jen Morand, president of the CATA and general manager of the Chicago Auto Show.

"Every year, the Hersey business teachers select one standout senior that not only took all of our business classes but stood out amongst the rest of a very impressive Hersey student body. Grace Listopad would have stood out any year, but because of the last two years of COVID craziness, she really stood out," said Hersey business teacher, Daniel Vesper. "While many students used their remote learning on Zoom to shut their cameras and brains off, Grace was one of only a few students to have her camera on. It was so refreshing to see her face instead of a one inch by one inch ‘G’ icon. We also got to hear her voice because she was still answering our questions and asking her own. I never thought that would be something that made a student stand out, but COVID did help bring to light a person's true character, and Grace's character is unmatched."

Listopad will graduate from Hersey High School this month and attend Northern Michigan University this fall where she plans to study Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation which match two of her passions: business and making the world a better place.

Vesper added, "As impressed as I was with Grace as a business student and a district, regional, state and nationally recognized DECA Business Club competitor, it was her creation of the "Pack Up Homelessness" project that made me the proudest of her. Over the last two years, Grace has used her National Honor Society platform to help collect thousands of dollars’ worth of donated items for people who need more help than others. And that defines what Grace is about...others. Grace will do anything in her power to make someone's day better and our society, business community, and world need people like her leading us to the better world she will help create."

"Carol Cooling was the type of person I am working to be. She made a positive impact on many lives. My volunteerism throughout my life has made a positive impact and I will continue to make a positive impact, just like Carol," said Listopad. "I am honored to receive this scholarship. I cannot wait to expand my education even more at Northern Michigan University while carrying the spirit of Carol Cooling with me."

Hersey High School students will have the chance to apply for the Spirit of Carol Cooling Scholarship again next year.

On Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5, Brilliance Subaru of Elgin hosted a massive pet adoption event. More than 650 people attended and more than 150 animals were adopted.

The Road Home Mega Adoption Event was part of an ongoing partnership between Anderson Humane and Brilliance Subaru of Elgin, through which the dealership hosts the "Rescue Dog of the Day" two days each week. The event was also a local expression of Subaru Loves Pets, a national initiative dedicated to getting animals out of shelters and into loving homes.

"There’s no doubt these once-homeless animals and their new families will be changed forever," said Beth Foster, President and CEO of Anderson Humane. In fact, within the first hour, all the puppies in Anderson's first batch were spoken for. "In spite of iffy weather on Saturday, we managed to get over 130 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens into forever homes," said Beth. "By the end of the event on Sunday, 156 adoptions had taken place – a record weekend!"

The Brilliance Subaru team was also excited to see the event come to such successful fruition. "Personally watching the love and joy families experienced adopting a rescue animal was very emotional for all of us," said Kevin Keefe, owner of Brilliance Subaru of Elgin. "We cheered and celebrated every adoption. The Brilliance Subaru and Anderson Humane teams coming together for one sole purpose was magical."

• 9:30 a.m. – Registration (near outdoor Pavilion)
• 10-11 a.m. – Coffee & Networking Reception (Pavilion)
• 11 a.m. – Lunch and CATA Annual Meeting (Pavilion)
• 12:30 p.m. – Shotgun
• Post-Golf Happy Hour

• CATA Dealer Member Rate: $95 per person
• CATA Allied Member Rate: $125* per person (*unless the allied member hosts a CATA member dealer; they will then receive the $30 credit post-event)
• Lunch-only ticket: $40 per person

1. To register, please click here.
2. To make your payment, please mail a check for your total to the Chicago Automobile Trade Association at 18W200 Butterfield Road, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181 (attn: Roxanne Sammarco). Or, if paying via credit card, call Roxanne at 630-424-6060.

• Email rsammarco@drivechicago.com for ticket/payment issues and jobrill@drivechicago.com with sponsor-related inquiries.

Nomination Ballots for the CATA’s representative on the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Board of Directors are being mailed today. NADA members in the CATA’s district, which is limited to Lake, DuPage and Cook Counties, are eligible to vote. To qualify as a nominee, a member must receive at least 10 percent of the total votes cast in the nomination process. If more than one nominee is slated, the election for NADA director will take place in July. NADA Directors serve three-year terms with this one beginning in January 2023. The current CATA representative, Joe Massarelli owner of Libertyville Auto Plaza, is our current director and has chosen to run for another term.