SAA's Mission

In these challenging times, the automotive industry needs a respected, trusted and reliable source for information.  It is the mission of the Society of Automotive Analysts to be what the industry needs – the Automotive Thought Leaders.  It is SAA's vision to be recognized as the platform that provides automotive thought leadership.  The SAA aims to provide outstanding networking opportunities, timely and useful data and a forum for the discussion and dissemination of ideas, concepts and solutions.

SAA members include every automotive industry professional interested in timely and useful auto industry data, discussion and dissemination of ideas, concepts and solutions.

Annual SAA Outlook Conference Featured BMW's Willisch, CNBC's LeBeau, NHTSA's Strickland, GM Economist and Others

Nearly 300 people attended SAA's largest annual meeting, which took place on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012, at Cobo Center in Detroit.  The event was again be held on the eve before the opening of NAIAS press days.

The agenda featured an industry outlook from leading analysts and presentations from influential industry members. Featured speakers included: Phil LeBeau, CNBC business and auto reporter (pictured left), NHTSA Administrator David Strickland and Ludwig Willisch, the new president and CEO of BMW North America.

In addition to great networking and hearing from insightful speakers, the attendees received an NAIAS analyst pass. The finalists for the North American Car and Truck of the Year were also on display for attendees to view.  To view presentations and photos from the event, click here.

SAA's First West Coast Event a Success -- Technology Outlook Conference Examined Connecting Product Planning and Technology with the Future Consumer

How is the automotive industry connecting future technologies with tomorrow’s consumer?  How do OEMs anticipate these consumer desires? What is the automotive industry learning from other industries?  These questions and more were examined at the SAA Technology Outlook Conference on Nov. 15, 2011. 

The SAA’s first-ever West Coast event took place the day before the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show. 

In addition to hearing from experts on this topic and networking over lunch, attendees received a press pass to the Auto Show. The event provided an outstanding opportunity to network with other West Coast automotive analysts and industry professionals. Presentations are now on-line in the Members-Only section. Click here to access that section. 

An Informative Doubleheader! The SAA Examines M&As and Price Fixing

The SAA provided updates on two critical and timely issues at its Networking Breakfast on Oct. 26, 2011 -- Mergers and Acquisitions and Price Fixing/Collusion. A panel of experts looked into the state of M&As and where they are headed. That was followed by a second panel that discussed the recent price fixing case and what suppliers need to know to protect themselves.

Click here for the presentations from the event.

Annual Strategic Summit Features VW Group’s Browning; Buick and Industry Analysis

Volkswagen is making a big push in North America, and Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, presented the automaker's plans for the region at the SAA’s annual Strategic Planning Summit, held Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011.

 Attendees also heard about the resurgence of the Buick brand from Tony DiSalle, U.S. vice president, Buick and GMC Marketing, General Motors. The Summit was again be hosted by Lear at its corporate headquarters in Southfield, Mich.

Go to the Members Only section for presentations from the Summit.

YPN Meets and Discovers the Top 10 Mistakes You May Be Making in Your 401k Plan

The SAA's Young Professionals Network (YPN) met on Oct. 13, 2011, for valuable networking and to learn about wiser investment decisions. Mark Rodgers, financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, provided brief and informal comments on several issues including: an auto sector financial update and the changing landscape in the auto sector on pensions, profit sharing and matching employer contributions.  Mark also let attendees in on the top 10 mistakes you may be making in your 401K plan. 

Members Receive Rare Access to the Toyota Technical Center

SAA members received a rare opportunity to tour the Toyota Technical Center (TTC) in Saline, Mich.  Attendees to the June 22 Networking Breakfast also heard from Toyota executives who provided an update from the automaker, a sneak peak at emerging technologies and background on the TTTC, which has historically been closed for tours.  For more than 25 years, the TTC has been the driving force behind Toyota's North American Engineering and Research and Development activities, overseeing the design and development of vehicles -- and is widely regarded as Toyota's leading technical center outside Japan.

New SAA Member Benefit: Global Automotive Digest Discount

The Global Automotive Digest (GADWeekly.com) provides a weekly abstract of the global light vehicle automotive industry environment. The publication is in reality, a 21^st century clipping service for news regarding: Currencies, energy, economic news and key market data, automotive OEMs and suppliers, automotive technologies and materials and commodities (steel, aluminum, copper, etc.) with related technologies, pricing and industry news. For more information, go to the Members Only section.

New Members-Only Benefit: Access to the AutoBeat Group Publications

SAA is proud to offer its members access to the AutoBeat Group publications (a $300 value).  Members can now access AutoBeat Daily, AutoTech Daily, AutoBeat Asia and AutoBeat Europe. Get instructions on how to access these publications by clicking here.

SAA Career Center

Looking to fill a position? Or are you looking for a job? The SAA's new Career Center may be able to help. This new members-only service can be found in the members-only section by clicking here.

Featured Article

What’s in Your Garage? Driving Owner Loyalty and Customer Conquests -- The Challenge: Maximizing the ROI of Owner Loyalty and Customer Acquisition Strategies.  A new Polk white paper reviews this topic in the SAA Featured Article section.  Read more by clicking here.

Hot Topic

SAA members provide their thoughts on the hot topics facing the industry.

Analyst Itay Michaeli provides his key takeaways from SAA Summit Conference   Click here to read more

Young Professionals Network Launched

The Young Professionals Network (YPN) provides networking opportunities and facilitates the exchange of ideas, insights and opinions among the next generation of automotive industry thought leaders. The YPN consists of career-minded automotive industry professionals who want to stay abreast of the latest trends while at the same time expanding their network of contacts.

For more information on the YPN, click here.

Key SAA Indicators

The latest data, insight, forecasting information and much more can be found under the Key SAA Indicators. This section serves as a portal for valuable information from a variety of well-respected sources and industry analysts. 

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