Pub. 63 2022-2023 Issue 2

The nomination of Don A. Buckalew Jr., dealer at Buckalew Chevrolet in Conroe, Texas, for the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year award was announced by TIME on Oct. 18, 2022.

United States Representative Roger Williams was selected to serve as Chairman of the House Small Business Committee for the 118th Congress, which convened in early January 2023. Williams, the owner of Williams Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Weatherford, was first elected to serve in Congress in 2012 to serve the 25th congressional district. This will be his first opportunity to chair a House Committee. The committee, first established as a Select Committee in 1941, has grown in stature over time, gaining standing committee status in 1975 and granted legislative jurisdiction and oversight functions. As one of few business owners in Congress, he intends to focus the committee’s attention on issues ranging from government deregulation, fiscal conservatism, and helping small business owners who are struggling.

TADA has a history of excellent and insightful leadership through its 117 years’ history of protecting the rights and interests of its dealer members. The role of Chair, in particular, is one that requires clear vision and a passion for the automobile industry, along with integrity, people skills, and the ability to have the right conversations at the right time, among many other attributes.

At the time of writing this, my countdown clock reads 22 hours until the start of the 88th Texas Legislature. There is always an air of anticipation leading up to a session and what issues the legislature will focus on during their 140-day session. There have already been 1,600 House and Senate bills filed and there will likely be around 7,500 pieces of legislation filed before the session’s end which is May 29, better known around the Texas Capitol as “Sine Die”.