A group of remarketers have formed the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA), a group whose members include organizations that own vehicles and who work to gain the highest resale value possible by remarketing them. Full members include vehicle manufacturers, captive finance arms, banks, leasing companies, commercial fleets, and daily rental companies. Associate membership will be open to any vendor group that full members use in their remarketing activities, such as remarketing service organizations, auctions, automotive tranporters, repair vendors, and Internet suppliers. Dave Langley, who is manager of vehicle remarketing for Honda, long felt that remarketers could benefit from working as a common group. “When you consider the impact our collective effort has on the used-car industry, I think it’s important that we develop our own forum to exchange knowledge, ideas, and support,” Langley said. The objectives of the Alliance are: -- To create a forum where remarketers manage their agenda of important industry topics. -- To provide a mechanism for the sharing of ideas, knowledge, and best practices. -- To facilitate standardization of process within the industry. -- To develop a remarketing code of conduct. -- To develop education/training programs for remarketing professionals. -- To share information on legislative and regulatory issues impacting the remarketing industry. -- To provide a lobbying body to address legislative issues. -- To identify and support philanthropic activities important to the membership. -- To serve as a central point to house industry information and statistics. -- To provide a medium through which joint initiatives among Alliance members may be facilitated. “We are faced with a marketplace loaded with risks, and assets that we must liquidate at the maximum return we can garner,” Langley said. “We have a vested interest in the efficiency and effectiveness of methods we employ, support services we use and the quality of information available to assist us in our endeavor. Our ability to effect change in these areas is greatly magnified if we present a common voice. This is really what the Alliance is all about.” For information, call IARA Managing Director David Gesualdo at (310) 533-2472 or e-mail www.iara.com.