Changing of the Guard

Ray Datt may be planning an exit from his position as president of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, but don’t write him off just yet.

“It was originally my intention to come to Ottawa for five years. I saw this as a great opportunity to continue in the industry, but at the same time expand my own understanding of the industry.” Now, more than eight years later, his view hasn’t changed. He says it was a win-win situation when he first considered the position–he took over from Dean Wilson–but he never wanted to make the association world his final career. He had come from the aftermarket, having held various positions including president and CEO of Wells Manufacturing, and brought that perspective to the association.

When he joined the association as its president in 1998 the aftermarket, and by extension the association, were entering a transitional time. He knew that challenges awaited him at the association.

“The industry was changing and the association had to change.” There were, he admits, more challenges than he had anticipated–nothing short of a complete rethinking of the association’s activities, as it turned out–but it was a challenge he still sees as one of his best experiences with the association.

“Clearly the opportunity to reshape the mission and the mandate and to put more focus on the mandate was a highlight,” he says. “The association was working with a business plan that was out of step with the way the industry was going.”

He says that being able to work together with the industry to create a new business plan that did not duplicate industry efforts and provided more value to members–paring back training, eliminating the association’s trade show, significant changes to the convention–were a few examples of changes implemented under his watch.

“There was a need to rethink what we did. I feel really good about what we did with the membership levels, and satisfaction ratings are very good. Members feel they are getting good value, and we are still not afraid to step out of the box on occasion.” He emphasizes his departure signals neither a change in direction or that change is in any way complete. “We haven’t arrived; we are still on the journey. If anything, I have been flattered in that people in the industry have stepped up to make all these things happen.

This has been a great example of industry coming together and perpetuating change. I am just glad I was a part of that.”

So, while the association will be conducting a search for a candidate to take over–canvassing both within and outside the association–Datt will be considering what he will do with himself when he winds down his activities with the association.

He adds that even though he will be departing from full-time duties at the end of the year, he plans to offer his services part-time through 2008.

Many might be surprised to learn that Datt travels three weeks of every month, in Canada and internationally, working with members and other associations. He has enjoyed his work, but admits it can be wearing at times.

“Frankly, it is time to slow down a little bit, and it is time to get some fresh energy into the association and to take it to a new level. That’s not all bad either.

“This has been probably one of the busiest years ever. There is still a lot of change coming and a lot of it is good stuff. I do want to catch my breath, but I don’t plan to retire.”

Datt says that he has great faith in the industry’s ability to find solutions to the problems facing it, but concludes with a challenge of sorts.

The wireless telecom industry, he says, is mired in a critical, very public debate over who controls the market. The issue has hit the headlines in a way that another consumer issue, Right to Repair, has not.

What Datt notes is that, at $13 billion a year, the wireless market is smaller than the automotive aftermarket, by several billion dollars.

“That puts it into perspective with all this public debate. And here we are, bigger than that, and we’re not on the front page of the business section. I am a little surprised we’re not there when we talk about Right to Repair. Is it really any different?”

That, he adds, is something everyone should work to change.