VIA’s new look to end losses

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association (VIA) is promising no losses this financial year after seeing a number of members increase how much they will contribute annually to the organisation.

A new structure for the organisation – with a council and board of directors replacing the national executive and two branch chairmen – has swung into action following its annual general meeting in Auckland on July 21.

Members of VIA were allocated a spot in one of five different tiers, with tier-one members paying $26,000 a year and guaranteed a seat on the council. Tier two costs $13,000 a year and a one-in-two chance of being on the council, down to tier five membership, which costs about $1,500-$1,600 a year and offers a one-in-eight opportunity to be part of the council.

Some members decided to upgrade from the tier they had initially been allocated by VIA ahead of the AGM at Eden Park. Ten members have chosen the top tier, which will further boost VIA’s coffers.

Chief executive David Vinsen, pictured, says being able to deliver a budget that forecasts zero losses after three years of being in deficit was one of the highlights of the meeting.

“We were able to present a balanced budget with the possibility of a slight profit for this financial year,” he told Autofile Online. “We are into the new financial year but growing our reserves already, so I’m confident we will be able to bring in at worst a nil-loss result for the current fiscal year.

“We still had a loss in the past year but it was significantly down on previous years. New subscriptions will be kicking in and our cost reductions, as a result of closing the office and other cost-saving measures, mean we will have a zero loss and hopefully money in the till.

“With the restructure and people being appointed to council, it shows members are interested and some members have nominated themselves for higher tiers so they can guarantee a seat on the council. They clearly see merit in this new way of operating and as a result we have got increased revenue.”

Vinsen describes the make-up of the council as a “nice mix”, with a good geographic spread and a representation from across different sectors of the industry.

“We have dealers with big businesses and small businesses, exporters from Japan, shipping lines, inspection companies here and overseas, auction companies, insurance companies, importers – the whole supply chain and every sector is represented under our new structure.” 

The new council has 16 members and was chosen ahead of the AGM, with voting only necessary to choose the tier-three representatives. A board of up to five directors will now be selected from the council within the coming days.

“The council has been appointed and from that a small board of between three and five people will be elected and they will choose a chairman,” Vinsen told Autofile Online on July 22. “By the end of the week I imagine I shall know who the board members and the chairman of that board are, and who it is I will be reporting to.

“The council will be responsible for the direction and strategy of the organisation, particularly around industry issues, while the board will be responsible for governance and holding me to account. The new structure has been bedded in and very well-accepted and strongly endorsed by the people at the meeting.”

Vinsen says other notable business at the AGM, which was attended by some people in person while others joined by video link, was the endorsement of the new structure and the appointment of Alistair Sheard, pictured below, as VIA’s new patron.

“Alistair, our retiring secretary, has been around 32 years since the formation of the association,” Vinsen adds. “He’s a chartered accountant from Christchurch with wide experience in a whole variety of motor-industry organisations.

“He has retired from his role with us and been appointed patron. The patron position was vacant after John Nicholls’ death last year. We think Alistair’s appointment and acceptance is very appropriate considering his length of involvement, depth of knowledge and overall contribution throughout the years.”