About

We Had An Idea. Then it Grew and Grew.

Ours is a story with no end. New chapters are written each year as we bring you the best in print, online and in person.

  • 1981-1990

    First as an employee and then under contract, Ron Smith launches Used Car Dealer, a monthly magazine owned by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. UCD focuses on the business dealings of NIADA members. Ron handles UCD until NIADA takes it in house.

  • 1982

    Ron, who has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, opens his own public relations agency, Smith & Associates. The agency, now S&A Communications, remains vital today as the longest continuously operating PR firm in North Carolina.

  • 1991

    Ron establishes Cherokee Publishing Company (later Cherokee Media Group) to publish his own bi-monthly magazine, Used Car Merchandising, about the used car operations of franchise dealers. UCM is the first national, non-association publication in the industry.

  • 1993

    Used Car Merchandising becomes Auto Remarketing, a title that is more industry focused to cover fully the retail and wholesale used car industry. The publication moves from bi-monthly to monthly.

  • 1996

    Bill Zadeits joins the company as an advertising sales account executive. He is now President and Group Publisher of Cherokee Media Group and an owner/principle of the company.

  • 1998

    The company launches its first website, AutoRemarketing.com.

  • 1999

    Auto Remarketing Today is launched as the industry’s first B2B e-newsletter focused on the used car market. The first remarketing industry event takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona, establishing CMG’s events business.

  • 2002

    Following the 9/11 attacks, many industry events are cancelled.  CMG produces an industry event in February in Las Vegas-The National Remarketing Conference.

  • 2003

    Amanda Dunlap joins the company as an advertising account executive.  Amanda is now our Senior Vice President of Marketing & Events. Chuck Norman also joins the company as an account executive in the marketing communications division.  They are both now owners/principles of the company.

    Cherokee Media Group launches Cary Magazine, a city/regional magazine that expands the company’s reach outside of the auto remarketing industry.

  • 2004

    Cherokee Media Group expands to host the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference in Toronto.

  • 2008 – 2009

    Recognizing that the used car industry also involves other industries, the company launches SubPrime Auto Finance News and Buy-Here-Pay-Here Report.

  • 2014

    With the growth of the automotive events business, a number of B2B events are teamed up with the National Remarketing Conference to form Used Car Week.

  • 2017

    Ron retires from day-to-day activities and remains on the management and equity team until his full retirement in 2021.

  • 2019

    CMG expands the city and regional media group with the addition of Main & Broad and LookWest.

  • 2021

    NAVICON- The National Auto Venture + Investors Conference is added to the stable of events as part of Used Car Week

  • 2022

    In a move to expand its media brands, the company acquires city and regional title Wake Living. The Canadian events Auto Remarketing Canada and Women & Automotive are combined to form Canada’s Used Car Week.