Categories Timeline Stories

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.

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