It’s Christmas in February for car lovers in Toronto
Largest consumer show in the country offers the best the auto industry has to offer
My name is Bob Verwey, and I’m the president of the 2016 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.
It’s a huge honour for me to preside over the planning and production of the auto show, Canada’s largest consumer show in size and attendance.
I often refer to the auto show as Christmas in February — a 10-day extravaganza where manufacturers, partners, sponsors and consumers get to rub shoulders and experience the best that the automobile industry has to offer.
My main involvement began a few years ago when I started accompanying the auto show executive team to major auto shows in other cities, looking for ideas that could be incorporated into Toronto’s show.
We visited automotive and technology shows in Frankfurt, Paris, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, and we borrowed ideas that we saw in our travels. Each Auto-Show board member is involved in a collaborative process, contributing work experiences and entrepreneurial skills to find opportunities and solutions.
In order to produce an auto show of the highest calibre, it’s imperative that we find inspiration and draw fresh ideas. As our auto show general manager Jason Campbell says, “We need to put the show in the show.”
Putting the “show in the show” means introducing exciting new features, exhibits, attractions and surprises. That theme of reinvention is alive this year with the Cars & Stars exhibit; the celebration of the 100th running of the Indy 500; an exploration of autonomous driving technology and other future tech trends; and many other new features.
Serving as president of the auto show has heightened my apprecia- tion for the two main goals of the show: to serve manufacturers who showcase their products, and to serve consumers who buy tickets. Auto manufacturers invest heavily to showcase the latest cars and concepts and this show allows them to gauge public reaction to their products.
On the consumer side, the show needs to be informative and entertaining for everyone: from toddlers and teens to families and seniors. Everyone who attends the show expects to be wowed, and it’s our job to provide maximum ‘wow’ factor.
At the 2016 auto show, the wow factor will be apparent throughout the North and South buildings of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Whether it’s watching a live bike build by Kreater owner and reality-TV star George Tchor; test driving the Audi A3 e-tron plug-in hybridelectric vehicle; playing the ultimate car fantasy on Forza Motorsport 6; or participating in the Subaru Scavenger Hunt, attendees will be thrilled and delighted.
The past year has also given me a greater appreciation of the entire auto show team, a group of men and women who are dedicated to producing a truly world-class consumer show. As soon as the last carpet is rolled up, work begins for the next year. Their work never stops. So if there is a single contribution that a president makes to the auto show, it’s to provide leadership and support for the auto show team in its quest to continually dream, experiment, innovate, and explore new avenues. The great Lee Iacocca once said, “People working together can move mountains,” and in the case of the 2016 auto show, that’s certainly true.
Enjoy the show and prepare to be wowed!