Chicago Automobile Trade Association

What Chicago Automobile Trade Association does

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA), founded in 1904 and headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, is a private regional trade association representing more than 400 franchised new-car dealers in the metropolitan Chicagoland area. It operates as a member-governed body providing bundled services to its dealer constituency: regulatory advocacy at state, county and local levels; legal and HR counsel through external advisors (Dennis O'Keefe for general legal, SESCO for employee relations); training opportunities; compliance resources including FTC price-advertising guidance and a CATA/BBB advertising review program established in 1996; and preferred-vendor programs with approved partners (Vitu, ACV Auctions, Financial Renaissance/Empower, Reynolds Document Services, KPA, Shartega Systems, Powering Chicago). Member dues provide recurring revenue, supplemented by event-related income.

CATA's core commercial products are three events and one wholly-owned digital platform. The Chicago Auto Show, produced by CATA since 1935 and now in its 118th edition, is the nation's longest-running auto exposition and drew 211,850 attendees and 102,000+ in-vehicle experiences at McCormick Place in 2026. Chicago Drives Electric, an annual EV education and test-drive event launched in 2022, scaled to 16 brands, 44 models, 855 drivers, and 4,546 test drives in 2025. First Look for Charity, an annual black-tie gala preceding the auto show, raised $2,029,471.22 in 2026 for 18 local charities and more than $67 million since its 1982 inception. DriveChicago.com, a wholly-owned inventory portal listing 100,000+ vehicles from member dealers and integrated with NHTSA recall lookup, functions as the association's consumer-facing digital asset. Underlying infrastructure runs on Wild Apricot membership software.

CATA monetizes through (a) recurring dealer membership dues, (b) transaction-based event revenue including $20 adult show tickets and $325 First Look for Charity gala seats, (c) corporate sponsorships (Cars.com, ComEd, Mattress Firm, Renewal by Andersen, U.S. Army, Britax, Sim Drive, and Drive Chicago Radio at WLS-AM 890), and (d) affiliate/referral economics from approved-partner agreements. The association operates with 11–50 employees, while member dealerships collectively employ more than 20,000 people across Chicagoland. Recent strategic emphasis is on EV education, geographic extension of the DriveChicago.com model via DriveNEO.com in Northeast Ohio, and digital refresh of consumer-facing properties.

Name

Chicago Automobile Trade Association

Legal name

Chicago Automobile Trade Association

Website

https://cata.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association is a 1904-founded private regional trade association representing 400+ franchised new-car dealers in Chicagoland, providing advocacy, legal/HR compliance, training, and approved-vendor programs, and producing the Chicago Auto Show, Chicago Drives Electric, and the DriveChicago.com vehicle portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Trade Association

NAICS

New Car Dealers (44111)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Event Sponsorship Sales & Partnership Brokerage (THAHAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Events & Meetings (MICE) Agencies (MPAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Automobile dealer association
• Franchised dealer services
• Automotive trade events
• Dealer membership programs
• Automotive retail advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Oak Brook

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CATA represents over 400 franchised new-car dealers who pay membership dues. Membership provides advocacy, legal assistance, training, and access to member benefits and preferred partner programs.
2. Chicago Auto Show Revenue: The 118th edition of the Chicago Auto Show attracted 211,850 attendees. Revenue generated from ticket sales ($20 adult tickets), sponsorships, and First Look for Charity gala tickets ($325 each). The 2026 show raised over $2 million through First Look for Charity.
3. Approved Partner Programs: CATA has Approved Member Partners including Vitu, ACV Auctions, Financial Renaissance, and others. These partners provide benefits to member dealers with remuneration flowing back to CATA through preferred partner agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is a member-based trade association serving over 400 franchised new-car dealers in the Chicagoland metropolitan area. It provides dealer advocacy at state, county and local levels, legal and HR guidance, compliance resources, training, preferred partner programs, and operates the DriveChicago.com vehicle listing platform. CATA also produces the Chicago Auto Show (the nation's longest-running auto exposition) and other consumer-facing events such as Chicago Drives Electric.

Product overview

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association operates a membership-based organization supporting over 400 franchised new-car dealers in Chicagoland. Its core offerings include DriveChicago.com, a vehicle shopping portal connecting buyers with dealer inventory; the annual Chicago Auto Show (the nation's longest-running auto exposition since 1901); and Chicago Drives Electric, an EV education and test drive event. The association also provides member services including the Drive for Excellence Awards, Chicagoland Dealers Care charitable program, legal and HR guidance, FTC compliance resources, and CATA/BBB advertising review. Built on Wild Apricot membership software, the organization facilitates dealer networking, advocacy, and community engagement across the metropolitan area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Chicago Auto Show: The nation's longest-running auto exposition, produced by CATA since 1935, held annually at McCormick Place
• Chicago Drives Electric
• First Look for Charity
• Chicagoland Dealers Care
• Drive for Excellence Awards

Products and services

• CATA Membership
• DriveChicago.com
• Chicago Auto Show
• Chicago Drives Electric
• First Look for Charity
• Drive for Excellence Awards
• Chicagoland Dealers Care Program
• CATA/BBB Advertising Review Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Post-show survey found 35% of 2025 Chicago Auto Show attendees reported purchasing or leasing a vehicle in the months following the show, with 84% indicating the show was influential on their purchase decision.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cars.comcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 February 2026Cars.com serves as a premier partner for the 2026 Chicago Auto Show. The platform showcases various activations including Cars.com's Best of Vehicles awards and provides tools for attendees navigating EV options and vehicle trade-ins.
• ComEdcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 February 2026ComEd serves as a premier partner and presenting sponsor for Chicago Drives Electric. ComEd provides EV test track experiences and information on EV charging, home installation, rebates and incentives. Also sponsors the Chicago Drives Electric track at the auto show.
• ComEdcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Chicago Drives Electric event. Experts from ComEd were onsite to provide information on EV charging, home installation, rebates and incentives. Announced new Point of Purchase EV rebate program in partnership with local auto dealers.
• Versiti Blood Center of IllinoiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Dennis Buckley Memorial Blood Drive partnership during the Chicago Auto Show. The drive collected 1,441 units of blood in 2026, the second-highest total in show history, helping provide lifesaving support to as many as 4,323 patients.
• United Service Organizations (USO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSO partnership for First Responders and Military Appreciation Day at the Chicago Auto Show. Complimentary admission offered to police officers, EMTs, firefighters, and active or veteran U.S. military members.
• VitucoreTechnology or IntegrationCATA Endorsed ERT (Electronic Registration and Title) Partner providing innovative Electronic Registration and Title platform throughout Chicagoland and across Illinois. Best-in-class solution for in-state and out-of-state titling and registration.
• Reynolds Document ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred Partner since 1866 providing document services and supplies to automotive retailers. Provider of the trusted LAW 553 Retail Installment Contract and state-specific F&I document libraries.
• Sim DriveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor showcasing racing simulators in the Family Zone at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show.
• Drive ChicagominorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor and media partner. Drive Chicago Radio airs Saturdays 8-9AM on WLS-AM 890.
• U.S. ArmyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor with interactive exhibit at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show.
• Mattress FirmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStar sponsor of the 2026 Chicago Auto Show.
• Renewal by AndersenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor of the 2026 Chicago Auto Show.
• BritaxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor with car seat demonstrations in the Family Zone at the 2026 Chicago Auto Show.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Cars.com: Premier partner of the 2026 Chicago Auto Show. Operates a national new/used car listing marketplace that overlaps with DriveChicago.com's dealer-inventory aggregation concept — adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a membership-association competitor.
• ACV Auctions: Approved CATA partner providing digital wholesale auction and data services to dealers. An enabling technology vendor in the dealer ecosystem that complements rather than competes with the association.

Broad incumbents

• National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA): The national trade association for franchised new-car and truck dealers. Operates as a national-level counterpart to CATA, providing similar advocacy, training, and F&I/reinsurance programs (including the CATA Retirement Program with Empower,) to dealers nationwide.

Direct peers

• Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP): Regional dealer association producing the Philadelphia Auto Show. Closely comparable trade-association + show-production model for a major US metro dealer base.
• Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA): Regional dealer trade association covering the NYC metro, runs the New York International Auto Show — the largest US consumer auto show and a direct event-format peer to the Chicago Auto Show. Same membership, advocacy, and show-production model.
• Houston Automobile Dealers Association (HADA): Regional metro dealer association producing the Houston Auto Show. Operates the same dealer-representation + consumer-show production model across a different regional market.
• Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA): Regional metro dealer association producing the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at a similar scale and format to CATA's Chicago Auto Show. Same charter (represent metro franchised dealers; produce flagship consumer show).
• Texas Automobile Dealers Association (TADA): Statewide Texas dealer association providing advocacy, legal, training, and event programming for franchised new-car dealers — a larger geographic analog with the same core trade-association value proposition as CATA.
• Greater Cleveland Automobile Dealers' Association (GCADA): Regional dealer association in Northeast Ohio that co-built the DriveNEO.com portal with CATA's technology partner (per integration record). Operates the Cleveland Auto Show and performs the same membership, advocacy, and event functions for ~300 dealers.
• South Florida Automobile Dealers Association (SFADA): Regional dealer association serving South Florida dealers and producing the Miami International Auto Show — same combination of advocacy, membership services, and large consumer auto show as CATA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-automobile-trade-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Automobile Trade Association