For Immediate Release: February 7, 2006

McLean, VA - A new study released today by Auto Retailing Today (ART) reports that the nation's auto dealers hired an estimated total of 15,647 military veterans in the past 24 months. The study also found there are still approximately more than 100,000 auto dealership vacant positions available.

In January 2004, ART joined with the U.S. military to promote dealership careers for recent military veterans, as military experience often provides the technical and management skills that can be translated into successful careers at auto dealerships. The initiative, known as Hire the Heroes, provides links between thousands of auto dealers and military outplacement agencies that list job vacancies designed to attract transitioning veterans.

"The pool of recent military veterans includes technologically savvy, motivated workers whose skills and military training and certifications are easily adaptable to a variety of dealership positions," said Alan Starling, chairman of Auto Retailing Today.

Many military veterans already have the training that is needed to fill the openings in the estimated 42,000 sales positions, 37,000 service positions, 7,000 administrative/clerical openings and 6,900 management positions.

"We are pleased to learn about the success of and continued efforts by the automotive retailing industry to hire veterans, which is also the goal of our own Hire Vets First campaign" said Charles S. Ciccolella, assistant secretary of labor for Veterans' Employment and Training. "Veterans of America's armed forces have the skills, training and character to meet the toughest challenges and it is important that employers are aware of that."

The study, conducted by Harris Interactive®, January 5 - 13, 2006, surveyed 657 franchised new car dealers in the U.S. about the estimated number of employees needed in their dealerships.¹ It found that one-third of new car dealerships reported hiring a military veteran.

In addition, the study found that an estimated 104,803 vacant positions, ranging from administrative and management to service and sales, may be awaiting high-quality candidates at new car dealerships in the U.S.

Pay and demand for these auto retailing positions are high, which translates into tremendous job security, opportunities for mobility and great benefits. Veterans with experience in management, technical skills or problem solving may find themselves on the fast-track to an automotive career with great potential for advancement.

In an effort to attract returning military veterans and others to these rewarding, high-paying automotive-related jobs, ART launched a new website that details these diverse positions. The website www.autocareerstoday.org serves as the online clearinghouse for the auto industry's career information program, including typical salaries and available training and an understanding of the variety of positions and career paths and their applicable skills.

Many recent veterans are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits and the Veterans Administration also includes "On the Job Training" benefits in the GI Bill.

Military veterans who have retired since 1995 are eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits. This includes reimbursement for licensing and the cost of taking Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification tests, as well as for technical training. Also, veterans with experience in vehicle maintenance and repair may be eligible for credit towards the hands-on work requirement for technician certification.

¹ Harris Interactive conducted an online survey from January 5-13, 2006 among 657 authorized representatives of new car dealerships in the U.S. The National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents the approximately 20,000 car and truck dealerships, provided the sample. Data were weighted based on the number of new units sold and for region, according to NADA targets for those. In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95% certainty that the sampling error is ±3.8 percentage points.

About ART
ART, a coalition of all major automobile manufacturers and dealer organizations, works to promote a better understanding of the retail side of the automotive industry and to build stronger customer relationships through shared research and development programs. ART attempts to dispel outdated perceptions of franchise auto dealerships and automotive careers. For more information, visit www.autoretailing.org or www.autocareerstoday.org

About Hire Vets
The Hire Vets First campaign's objective is to raise awareness of the training and skills that veterans possess at all ranks and occupational specialties and of the ways to hire them. The President's National Hire Veterans Committee on Oct. 21, 2004 launched the national Hire Vets First campaign, including a comprehensive website that enables employers to find veteran job-seekers. The new website, www.HireVetsFirst.gov, includes a guide for employers, a translator that provides the civilian application of military skills, and links to jobsites with veteran resumes.

About Harris Interactive®
Harris Interactive Inc. (www.harrisinteractive.com), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll® and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France, and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies.