WXYZ DETROIT — After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the North American International Detroit Auto Show made a triumphant return in 2022! It was the first-ever indoor/outdoor event of its type in downtown Detroit.
Reinventing the signature show took an army of talented people. But leading the charge from start to finish was a man with three decades of experience. Because of his dedication, tenacity, and unparalleled achievements, we select Rod Alberts, Executive Director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association, as Channel 7’s 2022 Newsmaker of the Year.
When Rod came to Detroit to oversee the DADA, he quickly got introduced to Motor City winters. He took a show that got no international press and only raised a modest amount of money for children’s charities and put it on the global map. For the next 25 years, Detroit’s show cemented our reputation as the Auto Capital of the World.
It grew to 50 world vehicle debuts. Five-thousand press from more than 60 countries. Over 700-thousand people in attendance, a regional impact over $400 million and raised a total of 5 million dollars each year for children’s charities.
Then the Covid storm blew in. The DADA moved the show after the hiatus from winter to summer. They reinvented Detroit’s most recognizable global event and embraced mobility-electrification technology and continued to support local charities.
You’ll hear more about Rod Alberts and the DADA’s newsworthy accomplishments when he’s profiled by Chuck Stokes for our annual Newsmaker of the Year special. Tune in on Sunday, January 22, at 10 o’clock a.m. Since 1994, WXYZ has featured this unique edition of Spotlight on the News.
Learn how Rod Alberts and the Detroit Auto Dealers used their ingenuity to make a significant and positive impact on the state of Michigan.
I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: January 12 - 15, 2023
