NCM Associates Acquires S.D.-Based Spader Business Mgt.

Spader Business Management (SBM) President John Spader has announced the Aug. 31 sale of his Sioux Falls, S.D.-based firm to NCM Associates, a Kansas City, Mo., company specializing in automotive consulting and dealer training.

Founded in 1976 by John’s father, Duane Spader, SBM is best known in the RV arena for its work over the years with independent RV dealers in management workshops and RV 20 Groups among other things.

Paul Faletti

NCM President and CEO Paul Faletti told RVBusiness that combining the two companies was a natural evolution.

“The reality is that NCM and Spader are very similar in terms of what we do and the philosophies behind what we do,” Faletti said. “NCM was the originator of the first automotive 20 Group back in 1947 and over the years our disciplines have expanded from 20 Groups to a series of professional services including training, consulting and software.”

John Spader

John Spader, in turn, says he will continue to play a central role in SBM.

“I’ll continue to run Spader Business Management in this division,” said Spader, whose firm has penned an RVBusiness column for years. “And tomorrow it’s back to business as usual for both organizations. This was something neither one of us had to do. Both companies are very successful, very busy. But we just saw one-plus-one equaling three between the two of us, so let’s get this done. We don’t want to put either organization into a high-speed wobble with this stuff. Over the next few months we’ll be identifying low-hanging fruit for both sets of clients from each other and merging things strategically as it makes sense over the long haul.”

Most of NCM’s business today is still focused on retail automotive, working with approximately 6,000 U.S. and 500 Canadian dealers, Faletti said, adding that part of its growth strategy is to strategically enter other industries where its products, services and people are applicable.

“John and his organization have been on my radar for over 10 years,” Faletti added. “We have great respect for his organization. Some of his clients are now employees of NCM, so there’s familiarity from a client perspective and we also have some shared clients as well.”

While Spader said SBM also has products and services that are highly applicable to the automotive sector much like NCM, which is 100% employee-owned and structured as an S-Corp ESOP. SBM currently employs 50 people, NCM closer to 180. “Effective January 1st this coming year, John and his employees will enter into the employee ownership program of NCM Associates,” Faletti noted.

Spader, one of the primary instructors of SBM’s popular Total Management Workshop sessions, has worked closely for years with the RV Dealers Association (RVDA) and is set to lead an hour-long workshop at RVDA’s Con/Expo Nov. 7-11 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

“Our collective goal is to keep ‘business as usual,” added Spader. “We plan to retain all Spader and AWOT (a “World of Training,” an allied program) employees, and our services will remain essentially the same. I will continue to manage the Spader and AWOT organizations. I am not retiring – just the opposite. These newly-combined resources will allow us to do many of the things our clients have asked us for, accelerating the development of our planned new products and services for Spader and AWOT. Rest assured that Spader/AWOT and NCM will work to ensure minimal impact to our clients when merger activities occur.”

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/ncm-associates-acquires-s-d-based-spader-business-mgt/