The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) and The Reynolds and Reynolds Company announced the formation of NAMAD University, the association's new education, training and consulting group.

NAMAD University, powered by Reynolds and Reynolds, will serve the association's 500-member dealer body with a full schedule of business management courses. According to the companies, these courses will assist NAMAD members and add value to their association membership by improving overall dealership operations and, ultimately, enhancing their bottom lines.

According to Sheila Vaden-Williams, president of NAMAD, "For several months, we have had conversations with Reynolds about the need for a vehicle that will help improve the business skills of employees and management of minority-owned dealerships. As a result, Reynolds was able to take many of its existing educational and training solutions, couple them with best-in-class solutions from allied providers, and create NAMAD University."

All of the solutions available to NAMAD members are managed by Reynolds and Reynolds University, the company's education, training and consulting arm responsible for driving both the company's and customers' growth engines with world-class learning and thinking.

The company also says complete consulting solutions provided by Reynolds and Reynolds University will be available to NAMAD members. These consulting solutions will specifically address the profitability of dealerships.

H. Steve Harrell, Sr., chairman of the board at NAMAD, said, "NAMAD and its members are pleased to be aligned with Reynolds and the company's wide array of automotive training resources. The tailor-made solutions and consulting provided through NAMAD University is not available anywhere else in the automotive industry as a single, comprehensive package, all made possible through Reynolds and Reynolds University."

"To be successful, automotive retailers need to be equipped with the most current and innovative skill sets. In today's rapidly changing business world, it's imperative that they maintain a constant learning environment with the tools to create and lead change," said Mona Yezbak, vice president of Reynolds and Reynolds University. "With the creation of NAMAD University, we are helping the association take its members beyond traditional learning dimensions of pace, place and time."

The National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) is a 500-member, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area. Founded in 1980, NAMAD is committed to increasing viable opportunities for ethnic minorities in all aspects of the automotive industry. NAMAD says it seeks to ensure the presence of a meaningful, representative number of minority entrepreneurs and employees in the retail sales, supplier and service sectors, and the manufacturing ranks. For more information on NAMAD, visit www.NAMAD.org.

Reynolds and Reynolds (www.reyrey.com) is a provider of integrated solutions that help automotive retailers manage change and improve their profitability. The company's software, service and training solutions include a full range of retail and enterprise management systems; networking and support; e-business applications; Web services; learning and consulting services; CRM solutions, document and data management and leasing services. Reynolds serves more than 20,000 customers comprising 90 percent of the automotive retailers and virtually all car companies in North America. It conducts CRM consulting services on five continents.