As they headed into the 2014 National Automobile Dealers Association convention in New Orleans last week, dealers longed for another outspoken advocate like the late Ron Tonkin.

Tonkin, the Oregon auto dealer who crusaded against what he considered overbearing factories while president of NADA 25 years ago, died Jan. 17 at 82. The founder of Ron Tonkin Family of Dealerships in Portland, Ore., became known as a firebrand among dealers for his forceful pushback against automakers.

Remembering Tonkin, an outspoken advocate for dealers, hopefully will encourage other dealers to speak up, said H. Carter Myers III, a Virginia dealer and chairman of NADA in 2002.

"My concern is we're getting more and more of the manufacturers controlling the retail process, and yet they're not really retailers," Myers told Automotive News . "We need to make sure the dealer's voice is heard."

While president of the dealers' association, Ton-kin railed against manufacturers' fleet subsidies, retail rebates, cost transfers and mandatory advertising association memberships. He founded a group of dealers called the Rough Riders, who worked to resist manufacturers' attempts to force excess inventories onto dealership lots.

Manufacturer control is worse today than it was when Tonkin was NADA president, said Myers, who recalls signing up for the Rough Riders and pledging $100 or $200 to the effort.

"We need more Ron Tonkins to speak up," he said. "It's a crazy time going on, and I wish Ron were 38 or 40 years old and back speaking up."