TAMPA, Fla. — Organizers of F&I Think Tank, the F&I manager-geared event preceding Dealer Summit 2016 in May, confirmed this week that three of the industry’s top F&I trainers will be on hand to lead Shark Tank, a 20 Group-like session that will allow attendees to get answers to troublesome customer objections, deal situations and departmental issues.
Shark Tank is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3, at 1:35 p.m. inside the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel. It is one of four open forum-type sessions slated for F&I Think Tank, a one-day event created in partnership with Ethical F&I and Managers — a more than 5,000-member Facebook group created by F&I and Showroom’s “Mad” Marv Eleazer.
“When Marv and I put together the F&I Think Tank agenda, our goal was to recreate the information exchange that takes place daily in his EFI group. Shark Tank is one of those sessions,” said Gregory Arroyo, editorial director for F&I and Showroom and Auto Dealer Today magazines. “Attendees will be able to test the objection-handling skills of our three top trainers, get advice on difficult job-related issues, and gain insights on what it takes to be a top producer.”
The session will be moderated by Bob Harkins, vice president and director of training for American Guardian Warranty Services. He has also served as master of ceremonies for a number of industry events, including F&I and Showroom’s annual Industry Summit.
Panelists include Luis Garcia, owner of income development firm Avid Insurance, Gerry Gould, who heads up United Development Systems’ award-winning training division as director of training, and Rick McCormick, national account development manager for Reahard & Associates.
Garcia began his automotive industry career at AutoNation, where he advanced from sales to F&I and sales manager before transitioning to his second career as a nationally recognized trainer and consultant. Before becoming a majority shareholder of Avid Insurance in 2012, he served as Safe-Guard Products International’s first director of training and development.
Gould, a regular contributor to F&I and Showroom and host of the magazine’s weekly F&I Tip of the Week video series, is a 30-year industry veteran with experience in sales, F&I and dealer development. He enjoyed a 15-year career in front-end management before beginning his career as a trainer and nationally recognized F&I management expert.
McCormick —an ordained minister with more than 25 years of sales experience, including six in the retail automotive business — is an in-demand trainer, speaker and author. He’s penned articles for F&I and Showroom, Auto Dealer Today and Agent Entrepreneur magazines, and is a regular presenter at Agent Summit and Industry Summit.
“These three individuals were voted ‘Best in Class’ speakers by attendees of Industry Summit,” Arroyo noted. “So we’re going to have the who’s who of F&I training tackling attendee questions and offering their take on a host of hot-button issues facing the F&I office. I expect this to be a lively discussion.”
Attendees of Dealer Summit are welcome to attend F&I Think Tank for no additional charge. Register by April 1 to save $100 off the purchase price of a full conference pass. For more, visit www.dealer-summit.com.
