What to Expect at Compliance Summit Midwest

CHICAGO — Several days ahead of Compliance Summit Midwest, organizers have announced new details for the event, which will be held April 20–21, 2015, at the DoubleTree Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, Ill.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the way this event has come together,” said David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of Auto Dealer Monthly and F&I and Showroom magazines. “Front-end compliance is clearly a priority for Midwest dealers, and we look forward to delivering on our promise of a first-rate educational slate.”

The event will begin with a welcome reception on the evening of Monday, April 20, and continue with a full day of sessions on Tuesday. Randy Crisorio, a Chicago native and head of United Development Systems Inc. (UDS), will start the day with “Dealer Beware,” a review of past actions brought against dealers by federal regulators and state attorneys general.

The Rules and Regulations portion of the agenda will begin with Terry O’Loughlin, an attorney, former regulator and director of compliance for Reynolds and Reynolds. He will deliver “Regulations: Where Past Is Prologue,” in which he will draw parallels between past actions and today’s regulatory environment. O’Loughlin’s address will be followed by “Knowledge Is Power,” a panel discussion on the preparation and responses to new regulations and actions by dealers, product providers and finance companies. The panel will be moderated by Mosaic Compliance Services’ James Ganther Esq. and staffed by attorneys Marc Waite of Gurley-Leep Auto Management and Robert Steenbergh of US Equity Advantage.

The Your Responsibilities section will begin with “The Ability to Respond,” a featured presentation by World Class Dealer Services’ Michael Tuno, and a panel discussion entitled “Leadership, Teamwork and Accountability.” Tuno’s session will put an emphasis on the dealer’s role in ensuring compliance storewide while the panel — helmed by Auto Dealer Monthly’s Tariq Kamal and staffed by JC Cramer, compliance director for Detroit’s Feldman Auto Group, Bill Kelly, a top agent and partner at Minnesota’s Automotive Development Group (ADG), and Patricia Kelly Esq., senior counsel at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Chicago and Northern Illinois — will cover the strategies dealers and their industry partners are using to prepare for and respond to regulatory inquiries and actions.

Between those sessions, lunch will be served and Steve Bernas, head of the Chicago and Northern Illinois chapter of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), will take the stage. Bernas will discuss a truth-in-advertising campaign the BBB developed in conjunction with the Chicago Auto Trade Association and the work the agency does on behalf of dealers and car buyers.

“I think it’s so important that business leaders are getting together and deciding that they can regulate themselves,” Bernas said. “Dealers love competition, but they don’t like to compete on an uneven playing field. … I’m glad to be there to inform them that the BBB is there to help in any way we can.”

The next topic heading, Easy-to-Implement Processes and Controls, will begin with “Knowledge of the Law Keeps You Out of Trouble and Closes Deals,” a featured presentation by Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals (AFIP) Executive Director David Robertson. He will be followed by “Where the Rubber Meets the Road,” a panel discussion devoted to laying out simple, actionable solutions dealers can use to develop their own, comprehensive front-end compliance strategies. Moderator Brian Crisorio of UDS will be joined by Doug Fusco of DealerSafeGuardSolutionS (DSGSS), Demetrios Lahiri of American Financial and Automotive Services (AFAS), The Warranty Group’s Aaron Lunt and Brian Reed of Intersection Technologies Inc. and F&I Express.

The final session, “Is It Compliant?”, will be an open-forum discussion between attendees and speakers. The discussion will be hosted by the American Guardian Warranty Services’ Robert Harkins, who will also serve as Compliance Summit’s master of ceremonies. Ganther, O’Loughlin, Robertson and Tuno are all expected to participate, giving attendees the opportunity to fill in any gaps they may have perceived in the preceding sessions.

“When all is said and done, we believe Compliance Summit will prove to be an invaluable training course for any dealer, manager or staff member involved in front-end compliance,” Gesualdo said. “We look forward to seeing you in Chicago.”

Attendees can register at ComplianceSummit.com or by phone at 727-942-2139 until 11:59pm on Sunday, April 19. Onsite registration will be available all day Monday, April 20, as well as Tuesday morning. For sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, contact Eric Gesualdo via email or call 727-612-8826.