SubPrime Auto Finance News announced this year’s recipient of the SubPrime Auto Finance Executive of the Year Award, presented by Black Book Lender Solutions. The accolade is going to Dan Ulatowski, who is the chief sales officer at Credit Acceptance, one of the leading special finance companies in the industry.

Ulatowski has been with the company since 1996, holding a variety of different roles within that span. Credit Acceptance tapped him for his current post last January as the company has seen its GAAP net income per share grow at a compounded annual rate of 20.4 percent, with an average annual return on equity of 21.4 percent since becoming publicly traded 22 years ago.

Credit Acceptance currently has more than 6,000 active dealers in its origination network. The company closed the second quarter by originating 66,480 contracts, a 30.6-percent lift year-over-year.

Ulatowski will officially receive his honor during the SubPrime Forum, which is a part of Used Car Week on Nov. 16-20 at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Congratulations to Dan Ulatowski and the entire team at Credit Acceptance. The finance company has been one of the shining stars in special finance for more than 40 years, and Dan is one of the key contributors to its ongoing success,” said SubPrime Auto Finance News publisher and Used Car Week chair Bill Zadeits.

Ulatowski joins previous winners of the award, including Bill Jensen of Chase and Ian Anderson of Westlake Financial Services.

During the SubPrime Forum, which is orchestrated in collaboration with the National Automotive Finance Association, Black Book’s Jared Kalfus will hand out the award. Here’s a rundown of other industry executives and leaders who already made plans to attend.

“Dan is an industry expert and has been integral to the success of Credit Acceptance and their ability to grant credit approval for every consumer on every vehicle in a dealer’s inventory in seconds,” Kalfus said. “He epitomizes Credit Acceptance’s mission of changing lives one at a time.”

Kalfus also touch on why it’s important to recognize executives in this space who play a critical role in the auto finance industry.

“When you look at all the changes that we have experienced in this industry, it becomes very clear that having innovative leaders is critical to the success of the industry as a whole,” Kalfus said.

“Recognizing those who have gone above and beyond and are shaping the industry into both what it is now, and what it will be in years to come, provides direction and motivation for all of us in the space," he went on to say.