Kiosk exhibits from electric vehicle charging, cybersecurity, EV fleet, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and robotics companies lined the Startup Village in MOVE America’s convention center space in Austin, Texas. Conference speakers flanking the exhibition space discussed topics like vehicle connectivity, electrification and autonomy. The MOVE America conference, held last month at the Austin Convention Center, was a microcosm of [Read More]

An out-of-state customer tried to buy a used BMW over the phone from Baumann Auto Group. When the buyer’s credit application came through, Baumann had the buyer take a photo of their driver’s license using QuickScan, a document authentication software from 700Credit. The software informed Baumann that not only did the would-be buyer not live […] [Read More]

Mere Rangel is the assistant general manager at Big Valley Auto Auction in Donna, Texas. But more importantly, he has been his daughter’s softball coach for 14 years and his son’s baseball coach for the past four years (with a decade more to enjoy, he says). And when he steps off the diamond and into the auction lanes, he’s got a coach of his own in general manager Lisa Franz, the leader of Big Valley Auto Auction, and a five-star ace of a teammate in Blanca Arias, the auction’s controller. Together, they form quite the bullpen of leadership at the auction ... [Read More]

Holly Vollant has the toughness it takes to be a winner. She started her remarketing career at a small independent auto auction across the street from where she grew up. She took a hands-on approach to “dive into every aspect of the business” from parking cars to transporting them. Vollant has worked her way to leadership roles at Holman and with industry associations. But she’s also a small business owner, running her family-owned fish hatchery. Hailing from a small town in Northwest Pennsylvania, Vollant thrives in the outdoors and loves football – arguably the grittiest of American sports. And, hell, her favorite team is the Philadelphia Eagles ... [Read More]

When her phone rang at the end of an auction sale last month, Debbie Stokes was in no mood to answer it. “I’m like smack dab in the middle of doing everything,” she recalled. “I look at my phone and it’s showing a number I didn’t have saved. “I’m like, ‘I don’t know who this is. Do I answer or do I not?’ Well, if I don’t answer I’m just going to have to call it back anyway, so I might as well just get this over with.” That turned out to be the right call ... [Read More]

After a rough first quarter, CarMax saw its net income surge in the second quarter despite a slight slowdown in sales revenue. The behemoth used-car retailer also boosted the amount of inventory it acquired, especially from dealers.    “We're pleased with our team's execution in the second quarter, as we achieve positive sales trends, strong margins, cost efficiencies, and EPS growth, while managing through industry-wide auto loan loss pressure,” CarMax president and CEO Bill Nash said during the earnings call. Net income in the second quarter ... [Read More]

Doug Campbell, then the senior vice president and head of fleet services for the Americas at Avis Budget Group, got a call at 4:30 a.m. one autumn day in 2021. It was Avis president and CEO Joe Ferraro on the line. “Hertz just did a deal on a hundred thousand Teslas. You missed the boat, and it might cost you your job. What did you not see?” Campbell recalled being asked. [Read More]

Go Auto plans to continue to grow and the dealership group is interested in acquiring franchises in Western Canada, the dealership group’s president Phil Abram told Auto Remarketing Canada. But it is also eying further expansion in the United States, he said. “Acquisitions are always challenging to forecast in terms of exact timelines, but I can say that we are always looking for ... [Read More]

Towards the end of an interview on the sidelines here at the Automotive Remarketing Alliance’s Summer Roundtable in August, John Urness was asked to name a piece of music, movie, TV show, sports moment or book that had stood out to him. After pausing for a second, Urness — who is the head of vehicle remarketing and customer loyalty at Chase Auto — pointed to the recent Summer Olympics in Paris. “It’s amazing to watch the production value of the Olympics and what makes you feel — the emotion,” Urness said. “Because not only do they draw out the realization of what's happening at that point in time, but they bring all the stories behind it.  Seeing folks participate and push themselves and everything it took to get there to do it, I think that's what sticks with me.” [Read More]

Which way is the dealership M&A market headed? Depends on whom you ask. In its Second Quarter 2024 Blue Sky Report, released Monday, Kerrigan Advisors cited a record number of dealership acquisitions during the first half of this year and said the current rate of nearly double pre-pandemic levels projects to a record year with more than 760 franchise sales. A week earlier, Haig Partners’ Q2 Haig Report pointed out a decline in dealership profits in that has slowed demand and the pace of the buy-sell transactions, as well as a decline of dealership blue-sky values. The report projects some 500 stores to be sold, fewer than in 2023, though still the fourth-most active year in history. Another report issued this week ... [Read More]