PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -

Flashback with me for a second.

It’s the first day of the fall semester at college. For the freshmen and transfer students, it’s a brand new environment and perhaps a brand new experience altogether.

For the sophomores, juniors and seniors, the start of a semester may be old hat.

But there are still new classes, new classmates, new lessons to learn, new memories to make and more fun to be had.

Well, Used Car Week is sort of like that. Except no pop quizzes, and we stay in hotels instead of dorms.

But nonetheless, each Used Car Week is a fresh start, no matter how many times you have attended the event (even for us organizers).

Each year brings a new twist. For this year’s highlights, see below.

New format

After Used Car Week 2016, our conference team analyzed data from post-event surveys and chatted with participants one-on-one.

What that uncovered was a need to expand the auto finance and repossessions topics, and adjust the certified pre-owned conference into a more comprehensive picture of the entire retail used-car market.

We hope the new and improved format will provide you with a more valuable experience. The conference will now be split into two blocks.

The first will consist of the Pre-Owned Con, the Auto Fin Con and the Repo Con.

The second will be National Remarketing Conference and NAAA Convention.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend either 1st Block, 2nd Block or both with an All Access registration.

And within each block, it’s “choose your own adventure.”

If you are a 1st-Block participant and want to attend a Pre-Owned Con workshop in the morning and an Auto Fin Con workshop in the afternoon, go for it.

Longer networking breaks

One addition you might notice in the agenda is that some (but not all) of the breaks between sessions are 45 minutes instead of 15.

This is designed to give attendees a bit more time to explore the expo hall, talk with exhibitors and spend some time networking.

After all, in addition to the great educational sessions and awards, one of the big benefi ts of Used Car Week is the chance to gather with your peers and meet some new business contacts.

Location, location, location

This year’s location for Used Car Week — The La Quinta Resort & Club — promises to make you stop to smell the flowers and take in the spectacular view of the Santa Rosa Mountains. We hope that in between educational sessions and networking events you’ll find some time to enjoy this gorgeous oasis in the desert.

The resort has a campus-like set-up, rather than one set hotel building. It’s also the first time Used Car Week has been held at this location.

Used Car Awards

Also making their debut this year are the Used Car Awards (UCAs). The UCAs will honor the dealers and executives making positive impacts and building great businesses within the used-car industry.

Recognizing excellence has long been a key part of Used Car Week’s annual agenda, and with the launch of the UCAs, those awards and recognitions will be grouped together during the Used Car Awards Luncheon

Awards that have traditionally been a part of the event and some relative newcomers will all be part of the new UCA luncheon.

New awards will also be a part of this combined effort on the part of Auto Remarketing, SubPrime Auto Finance News and other Cherokee Media Group brands.

Among the new awards as part of the UCAs include:

• Franchise Dealer of the Year

• Independent Dealer of the Year

• And three tiers of Dealer Group(s) of the Year

The Used Car Awards will be presented during a luncheon sponsored by TradeRev during the First Block of Used Car Week on Tuesday.

Additional industry recognition and awards such as the Auto Remarketing Under 40, Women in Remarketing, Lifetime Achievement and the National Remarketing Executive of the Year will still be presented during the NRC/NAAA (Second Block) portion of the week.

All of the award winners and honorees during Used Car Week will be highlighted in a special December “Used Car Awards” edition of Auto Remarketing.

Extended Women in Remarketing content

In addition to our annual Women in Remarketing panel (1:45 p.m. on Nov. 16), Used Car Week will include a second Women in Remarketing session this year:

Hiring for the Future: The search for authenticity Nov. 16, 2:45 p.m.
Moderated by Kruse Control founder and chief executive officer Kathi Kruse, this panel will include:
• Carolyn Bogan, Vice President of Technology Services, KAR Auction Services
• Jeannie Chiaromonte, Vice President/National Remarketing Manager, Bank of America
• Samantha Zawilinski, Vice President of Account Services, Potratz Advertising

The panel will feature conversation focused on trends in recruiting and working in remarketing as the industry becomes increasingly technology-driven, the role of mentoring and developing women into industry leaders. The dialogue will also explore the impact of changing demographics.

For complete information on Used Car Week, visit UsedCarWeek.biz or download the Used Car Week app for your smartphone.