Along with giving executives another opportunity to complete the first module of its compliance certification program, the National Automotive Finance Association is rolling out one of its best lineups ever for its annual conference later this month.

The NAF Association acquired 25 percent more conference space to accommodate more programs, sessions and expansion of the exhibit hall for the 18th annual Non-Prime Auto Financing Conference, which begins on May 28 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth Texas.

“In keeping the primary focus on member needs, the 2014 annual conference will provide an excellent forum for education and networking for those within the non-prime auto finance sector. This highly regarded conference will cover the hot topics pertinent to the industry along with results from the newly formatted NAF Association Survey,” NAF Association executive director Jack Tracey said.

Among some of the conference agenda highlights:

—Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Q&A: This session is built on questions submitted in advance by NAF Association members. Members’ questions will be compiled, and Rick Hackett, partner with Hudson Cook  and former CFPB assistant director will pose the questions to CFPB executives Jeffrey Langer, assistant director, office of installment and liquidity lending markets, and Eric Reusch, office of installment and liquidity lending markets.

—Auto Industry Lending Through the Eyes of a Leading Industry Expert: Attendees of this session will hear observations on auto industry financing from leading industry professional, Sandy Schwartz, president of Manheim and the Auto Trader Group. His views will provide a perspective on how the cyclical swings in financing affect the auto industry at large.

—Subprime Forecast: Revving Up Your Approach to Auto Loan Portfolio Evaluation: Presented by Steve Chaouki, executive vice president of strategy and planning at TransUnion, this session cover how the sector has experienced significant growth since 2010, with strong demand pushing manufacturers to production capacity limits. One of the consequences of this dynamic has been the appreciation of used vehicle values, which in turn has led to a positive equity position on many auto loans. TransUnion’s study quantifies the impact of positive equity on the risk propensities of auto loans, controlling for a series of risk factors related to both the borrower and the loan collateral. Through analysis, Chaouki will show how the presence of positive equity leads to a meaningful reduction of credit risk under certain conditions, and how lenders can leverage this insight to optimize their portfolio management, collections and capital reserve policies.

— Asset Backed Securitization: An Update on Recent Developments and Trends: Presented by Amy Martin, senior director at Standard and Poors this session will focus on the current market trends in non-prime financing. This session will provide information on issuance volume and pricing spread; collateral and ratings performance and Standard and Poor’s outlook for the auto loan ABS market.

Before the conference begins, the NAF Association is repeating the opening segment of its compliance certification program due to strong demand. The association had an overflow crowd when it conducted the training back in January so Tracey decided to hold another session in Fort Worth this month.

The NAF Association offers an exceptional certification program including:

—35 hours in-classroom and online self-paced courses

—In-depth coverage of federal laws and regulations

—Thorough analysis of state laws and regulations

—Complete module devoted to CFPB

“A critical part of a compliance management system is staffing it with qualified compliance personnel. A company having their compliance officers certified through a comprehensive educational program is a clear demonstration of the importance the organization places on compliance,” Tracey said.

Certification participants will be eligible to attend the remaining sessions of the Non-Prime Auto Finance Conference for $195.

For complete details of the conference and the compliance certification program, visit www.nafassociation.com.