EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is part of the of the May edition of Auto Remarketing, which will focus entirely on a new special feature: Who to Watch.

This special feature will recognize auto industry executives and companies — selected by Cherokee Media Group’s senior editors — who are significantly shaping the future of the used-car industry. This is not an awards issue, but rather a collection of special features on leading companies and executives from retail, remarketing, auto finance, loss mitigation, and investor segments of the industry.

There are multiple points in Wayne Ray’s life journey that brought him to his current status, which is CEO of Romans Adjusters, a family and veteran-owned asset recovery and transportation company servicing the north Texas area since 2012.

Ray also is director of commercial operations for the American Recovery Association, a position the organization created last fall.

Ray has risen quickly within the repossession community, just like he did previously as a member of the U.S. Navy and part of the staff with Marathon Oil Corp. Ray’s ascension to improve likely began as a teenager. He would regularly help his father with his business, which was refurbishing investment and rental properties in his native Texas.

After completing a job at a rental house, Ray told his father on the ride home, “Dad, one day I’m going to own a paint and remodeling company like you.”

His father quickly encouraged him to set an even loftier goal. Ray remembered his father saying from behind the wheel, “He looked at me and he said, ‘Don’t be me. Be the guy that hires me. Be the guy with the real estate portfolio.

“That moment changed my whole mindset,” Ray reflected. “Up until then, I was focused on what I knew — owning a small business like my dad’s. But what he said instantly expanded my view. It made me realize there was so much more out there I could aim for. That stuck with me from a young age.”

Graduation from high school arrived for Ray a couple of years later. It was 2004 and he enlisted in the Navy. After basic training, Ray embarked on the Navy’s arduous nuclear power program.

As Ray explained it, the nuclear program pushes you mentally in a way that’s comparable to how the SEALs push you physically and mentally.

“Not to compare myself to a Navy SEAL, but there were times where I felt like my brain was scrambled eggs,” Ray said. “It pushed my learning. A big component of what’s made me successful was going through that school where it pushed my mental capacity to the breaking point and then helped me rebuild how to learn and what I was capable of learning to a whole new level.

“I have taken that with me everywhere I go, whether it’s repossession, transport, software companies, business, whatever it is,” he continued. “I’ve always got that drive to seek out education and knowledge and not being scared to learn something new, which I think is very important in life.”

After successfully completing the nuclear power program training, Ray spent nearly four years aboard the USS Carl Vinson, ascending quickly from the entry-level member of the energy team to being one of the watch supervisors, a position some of his fellow servicemembers needed a decade or more to achieve. Ray was a part of the group that literally kept the vast ship’s energy running.

But he had the urge to do more.

“There was a lot the military could have offered, but it just wasn’t in align with what I was wanting to do,” Ray said about leaving active duty with the Navy and returning to Texas to reconnect with family, recharge and plan the next professional steps.

A job fair led to multiple interviews with companies in the energy business, including Marathon Oil. Ray acknowledged many of the open positions were for entry-level spots. “I’m not opposed to getting my hands dirty,” Ray said, recollecting his formative years with a paintbrush, saw and other tools and assisting his father.

Through a series of events, an upper-level executive at Marathon Oil spotted Ray’s resume. That executive happened to be a former Navy officer who quickly recognized Ray’s credentials and accomplishments gained through the nuclear power program.

After a single interview, Ray now was on staff at the oil and gas company in a much different world — literally and figuratively. Instead of the quarters of the USS Carl Vinson that navigated the globe, Ray was in corporate America in a nice office.

Ray acknowledged multiple executives and colleagues helped him learn what business life could be like outside of the military.

“One thing I used to do quite a bit was I’d always shut my office door. That’s what we’re used to doing in the military on a ship. Your doors are always secured. Well, in corporate America, at least back then, it deters people from coming to talk to you. It’s not a good sign for you to always have your door shut.

“In the military, everything is black and white and very blunt to the point,” Ray continued, adding that he also had to modify his approach with activities such as email. “My experience there, not only just getting oil and gas industry experience, engineering experience, but also personal development and to learn to communicate people and work with people in different environments.”

Being in different environments happened to Ray while at Marathon Oil, especially being an entrepreneur. Ray co-owned a shuttle service company, overseeing the finances while his partner drove the passenger bus and completed maintenance. However, with services such as Uber and Lyft quickly gaining momentum, Ray bought out his partner and eventually wound down the transportation company.

Owning a business took off again soon afterward for Ray. Conversations during family gatherings with an uncle involved in the repossession business eventually germinated into what’s now Romans Adjusters, which handles voluntary and involuntary repossessions, transportation, personal property storage and is involved in gathering data via license plate recognition.

From the time of Romans Adjusters’ inception until the pandemic, Ray’s entire attention was focused on his agency. He was not involved with either Texas Accredited Repossession Professionals or the American Recovery Association.

That changed after the pandemic subsided and vehicle repossessions could unfold again. But the industry was in territory it never previously encountered.

“One thing about the way I was raised is that if you have an issue with something, you got to do something about it and get involved,” Ray said. “And that’s where I said, ‘OK, I’ve got to get involved with the associations. And I had to learn.”

Similar to what he experienced in the Navy, Ray sought first-hand experience, so he attended multiple association events, met as many fellow repossession agents as possible, and gather as much information as his mind could ingest.

“It showed me another side of the repossession industry that I didn’t know was there,” Ray said.

After going to industry events, Ray joined Texas Accredited Repossession Professionals and was voted to be an officer of the organization. Ray also reached out to see if he could be of service to ARA.

And ARA quickly put him to work, so to speak.

Now as the director of commercial operations, Ray is responsible for managing and optimizing ARA’s key commercial activities, ensuring they run smoothly and efficiently; focus on expanding ARA’s revenue streams through innovative products, services, and market strategies; and ensure all commercial operations are aligned with ARA’s mission to enhance member value while driving financial growth and sustainability.

“Wayne Ray has more than 12 years’ experience in the recovery industry with a strong background in leadership, engineering, and strategic growth,” ARA president Vaughn Clemmons said in a news release. “He’s been spearheading ARA’s technology committee for several years to ensure the most state of the art, streamlined and seamless user experience for our members.

“As ARA continues to grow and refine its strategic direction, the need for a director of commercial operations became clear, and Wayne is perfect for the role,” Clemmons added.

“I am honored to join the talented team of people at ARA who are passionate about improving the repossession industry,” Ray said. “ARA has a long-standing reputation for excellence, and I look forward to building on that foundation by enhancing our strategic initiatives and expanding the services we offer to our members.

“Together with the ARA board of directors, we will continue to build upon ARA’s remarkable achievements and propel the organization to even greater success in the repossession industry,” Ray went on to say.

So far, Ray’s professional journey has been eventful. But he’s even more excited about what might be next, especially in the repossession space.

“The place I’m at now, I have built relationships across the industry, other repossession companies across the nation, client, lenders, forwarders,” Ray said. “You know the repossession industry gets a negative light on it quite a bit, but there are so many really good people in this industry. Even though it’s attached to repossession, they’re still really good people, and I’ve been fortunate enough with the experience in this industry to just have so many great relationships.

“It’s an industry that’s still in its infancy. There’s so many people coming together to collaborate, so you don’t feel like you’re by yourself out there,” he continued. “I enjoy what I do. I love helping companies. I love being a part of the associations and the work that we do where everybody’s coming together to improve this industry.”