FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Davis-Moore Automotive Named F&I Dealer of the Year

Wichita, Kan.-based Davis-Moore Automotive took home the F&I Dealer of the Year award during a ceremony at Industry Summit this week.

by Staff
September 11, 2015
Davis-Moore Automotive Named F&I Dealer of the Year

Davis-Moore Automotive's Sean Tarbell accepts the F&I Dealer of the Year award on behalf of the group during Industry Summit 2015. 

2 min to read


LAS VEGAS — At this week’s Industry Summit, F&I and Showroom named Davis-Moore Automotive as F&I Dealer of the Year. Accepting the award was Sean Tarbell, who serves as vice president of the Wichita, Kan.-based operation.

Now in its 15th year, the F&I Dealer of the Year award, sponsored by The Warranty Group, is handed out annually to an operation with a highly profitable F&I department that demonstrates a commitment to regulatory compliance and customer satisfaction. This year’s field of finalists, which the magazine refers to as F&I Pacesetters, included operations from Kansas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.

Ad Loading...

“We had a great field of finalists this year,” said Gregory Arroyo, editorial director of F&I and Showroom. “Not only are they top performers; these Pacesetters are committed to compliance and their communities. It made choosing an F&I Dealer of the Year difficult.”

Davis-Moore Automotive, founded in 1955, is the largest dealer group in the state of Kansas, operating five stores in Wichita, as well as the Clint Bowyer Autoplex in Emporia. The operation is led by President Dawson Grimsley, who took over after the group’s founder, Grant Davis, passed away in 2001.

The group’s F&I department averages $1,230 profit per unit (PRU) on new vehicles and $1,017 for used. Leading the way are service contracts, which penetrate at a 55% clip. GAP comes in at a close second with a 47% acceptance rate, while tire-and-wheel penetration sits at 38%.

But what really shines is the dealer group’s commitment to compliance. Davis-Moore video-records every transaction to ensure that every F&I team member follows its rigorous process and audits those videos every 10 days. And all of the operation’s 11 F&I managers — who have 133 years of combined F&I experience — are certified by the Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals.

“We do what we say we’ll do,” Tarbell said of the operation. “And people like doing business with us.”   

Ad Loading...

Davis-Moore took home the Better Business Bureau Integrity Award this year, and also boasts a slew of Reader’s Choice awards from Wichita’s local newspaper, The Wichita Eagle. President Dawson Grimsley was a TIME Dealer of the Year nominee in 2011.

More F&I

Laptop computer on a desk with a notepad and pen next to it and a whiteboard in the background
Digital•by Rick McCormick•October 15, 2026

AI: Facilitator, Not Fixer, in F&I

The dealerships that thrive in the years ahead will be those that embrace technology while continuing to invest in the people who make customer interactions count.

Read More →
Headshot mockup thumbnail.
F&I•October 1, 2026

Modern Technology Objection Handling

In this video, Trent White shares how to confidently handle technology-based objections by helping customers understand the value of protection, even with modern vehicle technology.

Read More →
man standing in front of podium
F&I•by Lauren Lawrence•October 1, 2026

Consistency at Scale: Driving F&I Performance

With 75 rooftops across the Sunshine State, Morgan Auto Group has proven to Floridians that it knows a thing or two about driving performance in a competitive market. But it didn’t start at the top.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Insurance contract signature page with black inkpen on top
F&I•by Hannah Mitchell•September 22, 2026

Gitty Up on GAP

The foundational finance-and-insurance product hasn’t kept up with the latest conditions for auto dealers. Is the time ripe?

Read More →
Easycare White paper cover See how AI-powered coaching can turn F&I customer conversations into actionable insights that support compliance, performance and profitability
Sponsored•September 8, 2026

How AI-Powered Coaching Is Transforming F&I Performance

See how AI-powered coaching can turn F&I customer conversations into actionable insights that support compliance, performance and profitability

Read More →
Assurant, Sell Value Build Trust, F&I Series, Expert Trainer Trent White
F&I•September 2, 2026

Sell Value, Build Trust

In this video, Trent White explains why selling on value, not fear, builds lasting customer trust, reduces cancellations, and drives long-term success.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
2026 StoneEagle summary
F&I•by Hannah Mitchell•August 31, 2026

F&I Sales Give Dealers First-Half Lift

Product business shored up total profits to avoid an overall revenue tanking as product penetrations held steady, StoneEagle reported.

Read More →
man with white hair and glasses delivering a speech standing next to a podium
F&I•by Lauren Lawrence•August 31, 2026

Targeted Training Drives Results

Today’s technology, instead of threatening F&I managers, can actually make them better, according to an industry veteran who’s watched market setbacks roil the unprepared.

Read More →
Man's hand holding pen over a paper document
F&I•by Justin B. Gasman•August 20, 2026

Double the Change, Double the Chance

When an F&I manager gets a customer refusal, it’s a wise move to tweak more than one thing in the product offering.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Laptop computer, tablet, calculator and notebook on a desk
F&I•by John Tabar•August 20, 2026

Just Do It

F&I managers need training, but instead of resisting application or expecting perfection, they should improve by simply acting on what they learn.

Read More →