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

Easycare White paper cover See how AI-powered coaching can turn F&I customer conversations into actionable insights that support compliance, performance and profitability
SponsoredSeptember 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&ISeptember 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 →
2026 StoneEagle summary
F&Iby Hannah MitchellAugust 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 →
Ad Loading...
man with white hair and glasses delivering a speech standing next to a podium
F&Iby Lauren LawrenceAugust 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&Iby Justin B. GasmanAugust 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 →
Laptop computer, tablet, calculator and notebook on a desk
F&Iby John TabarAugust 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 →
Ad Loading...
stacks of coins, a calculator, paperwork, and a pair of glasses in the background, text Lender Experience Drives Dealer Decisions, F&I and Showroom
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceAugust 12, 2026

Dealer Lender Preferences Revealed

When lenders provide consistent, fast service, their overall satisfaction scores with dealers greatly improve, according to JD Power research.

Read More →
Leading with Purpose thumbnail. Trent white pictured in front of titled graphic.
F&IAugust 5, 2026

Leading with Purpose

In this video, Trent White explains how understanding your people’s 'why' is a key leadership responsibility of F&I professionals and how that mindset drives dealership engagement, trust and performance.

Read More →
Photo of a keyring with mltiple keys, including a car key fob, on a white surface
F&IJuly 15, 2026

Integrating Nontraditional F&I Products

The niche presents a strategic advantage for auto dealerships as they move to adapt to fast-changing consumer expectations in today’s market.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of businessman's hands holding eyeglasses at a desk
F&Iby Rick McCormickJuly 7, 2026

Trust Is Personal

Technology, no matter how efficient, can’t replace what the human F&I manager can do, which is to bridge the divide between cyberspace and the in-store experience.

Read More →