DALLAS — EFG Companies announced this week that it is the first F&I product provider of its size to certify its entire field services team with the Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals (AFIP).

By certifying its entire team at once, EFG makes it possible for its client base to receive the immediate benefits of the company’s certification, whether through mentoring the dealer’s staff through AFIP certification, one-on-one coaching or completing dealer compliance audits.

“Our clients look to us to ensure that their teams have appropriate processes and controls in place to navigate more than a dozen federal laws and find their way through the many state and local laws that impact their operations,” said John Pappanastos, president and CEO of EFG Companies. “With that in mind, we took the initiative to get our entire field services team certified by the only regulatory compliance program that requires proctored exams under controlled testing conditions. Achieving AFIP certification across the entire team demonstrates our commitment to our clients.”

With its field team 100% AFIP certified, EFG’s client representatives, trainers and recruiters can more effectively train, audit and support their clients, who will continue to see compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements as a critical priority in their business moving forward, officials said. AFIP certification curriculum focuses solely on the federal and state laws that govern in-dealership financial services.

“AFIP’s primary objective is to protect dealers by ensuring that in-dealership F&I practitioners and sales executives are fully aware of the applicable state and federal regulations – and take responsibility for their actions,” said David Robertson, executive director of AFIP. “Regulatory knowledge, coupled with personal accountability, keeps thousands of dealers out of harm’s way.”