TORRANCE, Calif. — F&I Management & Technology honored four regional dealers with the 2005 F&I Pacesetters Award. The winners are: Chud Wendle of Wendle Motors (Spokane, Wash.) for the West, James L. Ferman Jr. of Ferman Motor Car Co. (Tampa Bay, Fla.) for the South, Denny Hecker of Denny Hecker's Automotive Group (Minneapolis) for the Midwest and Scott Clay of Clay Nissan (Dedham, Mass.) for the Northeast.

The winners were recognized for their exceptional efforts to operate ethical, customer-friendly and successful finance departments. They are at the forefront of building up the reputation and credibility of F&I among dealers, consumers and their communities. Read more about the winners in the January 2005 issue of F&I Management & Technology.

One of these four dealers will be selected to receive the fifth annual F&I Dealer of the Year Award. The winner will be announced at an F&I press conference on Jan. 31 at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans. The press conference will take place at 2 p.m. in room 257 of the convention center.

Candidates for the F&I Pacesetters Award are judged based on:

• Success/profitability in the finance department

  
  

• Sustaining a compliance culture

  
  

• Ethical employees and practices, regular employee training

  
  

• Community support and involvement

  
  

• Other programs, processes and initiatives that contribute to a top-notch F&I operation