F&I Magazine to Announce F&I Dealer of the Year Award at NADA Convention
F&I Management and Technology Magazine's third annual F&I Dealer of the Year award will be presented to the winning dealership at the National Automobile Dealers Association’s annual convention in San Francisco on Monday, Feb. 3.
The presentation will be made at a 12 noon press conference in Room 228 of the Moscone Center, which hosts the NADA Convention.
According to CEO Edward J. Bobit, the purpose of the F&I Dealer of the Year Award is to recognize dealer principals who practice professionalism in the development of an extraordinary F&I department. Dealerships with winning characteristics have successful F&I training programs; by-the-book identification and selling techniques; and respect for their customers' legal and ethical rights. Winning F&I departments show high numbers for both customer satisfaction and for per-unit F&I profits.
Winners' Circle: The Final 3
Fletcher Jones Imports, Las Vegas, Nev., came in at #48 in the annual Top 100 F&I Dealers listing. Owner Fletcher Jones, Jr. also placed another dealership, Fletcher Jones Motorcars of Newport Beach, Calif., at #78 on the list.
Mac Haik Chevrolet, Houston, Texas, placed #9 on the Top 100 F&I Dealers. Another of Haik's dealerships, Mac Haik Ford, also of Houston, came in at #44.
Green Brook Pontiac-Buick-GMC, Green Brook, N.J., came in at a sizzling #3 in the Top 100. Owner David Ferraez also placed an incredible three other Ferraez Auto Group dealerships in the Top 20 -- #11 Northshore Buick-Pontiac-GMC in Malden, Mass.; #16 Woburn Buick-Pontiac-GMC in Woburn, Mass.; and #20 Danvers Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac in Danvers, Mass.
The first year’s award went to David Conant, dealer principal of Norm Reeves Honda in Cerritos, Calif. Ron Tonkin Chevrolet of Portland, Ore., took home the second annual award last year. Ron, Ed and Brad Tonkin accepted the second annual award on behalf of Tonkin Family of Dealerships.
Marks of a Winner
“Winning dealerships demonstrate broad success in all phases of F&I, including successful training programs; by-the-book identification and selling techniques; respect for customers' legal and ethical rights; and supporting a profitable F&I department which maintains a high CSI level,” said Publisher David Gesualdo of F&I Management and Technology Magazine.
“David Conant and the Tonkins have shown the kind of commitment and dedication to excellence that we look for each year in awarding F&I Dealer of the Year,” Steve Elliott, executive editor of F&I Management and Technology. "We're very much looking forward to recognizing another deserving dealership this year."
About F&I Management and Technology Magazine
F&I Management and Technology reaches about 17,500 auto dealer principals and their F&I departments. It was founded in 1998 by Edward J. Bobit, and is one of 20 trade magazines produced by Bobit Publishing Co., based in Torrance, Calif.
For more information on Bobit Publishing, visit www.bobit.com or call (310) 533-2400. For more information on F&I Management and Technology Magazine, visit www.fandimag.com.
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