FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Gruber to Helm Leadership Panel at PALS

Kristen Gruber of Dealers Assurance Company (DAC) will moderate an all-star panel of leadership experts at the upcoming P&A Leadership Summit.

by Staff
August 7, 2017
2 min to read


DALLAS — Organizers of the annual P&A Leadership Summit have announced that Kristen Gruber, president of Dealers Assurance Company (DAC), will moderate a panel discussion dedicated to leadership at the event, which will be held Sept. 12–13 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas. PALS is co-located with the annual Industry Summit for the sixth consecutive year.

“I’m looking forward to facilitating a candid discussion among industry leaders about topics that weigh heavy on their minds,” Gruber said. “This session is geared towards anyone who occasionally wakes up in a cold sweat, wondering how to address some of today’s biggest challenges for the F&I industry!”

Ad Loading...

The panel will begin at 2:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Gruber, who is also a member of this year’s PALS advisory board, will be joined by Arden Hetland, president of American Financial & Automotive Services, Dave Duncan, president of Safe-Guard, Kelly Price, CEO of National Automotive Experts (NAE)/NWAN, and Lance LaCoe, president and CEO of C.A.R.S. Protection Plus.

The panel is expected to tackle the topics weighing heavily on the minds of leading executives in the F&I product provider and administrator segment, including questions posed by attendees.

“We could not have asked for a better or more qualified group to tackle the most pressing issues facing the leaders of our industry,” said David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of P&A magazine. “We anticipate a lively and highly informative session.”

Registration for Industry Summit 2017 is open at the event’s website. Attendees who register by Aug. 11 will enjoy a $100 discount. To discuss sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, contact David Gesualdo at (727) 947-4027 or via email.

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 →