WASHINGTON D.C. — “Are we there yet?” is the theme of the American Financial Services Association (AFSA)’s Vehicle Finance Conference and Expo, which is being held Jan. 24-26 at the Sheraton New Orleans.

In its 21st year, the Vehicle Finance Conference, which precedes the 2016 NADA Convention and Expo, will focus on issues like customer satisfaction and technology.

“Our theme may remind you of a long road trip with your kids and sounds a bit odd. But it raises an extraordinarily important question,” said Chris Stinebert, president and CEO of the AFSA. “It provokes our members to ask themselves if their companies are ‘there yet’ on issues like compliance, cyber security, customer satisfaction and technology. We’re attempting to answer that question.”

Josh Linker, an entrepreneur and hyper-growth CEO who has spent his career harnessing the power of disruptive change, will present the conference keynote. He will deliver a clear call to action for members: it is better to innovate and disrupt your organization before your competition does. The riskiest move companies can make today is embracing the status quo — believing the future will be like the past is the fast road to obsolescence.

The conference will also feature session that brings together the three major credit bureaus. They will set the record straight on the health of the subprime auto finance market. Additionally, the event’s annual CEO Panel will feature key industry executives sharing best practices, compliance hurdles, and critical opportunities in the fast-moving marketplace of auto finance.

David Paul (Vehicle Finance Division chair and senior vice president of financial services at American Honda Finance Corp.) and Mark Scarpelli (incoming NADA chairman and president of Raymond Chevrolet and Kia) will kick off the final day of the conference with a frank discussion about the important relationship between dealers and financing sources.

Officials with the association, which represents nearly ever captive finance source as well as the auto finance divisions of major banks and a large portion of independent finance sources across the United States, noted that the event has already attracted a record 600 attendees.

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