DALLAS — Organizers of the annual P&A Leadership Summit have announced that Guy Koenig, president of CareGard Warranty Services will lead a panel discussion dedicated to operations and claims management. PALS is co-located with the annual Industry Summit for the sixth consecutive year. The event will be held Sept. 12–13 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas.

“As the marketplace continues to become more competitive, dealers, agents, administrator-obligors and their insurance company partners are increasingly focusing on profitability and efficiency from all parts of the F&I business to help differentiate themselves in the space,” said Koenig. “Effective management of the claims department can lead to realization of these goals but needs to be balanced with providing the level of service and standards that our collective customers have come to expect.”

The panel, “Claims and Operations Management — Enhancing Profitability in an Ever-Changing World,” will begin at 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Koenig will be joined by a panel of operations experts comprised of Jason Winchester, vice president of operations at Warranty Solutions, EFG Companies’ vice president of operations, Ken Overly, Scott Smith, operations and support manager for AUL Corp., and Interstate National Dealer Services’ executive vice president, Tara Williams.

They are expected to analyze what it takes to enhance profitability through staffing and call center management. As well as the parts and labor segment of claims expense management, tackling this question: “Do you provide self-authorization or pre-approval authority to dealers and/or repair facilities?”

“Koenig and the advisory board have compiled an experienced team of experts and I can’t think of a better group to speak on this topic,” said David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of P&A magazine. “In order to keep profits up, claims and operations need to stay at the forefront of your business — get ready for a crash course!”

Registration for Industry Summit 2017 is open at the event’s website. Attendees who register by tomorrow, Aug. 18, will enjoy a $100 discount. To discuss sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, contact David Gesualdo at (727) 947-4027 or via email.