DALLAS — Organizers of F&I Think Tank announced that F&I and Showroom’s Gregory Arroyo will serve as show chair for this year’s event. F&I Think Tank will be held as part of Industry Summit 2017 (Sept. 11-14) at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas.

Created by and for F&I pros, F&I Think Tank returns with a new look after a groundbreaking debut in 2016. This year, the daylong, 20 Group-like program closes out Industry Summit on Thursday, Sept. 14, and will feature top-flight F&I directors, trainers and industry insiders. But as Arroyo noted, what makes F&I Think Tank a different type of event is audience participation.

“With F&I Think Tank, we tried to recreate the information exchange taking place daily in social media groups like ‘Mad’ Marv Eleazer’s more than 7,000-member Ethical F&I Managers Group,” said Arroyo, who serves as editorial director of F&I and Showroom and Auto Dealer Today magazines. “For newbies, this is your chance to rub shoulders with the best in the business. For veteran F&I pros, it’s your chance to exchange tips and techniques with individuals facing the same daily challenges.”

As always, Industry Summit will offer a top-notch F&I program led by the best F&I trainers in the business. F&I Think Tank will pick up where they leave off, with trainers and industry insiders guiding what promises to be a day filled with engaging and intense discussions about life in the box and the future of F&I.

Two examples of the event’s open forum-type sessions are Shark Tank and Think Tank. The prior will be led by a panel of the industry’s top F&I trainers, who will put their skills to the test by fielding tough-to-handle customer objections from the audience. The panel will also offer their advice on common departmental issues and more.

The six-session event will conclude with Think Tank. Last year, the more than 60 F&I professionals, trainers, agents, and industry insiders in the room batted around a host of critical topics, from online F&I and improving process times and customer satisfaction to millennial buying behaviors and showroom issues that often lead to problems and delays in the F&I office.

“I could not believe the energy in the room during that session, especially after nine hours of F&I training and discussions,” Arroyo said. “I’m expecting the same kind of passion, information exchange and professionalism that made last year’s event so memorable.”

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.