Colleyville, Texas – Wayne LaBroad, financial services support officer for Hendrick Automotive Group, earned Association of Finance & Insurance Professionals' (AFIP) Master Certified F&I Professional designation, the highest tier of the organization’s continuing education program. According to AFIP Executive Director David Robertson, “In addition to being the first Hendrick employee to reach the elite level – and one of fewer than 75 professionals nationally to achieve the distinction – Wayne’s score on the Master exam tied the highest to date.”

AFIP, founded in 1989, certifies in-store sales and financial services personnel and select lender and aftermarket vendor personnel in the U.S. The nonprofit, nonaligned organization’s certification curriculum focuses solely on the federal and state laws that govern in-dealership financial services. AFIP also implements a Code of Ethics that holds AFIP Certified F&I Professionals personally accountable for their actions. Hendrick Automotive Group, a founding member of AFIP, has been certifying its F&I cadre since 1990.

“It really comes as no surprise that Wayne tied the all-time high score on the AFIP Master Certification,” said John Lamkin, Hendrick Automotive Group’s vice president, Hendrick University. “He’s always worked hard to stay knowledgeable about compliance and to help our dealerships with their compliance efforts.”

“Wayne is a valuable Hendrick team member and we are proud of his Master Certification,” said Randy Watkins, Hendrick Automotive Group’s vice president, financial services support. “His knowledge of compliance is extensive and we are very fortunate to have him provide compliance structure to the dealerships he supports.”

LaBroad will celebrate his 30th anniversary with the Hendrick organization in October of this year. After leaving a career in law enforcement to work at Hendrick Automotive Group’s flagship store, Rick Hendrick’s City Chevrolet in Charlotte, N.C., in 1983, he rose to the position of new car sales manager and held that post for two years before leaving to work at Hendrick Sportswear in 1989. LaBroad rejoined Hendrick Automotive Group at the corporate level in 1994, serving as national director of marketing and in customer development before moving into his current position in 2001.

“Hendrick Automotive Group has a particularly robust compliance culture,” said Robertson. “They certified all 394 of their variable managers over an 18-month period beginning in 2005. Anyone who touches a deal has to be certified – and then keep their certification up-to-date. Hendrick instated a quarterly quiz requirement to ensure that employees receive ongoing exposure to the regulations and stay current with changing rules. Their certified personnel are required to pass a 35-question quiz, drawn from the AFIP certification course, every 3 months. Wayne has played an integral role in this process, mentoring scores, if not hundreds, of Hendrick employees through AFIP certification.”

LaBroad enjoys his role in Hendrick Automotive Group’s financial services operation and intends to work into his fourth decade there. “The F&I person has a lot of responsibility – besides executing the transaction, he [or she] is the last Hendrick employee to see the customer, and has to make sure the customer is treated right.”