HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Organizers of Compliance Summit 2014 announced that the inaugural event drew a large, engaged crowd to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., this week.

David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of Auto Dealer Monthly and F&I and Showroom, said interest in the Florida conference, which will be followed by events in the South, Midwest and West in 2015, exceeded all expectations.

“We had confidence in the regional model, our agenda, our speakers and the high number of early registrations, despite just a few weeks’ worth of advance marketing,” Gesualdo said. “We could not have anticipated the number of onsite registrants, nor the high levels of energy and interaction we saw from the entire group. The speakers and attendees showed up, rolled up their sleeves and got to work. It was inspiring.”

Compliance Summit began Monday afternoon and concluded with a reception on Tuesday evening. The agenda covered front-end compliance issues specific to the state of Florida as well as a comprehensive review of rules, regulations and recent actions from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Speakers included attorneys, dealership personnel, agents and trainers, as well as Ted Smith, president of the Florida Automobile Dealers Association (FADA).

“The speakers were very good and the attendees took home a myriad of information and best practices,” said Smith, who presented “Barbarians at Your Gate,” a stirring luncheon keynote he delivered on Tuesday afternoon.

Organizers said the next regional event will likely be held in Texas early next year. Stay tuned to ComplianceSummit.com for updates on the 2015 events.