Autovate 2022 Agenda
Bringing together Visionary Investors with Progressive Dealers, Innovative Entreprenuers and Cutting-Edge Automakers
AUTOVATE 2022 Thanks each of the speakers for contributing to what was an incredible agenda.
Stay tuned for upcoming news and updates about AUTOVATE 2023.
Created by The Banks Report in 2016, AUTOVATE is a first-class experience with high-level content in a relaxed atmosphere built for dealers, executives and investors in automotive retail.
It is also where the action is and transactions begin. The conversations for more than a billion dollars in acquisitions began at AUTOVATE.
- Evaluating investment opportunities for dealers.
- Follow the money – what do the investors think?
- The pending “agency” model – reality or myth?
- Hear from new entrants to the market.
- How connected vehicles will impact the retail business and will create connected customers.
- Preparing your dealership facilities for an EV world.
- Record transactions in the Dealer Buy-Sell world — what’s the impact on dealers and vendors? How long will the buying frenzy last?
- The changing DMS landscape and what that means for vendors, dealers, and OEMs.
- How to interpret the vendor M&A landscape and determine what it means for your dealership.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30TH
2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Registration
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Welcome Reception
Hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the Castillo Lucena & Cortijo Plaza.
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Welcome Party
Rekindle past relationships and create new friends over cocktails and snacks in the Camelback Suite.
THURSDAY DECEMBER 1ST
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Location: Joya Terrace
Breakfast
Rise and shine as we officially kick off AUTOVATE.
7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
Limitless Minds
Learn key mindset concepts and leave with an implementation plan to optimize your performance. Topics covered will be the foundational concepts of the Fundamentals of Thinking and how to get to neutral, taught by Limitless Minds CEO, Harry Wilson, brother of NFL quarterback Russell Wilson. The session will cover important topics like dealing with change, managing adversity and overcoming challenges.
8:30 am – 8:40 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Welcome & Industry Overview
Emmy award winner and TV personality Nick Calderone and AUTOVATE founder Cliff Banks.
8:40 am – 9:15 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
The Future
Glenn Mercer brings more than 35 years of automotive industry experience coupled with his unique and often humorous perspective of what automotive retailers and investors can look forward to.
9:15 am – 9:45 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
NADA’s Perspective
A conversation with NADA Chairman and Dealer Mike Alford and NADA’s Executive Vice President of Legal & Regulatory Affairs.
9:45 am – 10:15 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Dealer Conversations
William Camastro, Dealer/Partner with Gold Coast Cadillac (one of the top selling Cadillac stores) which is part of the Serra Automotive organization, shares his perspective on technology and investing, and Cadillac’s electric vehicle future.
Dealership attorney Leonard Bellavia provides an update on the challenges to the franchise system and what state associations are doing to protect dealerships.
10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Fireside Chat
Conversation with CDK Global CEO Brian MacDonald
11:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Dealer Investor Case Study
- Bill Cariss, President & CEO of Holman Strategic Ventures
- Eric Flow, President of Management Services at Flow Automotive Companies
- Atul Patel Co-Founder & CEO of Orbee
- Andrew Carrington, Chief of Innovation, Technology & Applications
11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
The View from the Capital Markets
- Franklin McLarty, Chairman & CEO of McLarty Diversified Holdings
- James Taylor, Managing Director of Automotive for Truist Securities
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Fireside Chat
Long-time friends and business partners, Alexi Venneri and Adam Simms, in a conversation moderated my Jason Stein, discuss how being hyper-responsive to consumers and continually leveraging new technology gives dealers a competitive edge to today and in the future. They will also discuss buy vs. build strategies and their own M&A experience.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Location: Joya Terrace
Lunch
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Investing in Automotive Dealerships
Conversation with Don Reese, Partner with Franchise Equity Partners
2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Future of Automotive Retailing
Conversation with Cox Automotive Vice President of Consumer Solutions Jessica Stafford
2:30 pm – 3:00 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
CEO Perspectives
Conversation with Rusty West, CEO of Market Scan
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Tech Perspectives
Conversation with Doug Miller, President of Cars.com
3:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Break
3:45 pm – 4:45 PM
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Entrepreneur Case Studies
- Mark Queen, Founder of Skai Vision
- Blair Silverberg, CEO of Hum Capital with Larry Bruce, Founder of PowerSportsX & PSXDigital
- Marcus Aman, CEO & Co-Founder of Bayley Service Intelligence
- Eric Brown, CEO and Co-Founder of inSearchX (Ask Otto) with Jeremiah Wheeler, President of the DRNdata & MVTRAC business units for Motorola Solutions Inc.
4:45 pm – 5:15 pm
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Investment Opportunities for Dealers
Panel Discussion with:
- Quin Garcia, Co-Founder & Managing Director Autotech Ventures
- Steve Greenfield, CEO & Founder of Auto Ventures
- Bill Cariss, President & CEO of Holman Strategic Ventures
- David Spisak, Founder of Disruptive Growth Solutions
5:15 pm – 5:30 PM
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Raising Capital in FinTech
Amitay Kalmar, CEO & Co-Founder of LendBuzz
5:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Joya Terrace
Preparing for the Investment & the Exit
Panel discussion with:
- Eric Denlinger, Managing Partner with Cowen
- Daniel Raglan, M&A Attorney & Partner with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
- Ron Frey, Automotive Strategist, M&A Advisor, Investor
- Marty Blue, Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Harvard Business School, Board Member, Advisor
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Reception
Watch the sunset over Camelback Mountain as we network over Hors d’oeuvres and drinks on the Valencia Lawn.
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Afterparty
Finish day one of AUTOVATE with a nightcap and networking in the Camelback Suite.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 2ND
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Location: Joya Terrace
Breakfast
Kick off the final day of the event with AUTOVATE’s recovery breakfast as Founder Cliff Banks moderates a panel conversation with:
- Jay Vijayan, CEO & Co-Founder of Tekion
- Napoleon Rumteen, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Tekion
- David Spisak, Founder of Disruptive Growth Solutions
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Electric Vehicles – Where Are We Now? And Where Are We Headed?
Conversations with:
- Michael Dunne, CEO at ZoZoGo LLC
- Eric Kohn, Vice President of TransUnion’s Auto Market Strategy
- Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Research & Development Director for Cox Automotive, Mobility
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Marketing & FinTech
Conversations with:
- Doug Caywood, Co-Founder of Search Engines MD
- Aaron Bickart, General Manager of OfferLogix
10:00 am am – 10:15 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
What’s New in Conversational AI
Josselyn Boudett, Founder & CEO of Stella Automotive
10:15 am – 10:30 am
Break
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
CEO Perspectives
- Curtis Nixon, CEO, President & Co-Founder of UpdatePromise
11:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Alhambra Ballroom
Insights in Dealmaking – Bringing the Big Acquisition Across the Finish Line
Eric Denlinger, Managing Director for Cowen
11:30 am – 12:00 pm
The Final Stretch
Conversations with Dealer Executives about Dealership Buy-Sells; the future of the franchise model