ORLANDO, Fla. — Gregory Arroyo, editorial director of F&I and Showroom and Auto Dealer Today, will reprise his role as moderator of Industry Summit’s annual “From the Boardroom” panel session, organizers announced today,

The panel will feature top executives from F&I product companies and software firms, who will tackle the big questions facing the F&I trade as the industry continues to push for a more digitized car-buying experience.

“There’s a reason why our tagline this year is ‘Protect the Future of F&I,’” said Arroyo. “This drive to move the sales and F&I processes online has clouded our industry’s future and raised a slew of questions — questions I hope to tackle with panelists.”

The discussion will also look at the new wave of compliance, with state attorneys general vowing to take up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s torch now that its dealer participation guidance has been repealed. The panel will also look at the Federal Trade Commission, which is fully staffed for the first time in years and has a new director of consumer protection.

The panel will also examine the impacts of rising interest rates and record transaction prices, as well as look at F&I production and what’s driving it in today’s margin-compressed environment. Trends in auto finance will also be a key focus, particularly the pullback by banks, the market share grab by credit unions, and the overall retreat from the subprime tiers.

“We’ve seen a lot consolidation on the F&I product provider and agent sides of the business. Could this be the result of today’s digital transformation?” Arroyo noted. “Sometimes, when you’re going through a transformation, you don’t even know you’re going through it. And that’s what we’ll find out this October during Industry Summit’s annual ‘From the Boardroom’ panel discussion.”

Industry Summit is scheduled for Oct. 8–10 at the Caribe Royale Orlando, in Orlando, Fla. For more information or to register, visit www.industrysummit.com. To discuss sponsorships and exhibition opportunities, contact David Gesualdo at (727) 947-4027 or via email at [email protected].