Amplifying Our Voice at the First Reynolds Retail Summit

In my role as chief customer ambassador here at Reynolds, I get to talk with our customers. And I’ve met with dealers in all kinds of different settings. I’ve been in their showrooms. We’ve shared meals together. I’ve welcomed them to our Innovation Center here in Dayton. And I’ve traveled for various customer road shows, like the events we had in Canada earlier this year .

One place I never expected to talk shop is at the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But that’s exactly what happened at Reynolds Retail Summit: Amplify 2023. I guess sometimes dreams do come true.

We’ve never hosted a summit or done anything quite like this before. It was a great opportunity to connect people from all corners of the automotive industry: dealers, journalists, experts, and other prominent voices. Day one of the event kicked off with a round of golf at the Brickyard Crossing, a Pete Dye-designed course that features four holes inside IMS. It gave everybody a chance to loosen up and relax…at least until you missed an easy putt. There were some great conversations, challenging golf, and beautiful scenery.

Much like Reynolds, Brickyard Crossing has a long and storied history. It’s been the beneficiary of some major investments and upgrades since being purchased by Roger Penske back in 2019. Reynolds has had a similar mission in recent years. We’ve made significant changes to our leadership team, added to our portfolio with key acquisitions, focused on doing our part to drive conversations within the automotive ecosystem, and recommitted ourselves to impacting the success of our customers. The Reynolds Retail Summit was another chance for us to share our expertise and talk about where the industry is heading.

There was no shortage of star power on day two. Jason Stein , host of “Cars & Culture with Jason Stein” on SiriusXM, talked with IndyCar drivers Graham Rahal and Benjamin Pedersen about their success on the track and Graham’s experiences in the dealership world. Reynolds president Chris Walsh also sat down with Rob Kurnick Jr., president of Penske Automotive Group. Rob shared some fantastic insights about the current challenges in the automotive industry and how to prepare for what’s ahead. In addition to those keynotes, Brian Pasch from the Pasch Group and Don Graff from Don Graff Automotive Advisors hosted breakout sessions to share their knowledge with those in attendance.

To match all of these accredited guest speakers, Reynolds brought their own team of all-stars for product demos and in-depth user groups. Reynolds director of compliance Terry O’Loughlin and American Guardian Warranty Services vice president of training Bob Harkins provided a deep dive into the latest automotive dealership regulations. Jeff Adams, director of product management (fixed operations), gave an Advanced Serviced masterclass. And vice president of customer success services Carl Bennett led a session focused on how dealers can get buy-in from their team for a DMS change.

Christopher Walsh opened the Reynolds Retail Summit by mentioning three pillars we’ve been focusing on as a company since he stepped into the role: our product lineup, our investment in the success of our customers, and our involvement within the industry. Hosting this event really ticked all three boxes. As we get ready for NADA 2024, we’re continuing to make strategic acquisitions that make our Retail Management System the best approach to run your entire business. We’re dedicated to helping dealers get the most out of our solutions. And we’re making our voice heard as the automotive industry goes through massive amounts of change. I highly encourage you to make plans to see us in Las Vegas and I look forward to seeing you there!