DALLAS -

EFG Companies, together with Northwood University, recently announced the judging panel in the 2016 F&I Innovator of the Year competition. Representing all automotive brands spanning across the country, the eight-member blue-ribbon judging panel brings extensive experience and expertise in understanding consumer drivers in the F&I space. 

The judges will select a winning F&I product idea from one of six teams currently competing in the F&I Innovator of the Year competition, which will conclude on Friday. The winning team and product will be announced Dec. 8 at Northwood University.

The 2016 competition judges include:

—Alvin Heggs, dealer principal at Superstition Springs Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

—Kurt Hornung, vice president of F&I operations at AutoNation

—John Kane, co-founder of Empire Dealer Services

—Tiger Lester, regional finance and insurance director at Group 1 Automotive

—Anthony Patterson, vice president of operations, Patterson Auto Group

—Claudia Sands, director of financial services, Penske Automotive Group

—Fernando Somoza, executive manager, Central Houston Cadillac, Central Houston Nissan, & Baytown Nissan

—John Stephens, senior vice president of dealer services, EFG Companies

“The judges selected for this panel have developed reputations as change agents within the automotive industry on both regional and national levels,” said John Pappanastos, president and chief executive officer of EFG Companies.

“Their ability to raise the bar in innovation, backed by their years of experience, gives them the unique ability to determine what F&I product has the most potential to benefit consumers, dealerships and the industry as a whole,” Pappanastos continued.

The F&I Innovator of the Year competition is designed to foster breakthrough ideas in the F&I space. It includes six competing teams from Northwood University that have been tasked with developing a business case for a new F&I product. The students must research, rationalize and demonstrate market viability of their new product, and its potential to facilitate F&I product sales in franchise dealerships.

At the conclusion of the competition, EFG Companies will award the winning team $25,000. The company will also develop the winning F&I product for the retail automotive marketplace, and return a percentage of the product’s revenues to Northwood University.

Visit this website to learn more about the F&I Innovator of the Year Contest.