ARLINGTON, Va. — The Consumer Bankers Association announced the keynote speaker for its 29th Premier Automobile Finance Conference & Tradeshow in addition to several other event details.

Delivering the keynote address will be Mike Jackson, the chairman and chief executive officer of AutoNation.

The Automobile Finance Conference — which will be held March 29-31, 2009, at the Omni Orlando Resort in Orlando, Fla. — gathers senior executives and industry leaders from lenders and solution providers throughout the country.

This emphasis of this year's conference is on strategies to boost lending during this tight credit market and to emerge from this current economic cycle ready to compete. 

Jackson's presentation will touch on how the industry has changed over the last five years as well as his views on where it is headed.

He will discuss how he believes tightening credit availability will impact dealers and affect consumer purchasing power. Moreover, Jackson will also look at how the demand for more fuel efficient vehicles will affect manufacturing.

Jackson has served as AutoNation's chief executive officer and director of the board since September 1999. He was appointed chairman of the board in 2003. Before his time with AutoNation, Jackson was president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.

Other speakers will present throughout the three-day event, sharing their views on the economy's challenges from the bank, dealer and industry perspectives.

The conference will also include:

—High-level panel and small group discussions addressing such topics as health of the industry, the current credit environment, industry best practices and positioning the product to provide value.

—An open interactive forum encouraging lively participation and candid discussion from senior banking executives and leaders in the auto finance industry.

—Diverse vendor hall with over 50 solution providers showcasing the latest products and services.

"CBA's conference provides critical knowledge to help bankers navigate and plan their lending activities in 2009 and 2010," commented Mark Pregmon, chairman of the CBA Automotive Finance Committee and executive vice president of consumer lending/LOB manager at SunTrust Bank.

"This is a conference every auto lender should attend and support," Pregmon continued. "Every year I put into action the valuable information I collect in the conference sessions and in my discussions with peers."

Joe Belew, president of the Consumer Bankers Association, added: "Today's credit environment is putting intense pressure on the auto business and the industry is facing dynamic change in the coming months.

"For nearly 30 years, CBA's commitment to the auto industry has brought thought leaders together to discuss strategy and share best practices," Belew noted. "The program reflects the changes in the industry and provides our attendees with the insight they need to plan their business going forward."

Registration fee for CBA members is $1,245 and the CBA corporate member group rate is $945. For non-members, the fee is $1,545. Special conference room rate of $229 is available until March 6, 2009.

For more information, visit www.cbanet.org or contact CBA at (703) 276-1750 or conferences@cbanet.org.