HOUSTON — The National Alliance of Buy-Here, Pay-Here Dealers announced it will host a two-day dealer training academy just prior to its annual conference.

The academy will be held at the Venetian Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on May 16-17, followed by the 13th annual National Buy-Here, Pay-Here Conference at the same location May 18-20.

According to Ken Shilson, CPA and founder/president of NABD, the academy is designed to provide in-depth training on all facets of buy-here, pay-here operations. He said it is "ideally suited for people entering the BHPH business, for key employees seeking to expand their knowledge and skills, and for those who are really serious about improving their existing operations."

All sessions will include an operator's perspective on best practices, he stressed.

The dealer training kicks off at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 16, and includes experts such as attorney Tom Hudson on legal and regulatory compliance; Rick Potter, CAR Financial president, on underwriting and capital; Amanda Savage, of Manheim, on acquiring and reconditioning the right vehicles; as well as many other experts.

The sessions will also offer interactive panels with several leading BHPH operators who will offer best practice suggestions.

Shilson stressed that the academy "will include the best of the best" in terms on speakers.

The program will also feature an exhibit hall where sponsors can participate in educational sessions. A reception and luncheon will be held inside the expo hall to facilitate interaction and networking.

The sessions will conclude 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, so attendees can move on to the annual conference.

"For a moderate investment in education, attendees can learn proven strategies to make millions," Shilson said. "During this program attendees will learn how to avoid legal and regulatory pitfalls, learn the best underwriting and collection practices, implement the latest technology, structure their operations to maximize cash flow and minimize taxes, create a profitable business model, monitor performance, motivate and hire employees, increase lot traffic and much more in just two days."

Several dealers offered their feedback on prior training academies.

"We have been in used-car sales for 35 years and this was the most informative training we have ever attended," said DeWayne Hutchins, of Blue Ribbon Auto Sales in Sturgis, Mich.

Meanwhile, Jerry Beene, of AmeriCar Inc. in Pine Bluff Ark., said, "This was a great academy, well organized to start to end. Well worth the investment."

National BHPH Conference

Once the academy wraps up, the national conference kicks off.

"The event this year is a Wednesday through Friday format with more than 2,000 expected attendees," Shilson boasted.

This year's conference theme is "Improving the Image of the BHPH Industry," which Shilson said is critical given the heightened legal and regulatory environment in Washington, D.C.

"We must get America to understand that BHPH provides transportation to millions of Americans who otherwise could not obtain the financing needed to purchase a vehicle. This event will help those in the business and those who wish to enter it to better understand what is needed to change the negative perceptions many people have of the BHPH industry," he explained.

The educational sessions will include presentations and panels covering legal and regulatory matters, including the new Consumer Financial Protection Act, the use of social media, finding capital, maximizing recoveries, finding the best customers on the Internet, vehicle acquisition and reconditioning, the best systems and processes, new technology, the latest industry trends and benchmarks and much more.

The keynote speaker this year will be Greg Link, co-founder of Franklin Covey. He will discuss how to build trust.

In addition, the program will feature a Washington perspective on what the industry can expect in the future and the regulatory environment. The program will include interactive panels with many top operators who will highlight best practices to enhance profits and cash flow.

On Friday morning, the educational sessions will divide into two separate tracks.

"Those breakouts and workshops will provide attendees with information on important topics and will not be infomercials," Shilson stressed.

Furthermore, more than 150 sponsors are expected to make the exhibit hall the largest in BHPH history, Shilson highlighted. Two receptions and a luncheon will be held in the hall to facilitate networking.

To sign up for the dealer training academy, annual conference or both, visit www.bhphinfo.com.