The Automotive Remarketing Alliance officially marks its first Summer Roundtable conference this year — as the ARA.

After announcing a brand change in March from the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA), the leading professional organization for vehicle consignors is on track to complete the first rebranding in its 23-year history on Aug. 20 — the first day of the “ARA” Summer Roundtable.

The event, which draws several hundred attendees each year, will be held through Aug. 22 at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort in Frisco, Texas, located about 32 miles north of the Dallas Ft.-Worth International Airport. Discounts on the ARA hotel room block expire on Monday, July 29.

“ARA aims to help our members be more competitive in the wholesale marketplace, whether they're consignors, auctions, or a provider to the industry,” said ARA executive director Mark Coleman. “To that end, a key focus for Summer Roundtable is to update our members on recent industry developments.”

Throughout the summer, the ARA has been converting to the new brand on its website and on social media channels while  developing a branding kit for industry partners, Coleman said. The ARA website at IARA.biz will soon be relaunched as RemarketingAlliance.com. ARA leaders announced the rebranding at the Conference of Automotive Remarketing.

Among agenda highlights:

• A keynote interview with Ernie Garcia III, CEO of ADESA/Carvana following a record comeback for the company since Garcia last appeared at the IARA Summer Roundtable in 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.

• A second “Inside the Industry” keynote session with Doug Campbell, CEO of America's Car-Mart.

• A look into the future of automotive remarketing and the wider industry with Steve Greenfield of Automotive Ventures.

Social and networking activities include:

• GROW (Global Remarketing Opportunities for Women) will be holding a silent auction fundraiser on Tuesday, Aug. 20 with proceeds going toward scholarships for GROW members who want to become Certified Automotive Remarketers (CAR) certified, a designation earned through completing 20 online education modules and then taking tests on knowledge gained.

• A quarterly consignors-only meeting on Thursday, Aug. 22 where ARA's consignor members gather to address opportunities and challenges, often in collaboration with members of the National Auto Auction Association’s Standards Committee who will detail progress on two key initiatives.

The ARA this year has reached an all-time high in membership with 275 organizations including 62 consignor companies and providers representing 1,250 industry workers. The group is closing in on 500 total CAR certifications with more than 250 annual renewals underway, and participation on ARA committees is at an all-time high.

“ARA aims to help our members gain a competitive edge; for consignors, membership amplifies their voice and influence in the industry so their preferences are heard on policy development and implementation among our auction partners and friends,” Coleman said.

“Regardless of what part of the wholesale remarketing industry they serve, our members tell me ARA's face-to-face and virtual networking opportunities help them grow revenue and build their businesses.”