The Automotive Remarketing Alliance (ARA) ensures its live sessions follow a two-way path at the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR).

The agenda is as much about the audience as it is the speakers, and it sets the overall approach of participation for the three-day event being held March 18-20 at the Sheraton San Diego Resort along the marina.

Attendees are invited to open forum, workshop-style sessions on Tuesday, March 18, where they can voice viewpoints, concerns, and solutions for various remarketing industry matters and questions.

The ARA is holding the following open forums starting at 1 pm that will provide attendees with actionable insights into social media marketing, how artificial intelligence could potentially be used to minimize arbitration, and an update on modernizing titles and registration through eSTART. The three forums are titled:

• Membership Engagement and Building Brand Awareness

• Industry Advancement: Prompting the Discussion for Using AI in Arbitrations.

• Compliance and eSTART Briefing about modernizing automotive title and registration.

After the open forums and a board of directors meeting, Joe Miller of Awareness to Action Coaching will lead a session on shaping future leaders while addressing leadership myths. The panel will cover how generational collaboration between early-career and late-career remarketing professionals can affect leadership development and career growth.

“We have teed up some timely and actionable content from ARA member organizations and industry allies,” ARA President Doug Turner said. “ARA’s committee chairpersons and panel leaders have done an excellent job putting together a meaningful agenda.”

The next day, the ARA’s annual Consignor Only session will focus on briefing its members on two white papers. The papers include common-sense steps to reduce the risk of theft and fraud during vehicle transport and insights into the rapidly escalating number of off-lease EVs beginning to enter the industry’s remarketing cycle.

“I’m confident folks who attend ARA’s open sessions and panels will come away with solid advice that will help them be even more competitive,” said Chris Clarke, ARA vice president.

Later that afternoon, the ARA-affiliated Global Remarketing Opportunities for Women (GROW) will hold a panel discussion among women leaders who will share lessons learned and how they overcame challenges to pursue success.

“This panel goes beyond celebration,” said Shelly Frank, GROW co-founder and director of national accounts for DAA Southwest and DAA Rockies. “It’s a candid, empowering discussion featuring some of the most dynamic women in the industry who are redefining the rules. Hear their stories of resilience to level up their careers. The questions they will be asked will be honest and candid and will promote the value of women in our industry.”

GROW has supported women in Auto Remarketing since it started in 2022 and was formally launched in August 2023 at an ARA conference. It provides a platform to promote and expand the growth of women in the automotive remarketing industry through networking events, quarterly discussions via Zoom and at conferences, and its “Speak Up” series. 

This year, GROW has added a mentorship program for first-time conference attendees this year and is planning nationwide charity events.