MT. ARLINGTON, NJ – For those last-minute remarketing professionals, there's still time to register for next week's annual International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA) Remarketing Summer Roundtable conference. The event will be held July 27-29, at the Embassy Suites Hotel Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta and the Manheim DRIVE Center. Room rates are $179 per night.

Thursday, July 28 Roundtable sessions will feature a discussion on the basis for vehicle values and those factors that affect values. Ricky Beggs of Black Book will moderate the Vehicle Values Roundtable, while Chuck Parker of Automotive Digest and Scott Kolb of the SKI Group will moderate the Roundtable on remarketing technology and best selling practices in the marketplace.

Panel discussions on Friday, July 29 will feature a Dealer Centric Panel, moderated by Layne Weber of Donlen Corp., composed of various segments of vehicle dealerships. The IARA will present its benchmark matrix with ranges of measurements derived from its remarketer surveys. The benchmark initiative is designed to assist remarketers in assessing their own remarketing statistics. IARA President Steve Houston, WFS Financial, and also a member of the NAAA Benchmark Task Force, will moderate the panel featuring Tom Kontos of ADESA, in addition to one industry member from banking, fleet lease, rentals, manufacturers, remarketing service providers, and auctions.

IARA Roundtable Agenda:

Wednesday, July 27

2-7 p.m: Registration Open.

3-4:30 p.m: Board of Directors’ Meeting (Board members only).

5-7 p.m: Welcome Cocktail Reception.

Thursday, July 28

(Meeting held at Manheim DRIVE Center.)

7-8 p.m: Registration Open.

8:15 a.m: Buses depart for Manheim DRIVE Center.

9:30 a.m: Tour of Manheim DRIVE Center.

10:30 a.m: IARA Annual Meeting & Committee Reports:

Steve Houston, IARA President; Matt Marks, IARA executive director.

12 p.m: Luncheon & Guest Speaker: Tony Moorby, Flying Lion Dealer Services.

1:30 p.m: Concurrent Roundtable Sessions:

1) Vehicle Values

Ricky Beggs, Black Book.

2) Technology & Selling Best Practices

Moderators: Chuck Parker, Automotive Digest & Scott Kolb, The SKI Group.

2:45-3 p.m: Break

3-4:15 p.m: Concurrent Roundtable Alternate Sessions resume.

5-6:45 p.m: Cocktail reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres at the DRIVE Center, sponsored by Manheim.

6:10, 6:30, 6:50 p.m: Buses depart for CNN and hotel with up to 40 people each.

7, 7:20, 7:40 p.m: CNN tours begin. Tours last 45 minutes. For those going to the Embassy Suites, the bus will proceed across the street from CNN to the hotel.

Friday, July 29

(All functions at Embassy Suites Hotel)

7-9 p.m: Registration Table Open.

7:30 a.m: Benchmarking in the Remarketing Industry. Panel moderator: Steve Houston, WFS Financial.

Panelists: Tom Kontos, ADESA; Carl Scandura, Toyota Financial Services; Bob Graham, Automotive Resources International (ARI); Stuart Angert, RSA-Fiserv; Mark Griffiths, Manheim; others TBA.

8:45-9 a.m: Break.

9-10:15 a.m: Dealer Centric Panel with Atlanta-Area Vehicle Dealers, Layne Weber, Donlen Corp., Moderator.

10:20-10:40 a.m: Meeting Wrap-up

Matt Marks, IARA executive director.

To learn more visit: www.iaraonline.org/.