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Curtis Dubay joins Accelerate Conference speaker lineup

Madelyn PeggOctober 19, 2022

The Powersports Business Accelerate Conference will be joined by Curtis Dubay, chief economist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Nov. 14-16 at the Caribe Royal Resort in Orlando.

Dubay tracks the condition of the economy, analyzes the impact of public policy on economic growth and runs the Chamber’s Chief Economists Committee. He has a great deal of insight and knowledge to share with dealers.

He has researched and published frequently on a wide range of tax and economic issues. He is regularly quoted by the press and has appeared often in the media, including on CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, and C-SPAN. He has testified before Congress several times and been cited in newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, and Politico.

Click the play button below to watch a preview of the topics Dubay will address at the conference on the Powersports Business YouTube channel:

Check out the complete speaker lineup and itinerary for the conference below:

MONDAY, NOV. 14

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Opening Session: Interview with General Managers

Powersports Business content director Dave McMahon will be joined by four dealership owners/general managers. Join the conversation as we look at the year that was, share challenges and successes and identify trends for the future. Questions from dealers in the audience are welcome. With Justin Alpiser, Team Powersports (NC); Eric Osner, Crossroad Powersports (PA); and Mandy and Josh Witt, Power Pac Equipment and Motorsports (WI).

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Welcome Networking and Sponsors Reception

Toast to the past year and learn about the future from your dealership and industry peers with appetizers and drinks provided by the conference’s sponsoring companies. Meet new dealer peers, renew old friendships and connect with leaders from industry brands that can add to your profitability in 2023.

TUESDAY, NOV. 15

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Coffee

8:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Blue skies or storm clouds? Where is the economy headed?

Keynote speaker Curtis Dubay is the chief economist in the Economic Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He will explain some of the confusing metrics around the economy right now, and speak to the challenges of inflation, rising interest rates, the prospects of a full-blown recession, changes in consumer spending and other issues facing the outdoor recreation industry. Based in Washington, D.C., Dubay has access to real-time government data, and tracks the condition of the economy, analyzes the impact of public policy on economic growth and runs the Chamber’s Chief Economists Committee. He has appeared on CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, testified before Congress and been cited in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today and Politico.

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

The three C’s of success in F&I and Sales, with Rob Greenwald

Highly rated presenter Rob Greenwald is taking time away from his dealership engagements to join us again in 2022. This powerful workshop gives you basic framework and a gauge to improve, analyze and maximize your current Sales and Finance selling systems. No matter your structure, 6 or 8 step, whatever you utilize, or even if you have no structure, you will have a strong, easy foundation to close more deals and make greater profits through the breakdown and analysis of this simple yet most effective method.

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

Building a more engaged riding community, with Casie Giddens of Redhills Powersports

Interested in coming up with ways to get your dealership’s customers riding – and buying – more? Join Giddens as she offers up proven methods for success in getting your current customers to engage more with your store.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Networking Lunch

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Why you aren’t making money in service and what you can do to correct it, with Mark Sheffield

Longtime dealership manager Sheffield has seen it all in service. Now a dealership consultant, Sheffield turns the service department on its ear in this session, providing owners and DPs with dozens of points to consider in order to maximize profitability in 2023.

2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Want to grow your dealership? Grow your team first!, with Justin Johnson

Justin Johnson is owner of St. Paul Harley-Davidson and Wild Prairie Harley-Davidson in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Are your employees happy? Do they make your dealership a longterm home? If not, Johnson will reveal tips and tactics for elevating your employee satisfaction. Without it, your dealership’s chances for growth are hampered.

3:15 PM – 4:00 PM

Launching a Business Development Center at your dealership, with Paul McGowan

Key factors to consider and tips for success, with Paul McGowan. Are you harnessing your digital leads in an effective manner? Join McGowan, general manager at Xtreme Powersports in Columbus, Georgia, as he walks you through best practices for forming your own BDC. When is the right time? Why is it the right time? Can you afford a BDC, and perhaps more important, can you not afford a BDC?

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Networking Reception

After a day of getting smarter from your peers, head to the networking reception for some food and drink, along with opportunities to learn more about the companies and brands that can boost your profitability in 2023 and beyond.

5:45 PM – 7:00 PM

Powersports Business Dealership Honors

You won’t want to miss our inaugural PSB Dealership Honors event. All are welcome to attend as we honor dealership owners and staff in a variety of initiatives. Of course, year 2 of the 40 Under 40 Dealers will be revealed. New this year and the only program of its kind in the industry, we’ll unveil the 2022 Women With Spark Dealers. Finally, our Best in Class Dealership Award winners will be recognized for their success over the last year. Stick around for photos that will later appear on the pages of Powersports Business. As usual at the Accelerate Conference, you will not go hungry or thirsty at PSB Dealership Honors event.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16

7:45 AM – 8:15 AM

Coffee

8:15 AM – 9:30 AM

How to overcome an unsettled economy, keep profitability and maintain customer satisfaction, with Rob Greenwald

Greenwald will awaken you quickly to get the stay started with tips and tactics to overcome the numerous headwinds that your dealership faces on a daily basis. Chatter about a recession, a lack of inventory and a myriad of other challenges will be considered, along with coming out strong as we head into 2023.

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Expansion and growth for dealership owners, with Brian Cox

Knowing when the time is right to relocate or add new brand partners, with Brian Cox of Simply Ride. Cox owns a dealership in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, that in recent years has gone from sales of pre-owned units and PG&A to adding a franchise to moving locations and a name change. How do you know if or when the time is right to make those decisions? What factors should you consider while doing so? Cox has been there, done that and is eager to share his experience with his dealer peers.

10:00 AM – 10:45 AM

Leveraging aftermarket parts to drive profitability, with Chera Gibb

Chera Gibb is senior VP of Marketing for North America at Arrowhead Engineered Products, parent company of WPS and All Balls Racing Group. Simply put, the company manufactures and distributes PG&A to thousands of powersports dealerships across the country. Gibb will reveal best practices that help your customers spend more time and money in the parts department.

10:45 AM – 11:30 AM

How to become a better leader in your family-owned dealership, with Brandon Prokupek

Prokupek is the owner of Great Western Motorcycles in North Carolina and a student of leadership. As a dealership owner or partner, how do you impart leadership skills on future stakeholders in the dealership? How do you as an owner ensure that your leadership traits are impactful to those future stars? What are some exercises that you yourself can do in order to become a better leader at the shop? Join us and learn.

11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Networking Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Your dealership’s pay plan – targeting profitability and hiring employees for the long-term, with Mark Sheffield

Mark Sheffield will bring yet another seminar to the Accelerate Conference, this time get-ting into the weeds of dealership pay plans. Do you find yourself replacing staff members due to departures more often than you would like? Would you like to be using that time to grow your business instead? We’ll take a deep dive into the traits of a successful pay plan, making you consider if it’s time to revamp yours in order to maximize profits.

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Consider a new way to operate your F&I department for more growth, with Shawnda Hammonds

Hammonds, controller of the West Virginia-based Logan Powersports Group, started at the ground level at the dealership and has worked her way to the top. Is your F&I department operating at top speed? Does your dealership need a better way to handle F&I sales? Are you maximizing your F&I profit center? Are you offering 100% of the products 100% of the time? Do you wonder if there is money being left on the table? If you need more from your F&I department, learn from an experienced F&I manager who went on to become VP/Controller of the entire dealership group due to her F&I sales success. The session will reveal proven new ideas to implement in F&I for greater growth in 2023.