MTADA 109TH ANNUAL FAMILY CONVENTION CONVENTION SPEAKERS Kendall Rawls Director of Development, The Rawls Group Since officially joining the firm in 2004, Kendall has navigated issues that many business owners face, including working effectively with family, building rapport with key management and outside strategic partners, influencing teamwork, and implementing strategic initiatives to drive growth and increase organizational performance. She knows and understands the challenges that impact entrepreneurial-owned businesses’ success and offers a unique perspective derived from her background and experience as a second-generation, family-member employee of The Rawls Group. Kendall is a frequent contributor to national industry publications in automotive retail, multi-unit franchise, marine, and energy. In her free time, Kendall enjoys spending time with her dog, practicing yoga, playing beach volleyball and volunteering for her local neighborhood association. Brian Kramer EVP, Cars.com | General Manager of Accu-Trade Brian has prior experience as a multi-dealership General Manager specializing in digital transformation with 26+ years of retail dealership experience. He became a dealership General Manager at the age of 24 and has operating experience for AutoNation and the Germain Automotive Group for franchises including Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Infiniti, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Toyota and Lincoln franchises in Ohio and Florida. He is the recipient of the inaugural Automotive News “Top 40 under 40” award and a member of the Google Dealer Advisory Board. Brian led the initiative, resulting in the first 100% paperless transaction in 2020. He pioneered and delivered the first automotive transaction in the Metaverse and has been featured in Automotive News, F&I Magazine, Digital Dealer Magazine, Jalopnik, The Wall Street Journal, as well on the PBS documentary Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid. Michele Wright Director of Sales, Cox Automotive Michele is a 20-year sales and marketing expert and has held senior roles in telecom, digital marketing and real estate before finding her home in automotive. She came to Cox Automotive eight years ago and is currently the Director of Sales over the Mountain States region covering eight states. Her team is consistently ranked highest in customer satisfaction and has created an in-store training program to help better partner locally. At Cox, she has been on several councils and pilots benefiting her clients, most recently working with marketing and economic insights to bring regional and state-specific information to the states that she works with. Michele is passionate about the growth of this part of the country and has expanded the footprint of Cox Automotive by hiring more local consultants to better serve dealers. Michele resides outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, with her two sons. In her free time, she loves to ski, hike, golf and host dinner parties. 27
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