Education & Training Overview

Randy Barone has over 3 decades of experience & leadership in dealership operations, used car management, and automotive technology. As Vice President of ACV, Randy is helping redefine how dealers acquire, appraise, and retail inventory in the age of data and artificial intelligence. After rising through every position in retail from Sales Associate to General Manager, he later co-founded RedBumper, later acquired by CDK Global, and served as President of American AutoXchange, later acquired by JM&A. Randy has presented at 10 NADA conventions, over 50 state association events, and countless NADA and NCM 20 Group meetings nationwide. He is a two-time Ford Grand Master and has been featured in Dealer World Magazine for building one of the most profitable F&I departments in the country.

Ken Carlson is the Director of Training for Brown & Brown Dealer Services Northeast division. For over 30 years Ken has trained, coached, and developed thousands of dealership personnel throughout the country. Ken conducts training seminars in Sales, Sales Management, F&I and Service. He is a student of the business and has attained AFIP Master- Lifetime Certification. 

Notary Public Central, Inc. has had enormous success conducting Notary Public preparation courses for over two decades. Their growing list of clients includes Fortune 500 companies, governmental institutions as well as numerous community businesses and organizations.

Judy Vann Karstadt has three decades’ experience in the industry, and specializes in training for sales, marketing, F&I, and management. Judy is an AFIP Accredited Facilitator and has trained hundreds of F&I managers. 

Michael Lucki is a 3rd generation car dealer. He is the General Manager and Operating Partner of Riverhead Mazda which is a related business to Riverhead Toyota, Riverhead Ford and Riverhead GMC. Prior to purchasing the Mazda franchise, Michael was a Management Instructor at the NADA Academy where among many classes, he taught a class on car dealership mergers and acquisitions. Michael has over 20 years of automotive experience in the retail, association and vendor space.

Adebayo Norman is a Senior Software Trainer with over 14 years of experience in the classroom. He is a training professional with vast troubleshooting/help desk experience and thousands of hours of software training & delivery experience. His specialty is in the In-person/ Online Hybrid training environment needed in these new & changing times. 

Mark Rodriguez is founder and President of Auto Client Care, Inc., an automotive sales and sales management training organization. With over 20 years of retail and training experience, Mark specializes in training and coaching personnel to deliver world class customer service. 

Michael Renaud is the CEO of Alan Ram’s Proactive Training Solutions and a former New York metro-area automotive executive with deep expertise in BDC leadership, sales and fixed ops management, marketing, and operational strategy. As a dealership leader, he drove 30% growth in new and used sales by building a culture rooted in structured training and business development. Today, he leads one of the industry's most impactful training organizations, supporting dealer groups like Penske, Lithia Auto, Habberstad, Gary Yeomans Automotive, and Performance Auto Group. Under his direction, the company has expanded its ADAPT-VT platform, scaled the Management by Fire event series, and launched cutting-edge tools like AI-powered mystery shops and adaptive coaching simulations to help clients drive measurable results.  

Jean Marie Rugg is General Manager of GNYADA’S DMV-DIRECT division. Her automotive biller experience enables her to quickly explain DMV procedures and requirements to dealership employees. 

“G“ Jerry Truglia is a recognized expert on automotive systems and best practices for their repair and has trained technicians on all popular domestic and international vehicle brands all over North America and Europe. He has authored several FMCSA-approved inspection manuals and training programs for state governments, is ASE-certified, and a Golden Wrench winner. With decades of hands-on experience in every aspect of vehicle repair and education expertise unmatched in the automotive aftermarket industry, “G“ strives to make every DTC student the best technician they can be.