LAS VEGAS — Organizers of the P&A Leadership Summit have announced that Terry O’Loughlin has agreed to speak at the first annual event in September. O’Loughlin is a veteran attorney, compliance expert and dealer advocate, and he currently serves as director of compliance for Reynolds and Reynolds.

“Terry was our first choice for this session,” said David Gesualdo, show chair and publisher of F&I and Showroom magazine. “We need an expert who can make sense of the mixed messages coming from Washington. And for an attorney, he’s actually pretty easy to follow,” Gesualdo joked.

O’Loughlin will draw on several decades of experience as he presents a session designed to help attendees make sense of the current regulatory climate.

“We’ll look at the same areas at which the government agencies are looking,” O’Loughlin said. “I plan to present case studies and examples from actual deal jackets and transactions. My goal is to distill the legal complexities into a manageable process.”

O’Loughlin acknowledges that the new enhanced authority granted to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the responsibilities charged to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have added new layers of complexity to dealership compliance efforts. But he describes recent agency inquiries as “old wine in new bottles,” noting that unfair and deceptive practices, document fraud and false or misleading advertising remain at the center of most investigations. “This is certainly true for state agencies, as well, which investigate dealers.” he added.

“Why are advertising violations such common allegations? They are the easiest cases to make,” O’Loughlin said. “They don’t have to go anywhere or do any research beyond reading the ad.” As with most compliance measures, he added, dealers can head off trouble by taking a few, simple steps to prevent the appearance of fraud. “This is basic stuff that any smart dealer can do.”

The P&A Leadership Summit is a joint production between P&A and F&I and Showroom magazines. The event will be held on the afternoon of Monday, September 16, at Paris Las Vegas, concluding shortly before the evening keynote and welcome reception for the annual Industry Summit. Industry Summit attendees can add the P&A Leadership Summit to their registration for an additional fee of $395.

For more information visit www.pa-leadershipsummit.com or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact David Gesualdo via email or call 727-947-4027.