DAYTON, Ohio – June 16, 2025 – The Reynolds and Reynolds Company is reminding potential entrants, the final day to submit their ideas for recognition in the 2025 Automotive Amplifiers Contest is June 30.
The contest, in its second year, is open to all dealership personnel across the US, to share the best practices they’ve come up with that make a difference at their dealership – regardless of DMS provider or technology used.
“Innovation drives the retail automotive industry forward,” said Chris Walsh, president and acting CEO of Reynolds. “This contest is an opportunity to celebrate those that push the envelope; or find new and better ways to grow customer loyalty, interaction, and satisfaction; or that find or develop efficiencies that result in increased revenue and profit for everyone at the dealership.”
Jeremy Reardon of Westside Lexus was one of three winners in the 2024 contest.
“I gained a lot from participating in the contest, not only from people sharing with me their ideas on my topic, but also from group discussions, and from others that were in the contest,” said Reardon. “We’re currently making some big strides with one of the ideas from last year – going all paperless, transitioning all our invoices to being emailed to customers.
“This will save money, and the ability has been there to do it. But hearing about some of the struggles of doing this, and continuing the discussion with them afterwards, has helped us develop our process into what works for our store.
“You know some people think they are ‘giving away secrets,’ but there are no secrets left in this business – just people who try and fail, and try again to make something work, and those that don’t,” concluded Reardon. “Regardless of your process, being open to sharing and hearing feedback from others on their experience, or ideas that have worked for them, will only benefit you and your process.”
James Dieli, master certified service advisor and warranty administrator at Beau Townsend Ford, was honored as a winner as well, for the very idea Reardon is speaking of.
“The Automotive Amplifiers Contest and forum was one of the best experiences of my professional career,” said Dieli. “Sharing our ideas with like-minded individuals, and the follow up interactions were so insightful and helpful to understand what others believe in as best practices. I made some lifelong connections and learned from everyone I met.”
Justin Rash, also of Beau Townsend Ford and the third winner last year, had this to say, “Presenting our approach to going paperless in F&I at Amplify ‘24 was an incredible opportunity to contribute to the future of our industry.
“What truly made the experience unforgettable was learning from other passionate dealership professionals—their ideas sparked fresh thinking and inspired real improvements in our own operations. If you’re considering entering this year, do it—you’ll walk away with more than recognition; you’ll gain insights, connections, and momentum to drive meaningful change.”
Whether you came up with the best practice yourself or are a supervisor who wants to present it on behalf of the person who is too humble to do it themselves, entering the contest is incredibly easy.
Those interested simply fill out the form on the Automotive Amplifiers Contest page. Finalists will present their best practice at the Reynolds Retail Summit: Amplify 2025 in Dallas on August 19. Each finalist will give a five-minute presentation with three minutes of Q&A to a panel of independent judges who will select two winners at the event.
Five finalists will receive a VIP ticket to the summit, which includes flight, accommodation, meals, and full access to workshop sessions. The two winners will receive a $5,000 donation to the charity of their choice, plus a trophy to display at their dealership. All valid entries will be featured in the Amplify Automotive magazine.
“We all know individuals who are stars that shine brightly and lead the way in the dealership. They are the ones who amplify results for the dealership and represent the best our industry has to offer,” concluded Walsh. “We want to honor them for what they do. Please help us do that.”
