F&I professionals are essential to dealership performance, driving profitability while ensuring compliance and building customer trust. Yet, their contributions often go unrecognized beyond their own stores. To change that, CBT News has launched the inaugural Remarkable Leaders in F&I awards, powered by RouteOne, to honor the leaders who are raising the bar across the industry.
Today, RouteOne Director of National Business Development, Amber Haseley, joins Jim Fitzpatrick to discuss why this recognition matters and why now is the right time to spotlight F&I leadership.
The F&I manager is typically the last point of contact at the dealership before the customer leaves. That interaction can make or break the experience, shaping online reviews, CSI scores and long-term loyalty. The role carries significant pressure. F&I professionals operate at the intersection of evolving technology, tighter margins, regulatory scrutiny and increasingly informed consumers. They must balance customer experience, lender relationships, product presentation and compliance in every transaction.
In this high-pressure environment, what distinguishes a remarkable F&I leader is not simply their ability to execute processes effectively. It’s their commitment to developing their teams and playing the long game. Exceptional leaders invest in onboarding, coching and career pathing to build the next generation of F&I professionals. They create compliance-driven cultures where processes are consistently followed and executed ethically to build sustainable success.
“Recognition makes a difference,” Haseley says. “That’s why it’s important for us to be part of that… It helps raise the bar.”
For RouteOne, supporting the awards is a natural extension of its role in the industry. F&I professionals are among the platform’s primary users, placing them at the center of the company’s daily operations. Haseley notes that the awards align closely with RouteOne’s core values, including integrity, respect and people development. When recognition is done thoughtfully, it reinforces the behaviors that define strong leadership and encourages others to follow suit.
Awards like Remarkable Leaders in F&I can have a meaningful impact on dealership culture. They reinforce that F&I excellence goes beyond production metrics. Leadership, mentorship and cultural influence matter. Recognition provides a benchmark for excellence and inspires emerging leaders to model those behaviors. It also gives recipients a sense of pride in a role that is often measured primarily by monthly numbers.
By spotlighting those elevating the profession, CBT News and RouteOne aim to celebrate the individuals shaping the future of F&I leadership.
You can nominate a deserving leader at cbtnews.com/nominate. Self-nominations are also welcome.
