The automotive industry is facing a generational shift that most operators aren't prepared for, and the window to act is closing faster than anyone wants to admit.

Kent McDonald, President of Northwood University, sits down with Ted Ings and Sarah VanTine to talk about what's really happening to talent in this industry, why the companies moving right now will dominate the next decade, and what Northwood is building that has some of the largest names in automotive quietly paying very close attention.

👉 Register for the upcoming Fixed Ops Roundtable Event

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why the automotive talent crisis is more urgent than most dealers realize
• The qualities top employers are desperately searching for, and why they're harder to find than ever
• What Northwood's Automotive MBA is doing that no other program in the country is attempting
• The bold moves major automotive groups are making right now to secure their next generation of talent
• Why Motorsports is Northwood's exciting new frontier, and who's already taking notice
• The mindset shift that separates the operators who will thrive next decade from those who won't

There's a reason Northwood alumni keep showing up at the highest levels of this business. This conversation explains why.

Listen to the episode featuring Kent MacDonald for even more insights!

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Kent MacDonald

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

Every time a car breaks down, a dealership either wins a customer for life or loses one forever. Most don't even know it's happening.

Anthony Giagnacovo has run 150,000 of those moments, every single month. And in this episode he breaks down exactly what's at stake: the average repair order sitting inside every roadside rescue, why the difference between 45 minutes and 62 minutes can define your entire brand reputation, and the F&I products that quietly guarantee customers have no choice but to come back to your service drive.

This is the conversation about customer retention that nobody in fixed ops is framing correctly. The breakdown isn't the problem. It's the opportunity. And after 62 years of rescues, Anthony knows precisely how to turn the worst moment in a driver's day into the most valuable relationship a dealership can build.

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Anthony Giagnacovo

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement

Automotive talent development just got a serious upgrade, and Lithia & Driveway's DART program is leading the charge.

Diego Rojas, the architect behind one of the most in-demand leadership development programs in automotive retail today, joins the Fixed Ops Roundtable to talk about what's happening inside Lithia & Driveway that dealership general managers across the country are lining up for, and waiting months to get.

What exactly is a "Darter?" Why are stores fighting over them? And what does Lithia's CEO want to see happen before the end of 2026?

Diego answers all of it, and what he reveals about where DART is heading next will surprise you.

In this episode:

• How the DART program develops next-generation dealership leaders differently than anything else in the industry
• Why Northwood University graduates are becoming some of the most sought-after candidates in automotive retail
• The hiring and placement process that makes this program unlike anything else
• Lithia & Driveway's bold 2026 targets straight from the CEO
• What's on the horizon globally for DART

Enjoying The Fixed Ops Roundtable Podcast? Please leave a rating and review 👇

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Brian Kramer

Connect with Ted Ings and the Fixed Ops Roundtable:

• Register for the next Fixed Ops Roundtable Event
• Ted Ings on LinkedIn
• Center for Performance Improvement