Scott Riopelle

With over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, I bring a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in day-to-day operations within the auto dealership world. My extensive background has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to successfully lead management teams, providing them with the financial insight needed to assess their current operations and identify opportunities for growth and profitability. Team development is one of my strengths, as I excel at uniting fixed operations departments to work collaboratively and drive increased revenue. Additionally, my strong financial aptitude allows me to pinpoint inefficiencies within operations, guiding teams toward more streamlined and profitable outcomes. My key strengths include profit and loss management, team building, and fostering a collaborative culture to drive performance and success.

• Six Sigma
• I-CAR
• Axaltas
• Assured performance
• SP2
• AMI ( Automotive Management Institute)

Throughout my 24-year career in the automotive industry, I have gained extensive experience across various sectors. This breadth of knowledge has given me a profound understanding of industry dynamics and operations. My versatility and innovative thinking have consistently benefited both my own career and the companies I've worked with, especially in driving financial success. I have a strong grasp of personnel management, including the roles, tools, and training necessary for achieving optimal results.

I foster a collaborative environment within my operations, integrating fixed and variable operations to ensure seamless teamwork. By including variable operations in fixed operations meetings, all teams are aligned on the importance of effective guest handling. This approach not only enhances service quality but also boosts vehicle sales and improves post-purchase customer satisfaction indices (CSI).

My expertise in service operations is rooted in recognizing service as a cornerstone of customer retention and a foundation for long-term relationships with our dealership. I manage key performance indicators (KPIs) such as utilization rates, efficiency, effective labor rates, hours per repair order (RO), revenue per technician, gross margins, EBITDA, and CSI. Daily monitoring of throughput and efficiency is crucial to maintaining optimal service department performance and supporting ongoing growth.

Developing management teams with a strong financial understanding is essential, as many operations struggle due to inadequate financial oversight. For instance, service managers sometimes neglect to audit service repair orders (ROs) or monitor labor rates, which can lead to reduced revenue from inaccurate job quotes or unnecessary parts discounts, ultimately affecting the parts department's gross margins. I advocate for 'inspecting what you expect,' holding management teams accountable for their financial decisions and outcomes.

In recent years, I successfully built and managed two collision centers—one 30,000 sq. ft. and the other 40,000 sq. ft.—along with several other facilities within the group. My deep knowledge of dealership collision centers, developed early in my career, earned me this responsibility. My performance has been recognized industry-wide, consistently outpacing competitors, with many vendors willing to provide testimonials to my leadership.

Additionally, I have mentored numerous management teams, both within and outside my organization. The close-knit nature of the dealership world has allowed me to coach many managers on training, OEM certifications, and financial principles critical to industry success. This mentorship is vital for distinguishing ourselves from the increasing presence of MSO (multi-shop operator) groups.

Moreover, my strong parts background from working with LKQ Corporation during the Keystone acquisition has been invaluable. I was involved in warehouse management and parts procurement, training staff and ensuring optimal inventory levels by using parts quoting reports to identify high-demand items and avoid obsolescence. I also implemented a lean management system to reduce overhead costs and enhance efficiency.

Last but not least, my main objective moving forward is to leverage my knowledge to build and maintain strong management teams. I aim to coach and mentor these teams while educating them on essential automotive financial principles and key performance indicators (KPIs) that directly reflect and drive profitability in their departments.