ConnectedPodcast

In this episode of Connected, Greg sits down with Nikhil Kalani, Reynolds' chief information security officer and vice president of information security, to discuss the cybersecurity threats dealerships are facing today and how AI is changing the game for both attackers and defenders. From deepfakes and financial fraud to ransomware and identity protection, Nikhil shares practical advice that ever...

Today on Connected, Greg catches up with Chris Ponte, parts director at Scranton Chevrolet. Chris won the Impact award in the 2025 Automotive Amplifiers Contest and will return as a judge for the 2026 contest. In every conversation with Chris, his commitment to improving operations at his store is clear. Chris and Greg get into: -How Chris approaches parts as a business, not just a department. -Hi...

What if your dealership software didn’t just process transactions but actually learned from your business as it runs? For this special episode of Connected, we’re sharing a keynote presentation from AJ McGowan, vice president of research and development at Reynolds, recorded live at our Santa Clara AI Summit. In this session, AJ walks through how AI is evolving inside automotive and what comes nex...

On the latest episode of Connected, Greg sits down with Jason Pappas, executive manager at Copeland Chevrolet. These two automotive industry veterans first met when Jason was a service manager and Greg was selling fixed ops products. Jason's curiosity and willingness to dive deep to make the best decisions for the business made him someone Greg always remembered. Now in his role as executive manag...

Today on Connected, Greg is joined by two guests: Michael May, vice president of Cloninger Auto Group, and Graham Nesselrode, a Reynolds performance manager in Mike's area, to talk about the value of good partnerships. When you're running your business, it's important to build strong relationships with your partners to work together towards a common goal. Mike and Graham share some insight into th...

On the latest episode of Connected, Greg sits down with Marco Zwanenberg, a technician and industry voice who’s helping dealerships rethink how they operate from the service bay up. With decades of experience across Europe and the U.S., Marco brings a perspective that cuts through the noise, especially as dealerships struggle with declining productivity and increasing complexity. Marco and Greg co...

Building operational efficiency and creating a good experience for employees and customers goes hand in hand. In our industry today, what are some of the ways to drive real progress in these areas? In just five years, the Swickard Auto Group grew from one store to over fifty. For the 200th episode of Connected, Greg Uland sat down with a legend in our industry, Jeff Swickard, dealer principal at S...

Corpay diem! The business office is evolving — and payments are at the center of it. From fraud risk to cash flow visibility, the way dealerships manage payments is changing quickly. In this episode of Connected, Catherine Hart of Corpay joins Greg to break down how digital payments are changing dealership operations. Together they cover: • Where fraud risk hides in traditional payment methods. •...

Customer retention and loyalty remain top of mind across the dealership, especially in the service department. On today's Connected, Richard Lupo, fixed ops director at Apple Tree Honda and Acura, returns to talk about how his team is preparing for the next phase of service growth. Rich and Greg go over: • What's on Rich's roadmap for fixed ops in 2026. • The value of transparency in the service d...

We’re thrilled to share today's thought-provoking episode with Uli De'Martino of Daily Dealer Live, recorded at NADA! Uli’s unique perspective sheds light on how to navigate the evolving landscape of the automotive industry. In this episode, you’ll discover: • How flexibility and innovation drive success in today's automotive market. • The importance of staying connected and adapting to new trends...

Service departments don't get as many at-bats as they used to. With customers visiting less frequently, every service opportunity matters now more than ever. On today's Connected, Greg sits down with Dave Rogers, fixed operations director at Piazza Auto Group, to get his perspective on what it really takes to maximize every visit in today's service drive. Dave and Greg discuss: • How MPIs and vide...

In our latest episode recorded on the floor of NADA, Greg talks with Todd Smith, founder of QoreAI and author of "The Intelligent Dealership." Todd sheds light on his groundbreaking ideas and shares his vision for the auto industry’s future. In this episode, he and Greg cover: • The inspiration behind "The Intelligent Dealership" and its impact. • How AI is redefining dealership operations. • Stra...

It's another special Friday episode of Connected, recorded live at NADA! Today, Greg's catching up with Paul J Daly, founder and CEO of More Than Cars. If you're not watching Season 2 of their docuseries, The Truth About Car Dealers, you're missing out. In this episode, Paul and Greg discuss: • How to leverage storytelling in building a narrative. • Creating attention and making moments feel big....

We're thrilled to bring you another insightful episode recorded live from NADA, featuring Brian Pasch, automotive marketing expert and founder of Pasch Group! Brian recently released a report evaluating the current landscape for CRMs in the dealership world. It's titled: Dealership CRMs Must Evolve or Get Left Behind. He joined us at NADA to discuss the transformative trends shaping the automotive...

In today's conversation from the NADA floor, Greg's talking with Kyle Mountsier, COO of More Than Cars. If you have the chance to catch up with Kyle, you can't pass it up. He's got such a great mind for marketing and is so plugged into the automotive industry and where we're headed. He and Greg touch on: • How technology impacts both the consumer and employee experience. • The amazing growth of AI...

We're excited to bring you a special episode from the NADA show floor featuring Sam D’Arc, COO of Zeigler Auto Group and host of Daily Dealer Live! In this episode, Greg Uland asks Sam about his unique perspective on the automotive industry and they discuss the key issues Sam sees dealers focusing on today, such as: • The shift from digital retailing to AI as the industry's hot topic. • Encouragin...

Connected live at NADA 2026! We're kicking off NADA with a special episode featuring Cliff Banks, founder of the Banks Report and AUTOVATE, from the show floor! Greg has a tradition of catching up with Cliff at the show every year to hear his insights on the state of the industry. Together, they break down recent topics and trends and explored what to keep an eye out for in the year ahead, like: -...

This week Greg is joined by Adam Gaedke, partner at Freddy Media. He's a longtime automotive retail operator with over two decades of experience in growing dealer groups. Before partnering with Freddy Media, Adam spent 22 years at Van Horn Auto Group, where he played a key role in scaling the organization from a handful of stores to an 18-rooftop operation. Today, he brings that operator’s mindset...

In this special episode of Connected, Chief Customer Ambassador Dave Bates reflects on retiring from Reynolds and Reynolds after 42 years (15,598 days) with the company. Dave talks with Greg Uland about: -Dave’s philosophy behind Attitude, Effort and Extra (AEX) and the idea of “being a star where you are.” -The story of his interview with Reynolds and how he met his wife Carolyn. -Highlights from...

On the first Connected of 2026, Greg is joined in the studio by Dr. Kent MacDonald, president of Northwood University. If you're not familiar with Northwood, it's a unique university in Midland, MI, known as "America's Free Enterprise University." As an academic leader in the automotive, aftermarket, and mobility spaces, Northwood is shaping the next generation of our industry. Dr. MacDonald share...

On our last Connected of 2025, Greg is joined in the studio by Holly Neeld, Allison Leonard, and Amy Webb from Blood Cancer United, a nonprofit organization that benefits patients with all types of blood cancer. Blood Cancer United has been providing support and advocating for patients for over 75 years. Over that time, they have gained valuable insights, heard memorable stories and put together g...

What goes into the process of designing a new dealership and where do you even begin? Today on Connected, Greg is joined in the studio by Bill Chidley, co-founder of ChangeUp and author of The Brand Vortex. ChangeUp is a branding and retail design firm that partners with several OEMs and their dealer programs to help establish dealership design and branding standards. They also put out an industry...

We're giving thanks! For this special episode of Connected, Greg invited a few of our Reynolds associates to share what they're thankful for this year. Listen in as they reflect on both personal and professional experiences, providing heartfelt insights into their gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving!

On the latest Connected, Greg's speaking with Tim Pohanka, COO at Pohanka Automotive Group. Beyond his work at the dealership, Tim is a part of a new video series, the Tour Detour. On this adventure, Tim and two other dealers, Jason Cole and Chris Lenckosz, are driving used Nissans across the rugged terrain of the American West, testing the limits of the vehicles and their continuously variable tr...

"AI will amplify whatever data there is. So if you have a lot of bad data, you will accelerate a bad process." This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Todd Smith, CEO of QoreAI, a company focused on the future of the automotive industry. Todd is educating dealers on AI and the direction that we are headed. He and Greg discuss: -The importance of high-quality data to back your AI. -The specific...