Solution Provider
John Sternal
  • Boca Raton, FL
  • United States
  • Merit Mile
Share on Facebook
Share on Facebook MySpace
 

John Sternal's Page

Latest Activity

John Sternal posted a blog post

NEWS: AIADA Welcomes Protective Asset Protection as Official Vehicle Service Contract Sponsor

AIADA Welcomes Protective Asset Protection as Official Vehicle Service Contract SponsorSponsorship Delivers Expanded F&I Solutions to America’s International Nameplate Dealers July 8, 2026 (KIRKLAND, WA) The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today announced a new sponsorship agreement with Protective Asset Protection, naming Protective as the official vehicle service contract (VSC) provider sponsor for AIADA. The sponsorship connects Protective’s industry-leading…See More
Jul 9
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

The Invisible Tax on Dealership Advertising

For years, automotive retail has approached digital advertising as a volume game. The prevailing assumption has been that more traffic, more impressions and more leads naturally translate into more sales.However, as inventory costs rise, margins tighten and consumer demand fluctuates across segments, many dealers are discovering a difficult reality: not every vehicle on the lot needs the same level of marketing support.  In many dealerships, marketing dollars are still distributed broadly…See More
Jul 1
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Auto Finance Digital Adoption Trends Reflect A Market Navigating Operational Pressure

The first quarter of 2026 continued to reflect a challenging operating environment for auto lenders and their dealer partners. New vehicle sales declined during the quarter as affordability pressures remained, loan terms continued to rise, and lenders managed operational efficiency alongside changing borrower patterns.Vehicle sales transaction data and digital adoption trends from the most recent Auto Finance Digital Transformation Index point to a changing market in the early part of 2026.…See More
Jun 15
0 Comments
John Sternal posted blog posts
4 more…
Jun 9
John Sternal posted a blog post

LAUNCHER.SOLUTIONS Integrates with CarletonDocs® to Provide Lenders Enhanced Document Compliance

Jacksonville, Fla: LAUNCHER.SOLUTIONS (Launcher), a technology provider of loan origination technology for automotive and consumer lenders, announced today a strategic product integration between its appTRAKER™ Loan Origination System (LOS) and CarletonDocs® from Carleton, Inc.’s compliant document generation platform.By incorporating CarletonDocs® into the appTRAKER™ platform, Launcher further strengthens its comprehensive loan origination ecosystem, providing lenders with a seamless process…See More
Mar 23
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Vehicle Management Systems Moves Out of "Stealth Mode" to Scale Disruptive AI Platform With New Web Presence

New website reflects the company’s evolution into a disruptive, AI-first platform built for modern vehicle and fleet operations Jackson, Wyo. – Vehicle Management Systems (VMS), an AI-first vehicle and fleet middleware platform serving both fleet and auto retail environments today announced the launch of its new website marking a key milestone as the company steps out from behind the scenes and accelerates engagement across the automotive and fleet industries. The…See More
Feb 3
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx To Unveil “Revive,” a New Lead Re-Engagement Solution at NADA 2026

Dealers will get an up-close look at how Revive helps sales teams re-engage closed-lost shoppers when they return to the market, transforming missed opportunities into renewed sales conversations DETROIT (January 29, 2026) — Lotlinx,  the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help dealers maximize profitability, announced today the launch of Lotlinx Revive, a new solution designed to help…See More
Jan 29
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx Appoints Randy Kobat as Chief Commercial Officer

Veteran Automotive Executive to Lead Sales, Marketing, and Client Success as Lotlinx Enters Next Phase of Growth  DETROIT (January 14, 2026) – Lotlinx, the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help dealers maximize profitability, announced today the appointment of Randy Kobat as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Kobat brings decades of…See More
Jan 17
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

The Uptime Imperative: How AI is Transforming the Dealership Service Lane into a Proactive Profit Center

For decades, the dealership service model has been largely reactive: a vehicle breaks down, the customer brings it in, and the dealership service team performs the repair. This break/fix mentality has been a stable, but ultimately limited revenue model. However, the combination of today’s advanced vehicle telematics and cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now fundamentally changing this dynamic, promising to transform the service department from a reactive repair center into a…See More
Nov 17, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx Introduces LotGPT, the Industry’s First Dealer-Facing AI Advisor

The only chatbot built exclusively for dealers – powered by the industry’s largest dataset of VIN and shopper data, it delivers real-time VIN-level intelligence, market insights, and merchandising optimization to improve profitability.  DETROIT — Lotlinx, the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help dealers maximize profitability, today announced the launch of LotGPT, a first-of-its-kind AI…See More
Oct 29, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

The Precision Trap: Why Lease Payment Accuracy Is the Highest Stake in Auto

The automotive market in 2025 has been characterized by elevated vehicle prices and consequently, a steadily growing reliance on leasing to manage consumer payments. For lenders and dealers, this trend elevates the stakes attached to a single, crucial figure: the lease payment. While sales professionals have long known that leasing is a product focused almost entirely on the basis of the payment—it’s 100% about the payment, not the price—the industry is now waking up to the critical reality…See More
Oct 20, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Beyond the Lot: Proactive Strategies to Combat Hidden Inventory Risk

The rhythm of an auto dealership is a constant, energetic hum. Sales teams work the showroom floor, service bays are filled, and the F&I department finalizes deals. But in the midst of this controlled chaos, a silent threat lurks in the back lot: hidden inventory risk. For too long, dealers have operated with a critical blind spot, relying on lagging indicators like rising days on lot or unexpected markdowns to signal a problem. By the time a vehicle shows up on a stale inventory report,…See More
Sep 10, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx Q2 Quarterly Vincensus Report Highlights Affordability-Driven Surge for Hybrids and ICE, Market Headwinds for EVs

Digital modernization and proactive inventory management remain key as aged inventory and rising prices challenge profitability, with Lotlinx customers outperforming market benchmarks  DETROIT (July 22, 2025) — Lotlinx, the auto industry’s first and only VIN Performance platform built to help dealers maximize profitability, announced today its Q2 2025 Quarterly Vincensus Report, the most comprehensive quarterly inventory report in the industry. Leveraging over…See More
Jul 22, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted blog posts
Jul 16, 2025
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx Wins “LLM Innovation Award” in 2025 Artificial Intelligence Breakthrough Awards Program

Prestigious International Annual Awards Program Honors Standout AI Companies & Solutions  DETROIT – (July 9, 2025) – Lotlinx, the auto industry’s leading VIN-specific data company for dealership inventory management, today announced that its advanced generative AI inventory and pricing management solution has been selected as winner of the  “LLM Innovation Award” in…See More
Jul 9, 2025
0 Comments
John Sternal posted a blog post

Lotlinx Announces Industry Honors For Two Senior Female Executives

Company Recognizes CMO Kerri Wise and CRO Carla Wade for National Recognition Celebrating Leadership, Innovation, and Advocacy in Automotive Industry  DETROIT (June 25, 2025) – Lotlinx, the auto industry’s leading VIN-specific data company for dealership inventory management, announced today that Chief Marketing Officer Kerri…See More
Jun 25, 2025
0 Comments

Profile Information

Which best describes you?
Vendor Partner
What company do you work for (or own)?
Merit Mile
What is your current position within your organization?
Director
What is your company website?
http://meritmile.com
How did you specifically hear about DealerELITE? If referred, who?
Google
Not everyone gets approved for DealerELITE. To maintain the integrity of DealerELITE, tell us what you will have to offer once a dealerELITE member?
We are interested in sharing automotive insight, data and trends.

John Sternal's Blog


Solution Provider

NEWS: AIADA Welcomes Protective Asset Protection as Official Vehicle Service Contract Sponsor

Posted on July 9, 2026 at 10:02am 0 Comments

AIADA Welcomes Protective Asset Protection as Official Vehicle Service Contract Sponsor

Sponsorship Delivers Expanded F&I Solutions to America’s International Nameplate Dealers

 

July 8, 2026 (KIRKLAND, WA) The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today announced a new sponsorship agreement with Protective Asset Protection, naming Protective as the official vehicle service contract…

Continue

Solution Provider

The Invisible Tax on Dealership Advertising

Posted on June 22, 2026 at 12:55pm 0 Comments

For years, automotive retail has approached digital advertising as a volume game. The prevailing assumption has been that more traffic, more impressions and more leads naturally translate into more sales.

However, as inventory costs rise, margins tighten and consumer demand fluctuates across segments, many dealers are discovering a difficult reality: not every vehicle on the lot needs the same level of marketing support.  In many dealerships, marketing dollars are still distributed…

Continue

Solution Provider

Auto Finance Digital Adoption Trends Reflect A Market Navigating Operational Pressure

Posted on June 12, 2026 at 11:38am 0 Comments

The first quarter of 2026 continued to reflect a challenging operating environment for auto lenders and their dealer partners. New vehicle sales declined during the quarter as affordability pressures remained, loan terms continued to rise, and lenders managed operational efficiency alongside changing borrower patterns.

Vehicle sales transaction data and digital adoption trends from the most recent Auto Finance Digital Transformation Index point to a changing market in the early part…

Continue

Solution Provider

New Carleton Survey Finds Lending Industry Facing a Migration Crisis as Legacy Systems Threaten Compliance, Security and Growth

Posted on June 2, 2026 at 5:20pm 0 Comments

More than three-quarters of lending professionals rate modernization as extremely or very urgent, yet cost constraints, limited resources and disruption concerns continue to slow progress

SOUTH BEND, IN (June 2, 2026) — Carleton, a leading provider of compliant loan calculation and disclosure solutions, today released findings from its inaugural Platform Migration and Modernization Survey, revealing…

Continue

Comment Wall

You need to be a member of DealerELITE.net to add comments!

Join DealerELITE.net

  • No comments yet!