Redwood City, CA, September 24, 2009 – Dealix, a division of Cobalt and an industry leader in automotive sales leads for dealers, dealer groups, and manufacturers, today introduced the Certified Pre-Owned Center on UsedCars.com. The UsedCars.com Certified Pre-Owned Center serves as a resource for consumers to learn about the value of certified pre-owned (CPO) programs and to get detailed information on manufacturers’ authorization programs. This education is valuable to shoppers; industry research shows that most buyers who ultimately choose a certified vehicle first learn about the option through automotive websites.¹ Resources in the UsedCars.com Certified Pre-Owned Center include: · Specific descriptions of the components of the respective certified pre-owned programs provided by the manufacturers, including detailed inspection point lists. · Special CPO “badges” on vehicles within the UsedCars.com listings that designate which vehicles have acquired CPO status from their manufacturers. · Links from individual CPO vehicle listings directly to the description of the manufacturer’s program. · A CPO inventory only search tool that makes it easy for consumers to find the exact certified pre-owned vehicle they are looking for, as well as CPO vehicles featured in general search results. “Shoppers turn to UsedCars.com as a site that helps them find the right car at the right price,” said Anna Zornosa, general manager of Dealix. “Certified pre-owned programs present an important option for today’s buyers and an important addition to the UsedCars.com site.” Car buyers can access the UsedCars.com Certified Pre-Owned Center at www.usedcars.com.

1. J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Used Vehicle Market Report^SM.

About Dealix Dealix, a division of Cobalt, is the world’s leading provider of quality leads for new and used cars for dealerships, dealer groups, and automotive manufacturers. Dealix is the only Internet marketing company that backs its new and used car leads with the Dealix Quality Pledge^TM, a distinct set of criteria that defines a quality lead, and the ability to use the Hassle Free Lead Return^TM if a lead lacks any one of those criteria. The company can offer this pledge because it has the broadest reach and the highest quality lead supply network in the industry, including Yahoo! Autos, Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds.com, AOL Autos, MSN Autos, and others. Dealix powers the dealer selector and price quote platforms on Yahoo! Autos, AOL Autos, MSN Autos, and NADA Guides; represents Edmunds’ Premier Dealer Program; and places dealers’ used inventory in the Kelley Blue Book Trusted Marketplace^SM. Dealix connects dealers with the millions of car shoppers who prefer independent Internet sites when shopping for new cars and used cars online. The Dealix Lead Platform quickly matches thousands of serious new and used vehicle buyers to the most appropriate dealers daily, delivering a quality car buying experience for consumers and providing dealers with one of the most efficient methods available today for marketing and selling cars. Contact: Amy Hatch Marketing Manager, Cobalt Email: ahatch@cobalt.com Phone: 206.219.8132

BURLINGTON, VT, September 21, 2009- Dealer.com, the global leader of online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, today announced it received two "Automobile Standard of Excellence" 2009 WebAwards from the Web Marketing Association.  Dealer.com auto dealership clients Ed Voyles Acura and Flatirons Subaru were entered into the prestigious international competition that honors outstanding achievement in website development.  More than 2,000 sites from 47 countries were entered in 96 industry categories during this year's competition.  Entries were judged on design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity, copy writing and ease of use.  This is the second consecutive year that Dealer.com has received the WebAwards Automobile Standard of Excellence. Bill Stout, general manager of Ed Voyles Acura, commented, "We are honored by the WebAward and I am very pleased with our work with Dealer.com.  Their level of service is always at or above my expectations, and everyone at Dealer.com is very responsive and pleasant to work with.  Our website design and production with Dealer.com was seamless and it was easy to make the switch.  And we just signed up for their SEO service to achieve even more success and first-party lead generation from our website." The Ed Voyles Acura website was designed in conjunction with Dealer.com's overall online marketing solution for Acura of North America's U.S. dealer network.  The Flatirons Subaru site was also created as a part of Dealer.com's solution for Subaru of North America's U.S. dealer network.  Both sites were designed to create consistent brand experience, capability and quality.  In addition, the sites re-enforce the respective brands and styles, ensuring the brand interaction is consistent throughout the dealer network, while showcasing each dealership's unique characteristics and personality.  Most importantly, the sites offer consumers an improved shopping experience at the dealerships' websites. Brian Scaglia, I.T. director of Flatirons Subaru, stated, "I have been with the dealership for over 14 years and have seen many vendors come and go.  Our work with Dealer.com has been a refreshing experience and we made a huge leap forward when we partnered with them.  They are constantly evolving and driving technology and service advancements.   And the people at Dealer.com are great.  There is a personal touch that you just don't find with most vendors.  This award is a testament to what we already knew: Dealer.com is one of the very best companies in online automotive retail." Ryan Dunn, Dealer.com creative director, also commented, "What is most rewarding, is to see the spirit, talent and philosophy of Dealer.com epitomized by these solutions and the effort by all teams involved to bring them to market. Each project represents the unique capacity for our system to be adapted and designed for the intended audience, while building upon the strengths of a common foundation." About Dealer.com (www.dealer.com) Dealer.com is the global leader in online marketing solutions for the automotive industry, providing award winning e-marketing solutions to OEMs, auto dealers and media companies. More of the nation's top 125 auto groups use Dealer.com for their online marketing than any other provider. Recent national and international accolades include: The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, top ranking in The Net Promoter® Score Survey of customer satisfaction, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500 and the Web Marketing Association's Automobile Standard of Excellence. In addition, Dealer.com was the 2008 top rated web provider on leading online rating websites, as well as the Gold Award winner from the Dealers' choice awards for best dealer website solutions. About the WebAwards The Web Marketing Association is the producer of the WebAward Competition. Now in its 13th year, the WebAwards is the premier annual website award competition that names the best websites in 96 industries while setting the standard of excellence for all website development. More information about the WMA and the WebAwards can be found at www.webaward.org.

Morrie Eisenberg named vAuto's Vice President of Corporate Development.

OAK BROOK, IL (September 21, 2009) - Morrie Eisenberg has been named VP of Corporate Development at vAuto, a provider of used-car inventory management systems for the nation's franchised and independent car dealers.   In this capacity, Eisenberg will lead key strategic initiatives for the company. Eisenberg was previously Director of Business Development at Digital Motorworks Inc, (DMI), a technology firm serving the automotive sector that was sold to ADP Corporation in 2002. Following his work at DMI, he joined Microsoft Corporation and developed online services partnerships in the US and international markets. Eisenberg has also worked as CEO of Spleak Media Network, a venture-funded online media company, and as a consultant at Bain & Company. "Morrie's diverse background in web media as well as business development makes him a great addition to the vAuto Management Team," said Keith Jezek, vAuto's president and CEO. "His ability to help refine and execute the company's long-term growth strategies will bode well for our customers as well as our business." Eisenberg is a graduate of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and received his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Headquartered in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, Ill., vAuto also maintains a research and development center in Austin, Texas. The company's "Live Market View" technology currently allows more than 2,000 dealers to manage their used-car inventories based on comprehensive supply-and-demand information mined by vAuto for their specific market area. Details on millions of pre-owned vehicles are maintained and updated on a daily basis within vAuto's database. The nation's five highest-volume franchised dealerships by brand currently use vAuto pricing, appraisal, stocking, and merchandising systems. vAuto was recently ranked number 22 on Inc. Magazine's annual ranking of the fastest-growing, privately held companies in America. The company's chairman and founder, Dale Pollak maintains a blog for the discussion of used-car trends at www.dalepollak.com. More information on vAuto is available at www.vAuto.com. Media Contacts: Michelle Black vAuto Phone: +1.630.590.2023 E-mail: mblack@vauto.com

Case Study Shows Auto Dealers Turning to DrivingSales.com to Grow their Business

Salt Lake City, Utah - September 21st, 2009 - DrivingSales (www.drivingsales.com), the auto industry's leading social media platform and largest online community, recently released a case study (available at www.drivingsales.com/casestudy) which reveals how this neutral, open social platform has become a significant and important tool in helping dealers, vendors, technology providers and automakers survive one of the worst years in the industry's history. One such dealer who has thrived in the wake of the recession using DrivingSales.com is Andrew DiFeo, General Manager of Hyundai of St. Augustine in Florida. DiFeo is a daily visitor to the DrivingSales.com where he has learned trade secrets from the highest performing dealers in the country. For example, as a result of practices learned on DrivingSales, DiFeo implemented a super-successful consumer review platform for his dealership, and put Internet and SEO strategies in place, which increased web traffic by 40%. "Because of things we've learned at DrivingSales' blogs and forums, we've nearly doubled our monthly sales...and are having one of our best months, when the industry is experiencing one of its worst," says DiFeo. Many auto dealers, industry influencers and professionals are sitting up and taking notice. DrivingSales.com has grown its member base an average of 30% a month since launching nationally in June 2008 and has quickly established itself as the most read, fully-collaborative and participatory automotive trade media property. According to DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton, "Dealers by the thousands are using the most progressive media technologies to band together, collaborate to solve problems and find success despite the tremendous uphill climb they are facing. The growth of DrivingSales speaks volumes about the resilience of our industry and the unique power of social technologies." Until just over a year ago, the auto and dealer industries lacked a true B2B social media platform and user-generated vendor/technology rating system, and DrivingSales.com has filled that void. And, due to the site's rapid adoption, extensive feedback from the network, and the company's ongoing investment in R&D, DrivingSales recently launched an enhanced new technology platform. The only automotive social media solution specifically built to meet the needs of automotive professionals, DrivingSales' completely redesigned, proprietary architecture was built entirely from the ground up, unlike most social media sites that run on, and recycle, plug-in apps. http://pitch.pe/20650. The DrivingSales automotive social media case study underscores the direct impact the social network is having on its diverse user-constituents, whether dealerships, vendors and technology providers, or industry consultants and experts. To read more about the achievements of Andrew DiFeo and Hyundai of St. Augustine in Florida, and other dealer and industry success stories, access the DrivingSales Social Media Case study at www.drivingsales.com/casestudy About DrivingSales DrivingSales.com (www.drivingsales.com) is the largest and premier online community for the auto industry, where its thousands of members, including dealers, dealership managers, manufacturers, industry experts and vendors, collaborate and share best practices in a 20-group style setting. At DrivingSales, members create profiles and communicate with each other; build their networks and knowledge base; share and rate proven strategies, and have access to relevant content contributed by fellow industry experts, including blogs, videos, interviews, a social news feed and more. Dealer members rate and review vendor products - sharing their experiences with the DrivingSales community - while vendors have the opportunity to provide feedback on reviews and showcase their products and services. DrivingSales was created and built from the ground up in 2003 by Jared Hamilton, a third generation auto dealer, as a private automotive business community to network his NADA Dealer Candidate Academy class. The site opened nationally in 2008 and is the auto industry's leading social media custom platform. Media Contact: Melanie Webber (Melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 949.307.1723

Tonkin Initial Pilot Case Study

Earlier this spring, a Portland, Oregon company, DealerPeak, piloted a revolutionary product called WideStorm. This service allows consumers and auto dealers to negotiate the car buying transaction entirely on-line. Dealers who have signed up for WideStorm can now allow shoppers that visit their dealership website to negotiate price, payments, financing terms and even trade values all on-line. When the dealer and the consumer agree on the terms of the transaction, the buyer simply comes in to the dealership to sign the paperwork and pick up their new vehicle. One of the tenets of the program is that it is “Risk Free”, meaning that if for any reason the vehicle is not what the buyers was expecting they are under no obligation to complete the purchase. Now the program is in full swing with outstanding results. DealerPeak President, Jock Schowalter commented “This is an idea that is being driven by the consumer. Most consumers have had a frustrating experience when they’ve purchased their last few vehicles. Today there is too much stress and wasted time in the car buying process and on-line negotiation eliminates most all of that.” Schowalter went on to state “At first we didn’t know if consumers and especially Dealers would embrace on-line negotiation, but we quickly affirmed that negotiating on-line was a win-win for everyone. The dealers are seeing more leads come through their websites and are saving as much time as the consumer. They are also finding they make pretty much the same profit on the negotiation deals as they do on traditional showroom deals, which was an initial concern.” It’s no wonder that General Motors and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) are piloting a car-selling partnership where consumers will be able to browse cars offered by GM and either buy them at a fixed price or make an offer and haggle. While WideStorm is the first program specifically for dealers, the GM initiative validates the opportunity to capture more buyers by providing a platform to negotiate on-line. So far approximately 30 dealerships have signed up with WideStorm On-line Negotiation including such prominent groups as Ron Tonkin Automotive Group, Dick Hannah Automotive Group and select Penske Automotive stores. DealerPeak is also in discussions with major Manufactures about the on-line negotiation system. DealerPeak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has hundreds of dealer clients throughout the United States. DealerPeak solutions include WideStorm On-line Negotiation, CRM, Websites, Desking, Digital Marketing and Transactional Websites that work seamlessly on a unified Web-based platform. This allows their dealers to reduce the number of vendors they deal with and drive cost out of their business. For more information contact info@dealerpeak.com or 877 604 3569 or see www.widestorm.com

August 17, 2009 – Portland, Oregon. Earlier this spring, a Portland, Oregon company, DealerPeak, piloted a revolutionary product called WideStorm. This service allows consumers and auto dealers to negotiate the car buying transaction entirely on-line. Dealers who have signed up for WideStorm can now allow shoppers that visit their dealership website to negotiate price, payments, financing terms and even trade values all on-line. When the dealer and the consumer agree on the terms of the transaction, the buyer simply comes in to the dealership to sign the paperwork and pick up their new vehicle. One of the tenets of the program is that it is “Risk Free”, meaning that if for any reason the vehicle is not what the buyers was expecting they are under no obligation to complete the purchase. Now the program is in full swing with outstanding results. DealerPeak President, Jock Schowalter commented "This is an idea that is being driven by the consumer. Most consumers have had a frustrating experience when they’ve purchased their last few vehicles. Today there is too much stress and wasted time in the car buying process and on-line negotiation eliminates most all of that.” Schowalter went on to state “At first we didn’t know if consumers and especially Dealers would embrace on-line negotiation, but we quickly affirmed that negotiating on-line was a win-win for everyone. The dealers are seeing more leads come through their websites and are saving as much time as the consumer. They are also finding they make pretty much the same profit on the negotiation deals as they do on traditional showroom deals, which was an initial concern.” It’s no wonder that General Motors and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) are piloting a car-selling partnership where consumers will be able to browse cars offered by GM and either buy them at a fixed price or make an offer and haggle. While WideStorm is the first program specifically for dealers, the GM initiative validates the opportunity to capture more buyers by providing a platform to negotiate on-line. So far approximately 30 dealerships have signed up with WideStorm On-line Negotiation including such prominent groups as Ron Tonkin Automotive Group, Dick Hannah Automotive Group and select Penske Automotive stores. DealerPeak is also in discussions with major Manufactures about the on-line negotiation system. DealerPeak is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and has hundreds of dealer clients throughout the United States. DealerPeak solutions include WideStorm On-line Negotiation, CRM, Websites, Desking, Digital Marketing and Transactional Websites that work seamlessly on a unified Web-based platform. This allows their dealers to reduce the number of vendors they deal with and drive cost out of their business. For more information contact info@dealerpeak.com or 877 604 3569 or see www.widestorm.com

AutoUSA Implements TARGUSInfo On-Demand Lead Verification Solution; Improves Quality of New and Used Online Customer Leads for Automotive Dealers

 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL and Vienna, VA - (September 1, 2009) - AutoUSA, the industry's leading provider of the highest quality, Internet-generated consumer leads to auto dealers nationwide, today announced ithas entered into a definitive agreement with TARGUSInfo, the leading provider of On-Demand Insight^SM about prospects and customers, to provide On-Demand Lead Verification^SM services for its new and used online vehicle leads.  The new process of making sure each online customer lead is reachable is one of several best-of-class initiatives recently implemented by AutoUSA to ensure its automotive dealer customers continue to receive the industry's highest quality vehicle leads.

 "After a competitive review of our options, we found TARGUSInfo is not only a leader in on-demand intelligence, they have the largest repository of consumer data attributes in the nation, including providing the most robust data on wireless, VoIP and other hard to find information," said Phil DuPree, president of AutoUSA. "By integrating their lead verification service with our existing processes, we'll be able to drive even higher quality leads to our dealers that increase lead response effectiveness."

Through a patented process, the TARGUSInfo On-Demand Lead Verification Solution checks individual pieces of a consumer's contact information such as a phone number to not only ensure accuracy, but verify linkage to that consumer.  The real time solution automatically verifies phone numbers, including wireless, for all leads received by AutoUSA from sources such as Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, AOL Autos, MSN Autos, Yahoo! Autos, NADAguides.com, AutoVantage.com, and AutoUSA.com.  "We are thrilled to help AutoUSA pass online consumer leads that are highly contactable to its more than 3,000 automotive retail franchises across the US," said David Wengel, general manager of interactive markets, TARGUSinfo.  "Each year, our on-demand delivery network identifies, verifies, scores and locates billions of prospects and customers at the moment they interact with businesses.  No other provider gives lead buyers and sellers such in-depth insights to make real-time decisions when needed the most-when consumers inquire." About TARGUSinfo TARGUSinfo, the leading provider of On-Demand Insight^SM, provides unique identification, verification, scoring and location solutions that enable communication service providers, retailers, call-center operators, Web-based marketers and others to dramatically increase the quality of their services and the effectiveness of their marketing. A privately held company, TARGUSinfo is headquartered in Vienna, Va.  For more information, visit www.TARGUSinfo.com. About AutoUSA (www.AutoUSA.com) AutoUSA, Inc., is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a subsidiary of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), the largest retail automotive company in the United States. AutoUSA is an independent third-party provider of leads to more than 3,000 dealerships. The company has built its success on a combination of advanced web-based technology and a network that includes the country's most well respected online automotive resources, including Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, AOL Autos, MSN Autos, Yahoo! Autos, NADA Analytical Services Group, AutoVantage.com, AutoNation.com and AutoUSA.com. The vast majority of Ward's Top 100 eDealers use AutoUSA. More information is available online at http://www.AutoUSA.com .

 

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Patricia J Roberts formerly of GM Women's Retail Initiatives Joins AskPatty.com as Director of Business Development and serves on automotive advisory panel of industry-expert women Thousand Oaks, CA (PRWEB) September 9, 2009 -- Patricia J. Roberts has joined AskPatty.Com, Inc. as the Director of Business Development. In her newly created role, she is responsible for working strategically with automotive retailers to assist them in learning how to attract, retain and increase loyalty with women customers. In her automotive advisory role, Patricia will respond to questions from consumer women on automotive related topics via the website. Patricia brings 39 years of automotive experience to AskPatty.Com and the automotive advisory panel. Prior to joining AskPatty.Com, Roberts was the General Director- Women's Retail Initiative at General Motors. She was responsible for programs to increase the number of females in retailing for the company. This included the recruitment, training and appointment of female dealers, working with dealers to attract more women into automotive retailing positions, and to provide an enjoyable selling and service experience. She has extensive and diverse experience in the Automotive Industry in the area of Marketing, Communications, Sales, Strategic Planning, and Retail Business Consulting. This includes both the general and diverse culture markets. Patricia J. Roberts, the newly appointed Director of Business Development for AskPatty.com, Inc., will give her expert advice as a member of the AskPatty Advisory Panel of 50+ automotive expert women who hold leadership roles in the automotive industry. This panel of women is comprised of owners of new and used car dealerships, collision and repair centers, and they also hold various positions at car dealerships as technicians, mechanics, finance managers, car sales and car service managers. They are car DIY experts, NASCAR and car racing experts, tire experts, vehicle after-market accessories experts, custom car experts, car safety and car care experts and much more. Together they can provide assistance with car tips and service advice 24/7 to assist you with your automotive related questions. "I am so pleased about joining AskPatty.com in the newly created role as Director of Business Development and serving as member of the advisory panel," stated Patricia. "Helping women with their car buying, service experiences and supporting automotive retailers and women in automotive careers is something that I truly enjoy doing. We women depend on our vehicles, so we need to feel comfortable with the experience of buying, maintaining them and working at automotive retail locations. I hope that my efforts will make these experiences more pleasant for women." "Patricia has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the car buying and selling process," says Jody DeVere, President of Ask Patty. DeVere continues, "She is a great addition to AskPatty.com and the Advisory Panel. She is extremely well versed in the automotive retail industry and supports the advancement of women in automotive careers. Patricia is a great example of a leader in her field and will deepen the resources AskPatty provides to our clients and consumer women." Visit Patricia J Roberts on AskPatty.com here: http://www.askpatty.com/automotive_expert.php?n=Patricia%20J.%20Roberts According to DeVere AskPatty.com provides the safe environment for women to get advice and information needed to feel empowered and confident when they go to their local automotive retailer for car service, repairs, maintenance and to negotiate and purchase a new or used vehicle. About AskPatty.com, Inc The AskPatty.com, Inc. website and blog is a safe place for women to get advice on car buying, maintenance and other automotive related topics. Women can shop for cars, tires and automotive service at our network of Certified Female Friendly retailers across the U.S. AskPatty.com is a member and 2009 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International based in Detroit, MI, Board member of the UnitedSpinal.org, Member of the California SkillsUSA.org board, on the Women's Board of the Car Care Council, a SEMA member and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group. AskPatty.com is partnered with TireReview.com, Parenthood.com, IMSweb.com, LightSpeedVT.com, CareerBuilder.com, AutoNetTv.com, AutoTrader.com, DriverTv.com, MyCarPage.com, MyAutoLoan, Aware and BlogHer.com. AskPatty.com, Inc. Certified Female Friendly® Program: Properly armed with the right tools and training automotive retailers can increase their share of the largest and fastest growing demographic of new vehicle buyers in the US -- Women. The AskPatty.com, Inc. Certified Female Friendly® program was designed specifically for automotive retailers to attract, sell, retain and increase loyalty with women. What Is AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly®? An AskPatty.com Certified Female Friendly® retailer creates a safe and comfortable environment where women feel welcome and make the experience of purchasing and maintaining her vehicle a pleasant one. AskPatty.com trained and Certified Female Friendly® retailers are held to a high level of customer satisfaction for women consumers. Go here to learn more about becoming AskPatty.com, Inc. Certified Female Friendly®: http://www.askpatty.com/getcertified/

DrivingSales Executive Summit Announces Social Media, Internet and Analytics Expert Keynotes; Extends Call for Presentations

Chris Brogan of New Marketing Labs, Aaron Strout of Powered, and Will Travis of Dentsu, Headline Interactive Summit; Call for Topic/Presentations from Community Extended to September 10th

Salt Lake City, Utah & Orange County, CA - September 3^rd, 2009 - The DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES), presented by Vogelheim Ventures, today announced a slate of expert keynoters from the social media, interactive marketing and automotive worlds to headline its inaugural summit to be held in Las Vegas on October 13^th and 14^th.  The summit also announced that, due to overwhelming response from the DrivingSales community, it has extended the deadline for topic/presentation submission to September 10th. An invitation-only event that brings together the nation's top automotive retail innovators to collaborate on progressive marketing models, interactive technologies and operational solutions, the DrivingSales Executive Summit focuses on the rapidly changing automotive landscape and the critical strategies the current - and future - automotive environment demands. "The DrivingSales Executive Summit's impressive slate of keynoters is a 'Who's Who' of experts on the cutting edge of social media practices and technologies destined to help define our industry's success in the months and years ahead," said Charlie Vogelheim of Vogelheim Ventures. "And the DSES's uniquely interactive platform will help drive these ideas into real world, actionable practices for our attendees." The current lineup of DSES keynoters includes social media thought leader Chris Brogan, president of New Marketing Labs and best selling author of Trust Agents; social media and integrated online marketing expert Aaron Strout, CMO of Powered; and the architect of the groundbreaking ad campaign for Scion, Will Travis, SVP at Dentsu.  Also in the line-up are several of the auto industry's best known and most renowned Internet experts and analysts, including Dennis Galbraith of Revenue Guru, Kevin Root of Driverside, and Skip Streets of Compete, as well as popular keynoter Jared Hamilton, founder of DrivingSales.com, the auto industry's largest social media network. Call for Presentations Deadline Extended to September 10th Following the keynote sessions, the summit will progress to break-out sessions covering strategic dealership topics, and on to even more tactical discussions in interactive roundtables, enabling attendees to further explore content relevant to the specific needs of their stores.  In addition, six companies will be selected to present new products during a general session titled "Innovation in Action". "In a first for an industry conference, we are asking the community to submit topics, new products and presentations that will then be voted on by conference invitees - and the response has been fantastic, so we are pleased to extend the submission deadline!" said DrivingSales.com Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton.  "In keeping with the DrivingSales brand of social technologies, vendor neutrality and user-generated content, proposals can be submitted by anyone in the community, are NOT tied to sponsorship, and will ultimately be selected by the summit invitees." The extended deadline for presentation submission is September 10th. Presentations, products and topics selected and voted on by the summit invitees will be announced on September 15^th. For more information about submitting a presentation, product or topic, go to www.drivingsales.com/blogs/charlie/2009/09/03/dses-call-for-presentations-extended DSES Information The DrivingSales Executive Summit is an Invitation-only event and will be held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas on October 13^th and October 14^th 2009.  Please visit DrivingSales.com/home/events for more information about the summit, agenda, invitations, keynotes and submitting a proposal or topic. Follow conference news as it develops at www.twitter.com/drivingsales. About DrivingSales DrivingSales.com (www.drivingsales.com) is the largest and premiere online community for the auto industry, where its thousands of members, including dealers, dealership managers, manufacturers, industry experts and vendors, collaborate and share best practices in a 20-group style setting. At DrivingSales, members create profiles and communicate with each other; build their networks and knowledgebase; share and rate proven strategies, and have access to relevant content contributed by fellow industry experts, including blogs, videos, interviews, and more. Dealer members rate and review vendor products - sharing their experiences with the DrivingSales community - while vendors have the opportunity to provide feedback on reviews and showcase their products and services. Created and built from the ground up by third-generation dealer Jared Hamilton, DrivingSales is the auto industry's leading social media custom platform.  Follow Jared Hamilton and DrivingSales at www.twitter.com/drivingsales About Vogelheim Ventures Vogelheim Ventures is an automotive industry consulting firm that facilitates educational programs, collaborative development and innovative symposiums. Principal Charlie Vogelheim has been involved in the Automotive Industry for nearly twenty five years. His insight and counsel have been utilized by a variety of automotive related companies including, Kelley Blue Book, J.D. Power and Associates, The National Auto Auction Association, Car and Driver, Wards Automotive, Bobit Publishing, Meguiar's and several emergent companies. During his 20 year tenure at Kelley Blue Book, Charlie was instrumental in developing the website kbb.com. Serving as chairman of the Automotive Internet Standards Committee, he was an original contributor to the development and implementation of the automotive sites at Microsoft, Yahoo!, AOL, Vehix, eBay and several others. Vogelheim created the J.D. Power and Associates Internet Roundtable, and built it into the premiere forum for automotive industry leaders and executives to share and discuss the development of the Internet and its influence on the automotive industry. Follow Charlie Vogelheim's blogs about the DSES at www.twitter.com/vogelheim. Media Contacts: Melanie Webber (Melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications 949.307.1723 Angela Jacobson (Angela@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications