DC20 East Brings the DriveCentric Community to Atlanta

DC20 East was one for the books. We brought the DriveCentric community to Atlanta, Georgia from March 22–24, 2026 for two incredible days of learning, connection, and real conversations about where automotive retail is headed. From keynotes that fired up the room to breakout sessions packed with actionable takeaways, Atlanta delivered.

Keynotes That Set the Tone

DC20 East featured two powerhouse keynote speakers who brought both inspiration and strategy to the main stage.

Glenn Lundy opened the conference with a high-energy session focused on building winning dealership cultures. Glenn challenged every leader in the room to think bigger, not just about the tools they use, but about who they’re becoming as operators and as people.

Jonathan Dawson kicked off day two with a session on sales psychology, communication, and what it actually takes to build a high-performing team. His message resonated across every role in the room, from GMs to front-line sales staff.

Dealer-Led Breakout Sessions: Real Insights from Real Operators

Some of the best content at DC20 always comes from the dealers themselves. This year’s breakout lineup did not disappoint:

• Brittany Ouellette – Managing Best Practices: Gamifying processes inside DriveCentric to drive real sales results

• Carlo Castillo – No Business Rules: Eliminating rigid tasks and checkpoints to unlock better engagement and performance

• James Kurtenbach – AI-Driven Reporting & Smart Pricing Strategies: Leveraging AI both inside and outside of DriveCentric to make smarter, faster decisions

• Heath Patterson – Video & Value: Modern Techniques for Social Selling Success: Transforming salespeople into confident, high-impact video communicators

• Chip Diggs – The Other Side of the Desk: Understanding how customers feel throughout the car buying process and how that impacts outcomes

• Brian King – Building Lasting Relationships in DriveCentric: Using an engagement-first approach to create stronger, more meaningful customer connections

Every session was built around practical, real-world execution, the kind of strategies dealers could take home and apply immediately.

Main Stage Sessions Worth Highlighting

Beyond the breakouts, the main stage featured sessions that tackled the biggest conversations happening in automotive right now. Brett Spelker from Car Wars walked attendees through how to turn every inbound phone call into measurable revenue. Josh Overbeck gave a first look at what’s coming next inside DriveCentric. And Steve Roessler hosted a live AI Dealer Panel with operators sharing exactly how AI is driving results in their stores today, not theory, real execution.

Sponsor sessions from Reunion Marketing and BrainTrust Partners rounded out the agenda with forward-looking takes on AI-first search visibility and data ownership that had everyone talking.

What Dealers Are Taking Back

As with every DC20, some of the most impactful takeaways came directly from the dealers in the room.

Nicole Overton of Salinas Honda of Gastonia captured it best:

“DC20 didn’t just give me ideas. It clarified what actually drives performance in a modern dealership. Most dealerships aren’t struggling with opportunity… they’re struggling with how they handle it.”

Across sessions on CRM, AI, call handling, visibility, and operations, one theme kept showing up: success today isn’t about doing more, it’s about being more intentional.

Dealers are leaving DC20 with a clearer focus on:

• Productivity being defined by meaningful engagement, not task completion

• Using AI to support the customer journey, not complicate it

• Prioritizing real human connection over just speed-to-lead

• Gaining visibility into behavior, not relying on inflated activity

• Shifting from rigid processes to engagement-first follow-up and accountability

As Nicole put it:

“That’s the difference between motion and momentum.”

An Evening in Atlanta

When the sessions wrapped on day one, Atlanta took over. The group headed out for an evening of live music, great food, and even better conversations. The relationships built at events like this are what make the DC20 community so special.

Thank You, Atlanta

A huge thank you to every speaker, sponsor, dealer, and operator who made the trip to Atlanta. Your energy, your questions, and your commitment to growth are exactly what DC20 is all about. We’ll see you at the next one.