Top Dealership Minds Gather in Iowa City, Iowa to Discuss Strategies for Improving Absorption at the 11th Annual Dealership Minds Summit

Jul 31, 2025

The 2025 Dealership Minds Summit, held at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center in Iowa City, Iowa, on July 29-30 drew a crowd of over 200 attendees — including 130 first-timers — from 49 different dealerships across the United States and Canada.

Centered on the theme of “The Fully Absorbed Dealer,” the program featured 2-days of dealer-to-dealer roundtables sessions, panel presentations, general sessions, breakout classrooms and intense networking opportunities.

Farm Equipment executive editor Kim Schmidt noted during opening remarks that attendees would head home with actionable ideas to share with the rest of their management team back at the dealership, and based on feedback she received from those in attendance, the Dealership Minds Summit delivered.

“Beyond just the informative sessions, one of the aspects of the Summit that always stands out for attendees are the roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. And from what I heard from dealers in attendance, this year was no different. I had numerous attendees, including what I can recall is the most CFOs we’ve had join us in a single year, tell me how refreshing it was to be in a room with innovative, open-minded dealers who were willing to share their successes and failures, regardless of color and competition, to help improve the industry as a whole,” says Schmidt. “This is always two of my favorite days of the year and I was very pleased to see, and be part of, many thought provoking and idea-sharing conversations over the last two days.”

Among the highlights of the 2025 Dealership Minds Summit were an energizing “Upselling Parts & Service” session led by Dean Devore, General Manager of Parts Academy; the "fan-favorite" Dealership of the Year Alumni panel that featured a candid conversation about the successes and lessons that have propelled these dealer groups to industry-best status; the 3rd annual Mark Kreps & Steve Connelly Memorial Lecture; and a special awards ceremony that officially welcomed several members of the Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame: Wayne Hunt (H&R Agri-Power Chairman of the Board and CEO), and the families of the late Bob Mazer (Mazergroup) and Ray Koenig (Koenig Equipment).

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