Rob Mancuso Honored by Ciras Award at F&I Conference

Robert P. Mancuso, Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations and Investor Relations Officer of The Warranty Group was honored with its Lifetime Achievement Award for 2008 by The Center for International Retail Automotive Standards (CIRAS) at the F&I Conference in Las Vegas on September 17.

In recognizing Mancuso, CIRAS President and CEO Dr. Robert W. Serum, noted that “Rob epitomizes the highest standards of this industry.”  Serum noted that Mancuso was a third generation dealer following his grandfather’s launch of Mancuso Motors in upstate New York in 1918 and his father, Jim Mancuso’s, launch of Mancuso Chevrolet in Chicago in 1953.

Mancuso started work in his father’s dealership as a teenager, working in every department.  After high school, he left for Princeton University, where he earned a baccalaureate degree in Psychology, returning after graduation to assume a management role in the dealership.  Later, with family support, he opened Mancuso Cadillac in 1974, becoming the nation’s youngest Cadillac dealer.  He grew that successful organization to include franchises for Maserati, Peugeot, Saab, Cadillac, Honda, and Chevrolet.

Mancuso also founded Consumer Concepts, a CSI improvement organization, working with individual dealers and manufacturers, including Ford, GM, and Mazda.  He introduced “System 1-2-3” for customers in 1984, enabling them to configure and price new cars and appraise their trades on Apple computers.  He also published the book, Assuming the Position as a family business survival guide, tutorial, and autobiography of his experiences from teenager, to family business manager, to owner/dealer.  The book has been cited by many as “frank and inspiring.”

After selling his dealership organization, Rob joined what is now The Warranty Group in 1997, serving as Vice-President, Special Projects for Resource Automotive. He has held several positions and now serves now as a corporate officer with responsibilities for global corporate communications and investor relations.

Serum noted that his family continues to be important in Rob’s life, particularly his wife Gail and his son, Robby.  He added that Rob  is a veteran marathon runner.      

Center for International Retail Automotive Standards (CIRAS) is dedicated to the notion that the Retail Automotive Trade, worldwide, must duplicate the standards of product improvement exemplified by the automotive production.  It is CIRAS’ corporate mission to encourage quality standards for the worldwide automotive retail professionals through a complex of web-based reviews and certifications. CIRAS believes that both retail organizations and their individual employees can advance the Trade through pursuit of its certifications which are based on proposition of continuous improvement of the selling process, of sales integrity and of legal compliance. For more information about CIRAS membership please visit www.ciras.org

The Warranty Group, Inc. is the world’s premier provider of extended service plans and related benefits. With underwriting, claims administration, compliance and marketing expertise, The Warranty Group is a global single-source solution for manufacturers, distributors and retailers of consumer goods including autos, homes, consumer electronics, furniture and appliances as well as financial institutions and the travel and leisure industry. Assets are in excess of $5 billion (2007).

The Warranty Group has headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, with operations in 33 countries worldwide and 2300 employees. www.thewarrantygroup.com