Officers

Joel Kansanback

Joel Kansanback

Executive Vice President

  • 25 Years of automotive F&I experience
  • Served as an F&I specialist, Account Rep, District Training Manager, and Regional Business Development Manager at Pat Ryan
  • Served as Regional Sales Manager, National Accounts manager and Director of Sales at Citigroup
  • Formed Automotive Development Group in 2002

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Bill Kelly

Executive Vice President

  • 25 years in the retail auto and insurance industry
  • Served as an F&I Specialist, Account Executive, and National Product Manager at Western Diversified (Protective)
  • Led Protective’s National Marine F&I outsourcing operation called Navvis Solutions
  • Joined Automotive Development Group in 2004 and acquired Navvis solutions shortly after

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Bill Kelly

ADG Team Members

Mark Ekhoff circle

Mark Ekhoff

National Trainer
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  • Joined in April of 2006
  • 4 years of F&I experience with Toyota, Chevrolet and Dodge
  • 1 year as a new Car Manager at a Dodge store
  • Senior buyer for Best Buy Software Department
  • Owned and managed a national repping company
Dan Hahn circle

Dan Hahn

Director of Training Fixed Operations
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  • Joined in March of 2014
  • ASE Master Certified Technician (over twelve years of experience)
  • Toyota Certified Technician
  • Served as Master Certified Service Manager for three years
  • Hunter Certified Alignment Specialist
  • Multiple Toyota President’s Award and Service Excellence Winner
David Kelly circle

David Kelly

Director of Training Variable Operations
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  • Joined in December of 2013
  • Joined the auto industry in 2004 as a sales professional and was shortly promoted to Business Manager and then Finance Director
  • In 2009 he began South Dakota Dealer Services, endorsed by both South Dakota Automotive Dealers Association and South Dakota Independent Automotive Dealers Association.
  • Prior to joining the auto industry he enjoyed a successful 20 year career with Schwan’s Food Company as a national sales instructor and division manager.
grant torgerson

Grant Torgerson

Training and Marketing Coordinator
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  • Joined in February of 2017
  • 8 years of experience in the automotive industry
  • Worked in the Hybrid – Sales/F&I Environment
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Finance
Peter Celatka circle

Peter Celatka

Regional Training Director (IA, WI, FL)
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  • Joined in August of 2013
  • Has over 20 years in the Automotive Industry
  • Served as the New Business Development Manager and Sales Manager and Consultant at American Financial and Automotive Services.
  • Spent 16 years with a large Twin Cities dealer group where he served as General Manager, Sales Manager and Director of Finance
mark timperley

Mark Timperley

Regional Training Director (MN)
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  • Joined in August of 2011
  • 17 years of experience in the automotive industry
  • General Manager of a large Honda dealership
  • Managing Director of Malibu Products
  • Graduate of NADA Dealer Academy General Management School
francis fagan

Francis Fagan

Regional Training Director (IL/IN)
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  • Joined in July of 2014
  • Has been in the Retail Automobile Business for 25 years
  • Started off his career as a Sales Person and eventually became a Dealer in West Palm Beach Florida
Ben Borer circle

Ben Borer

Regional Training Director (SD, PA)
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  • Joined in September of 2013
  • General Manager of a Wisconsin Dealership
  • General Sales Manager of a Minnesota Dealership
  • 6 years of experience as an F&I Manager and F&I Director
Mark Fisch circle

Mark Fisch

District Training Manager (MN)
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  • Joined in March 2015
  • 13 years of retail automotive experience
  • 6 years of F&I manager \ F&I Director experience across multiple brands
  • Served as Director of Finance for large metro auto group
  • Spent 4 years as General Manager of a metro Hyundai dealer
heidi heckes

Heidi Heckes

District Training Manager (MN)
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  • Joined in April of 2009
  • 25 years of experience in the car business
  • 8 years with JM&A
  • 6 years in finance
  • F&I Director of a 15 store dealer group
brandon lubich

Brandon Lubich

District Training Manager (MN, WI)
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  • Joined in November of 2013
  • Began his automotive career in sales at a large Twin Cities Honda dealer
  • Spent time on the show floor and in the Internet Department
  • Served as Finance Manager for three prominent Twin Cities dealer groups before joining Automotive Development Group
Dustin Baker circle

Dustin Baker

District Training Manager (MN)
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  • Joined ADG January 2017
  • 12 years of experience in the automotive industry
  • Served as Business Manager
  • 7 years as a Finance Director of a Minnesota Dealership
mike browner

Mike Browner

District Training Manager (IL/IN)
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  • Joined in July of 2014
  • 34 years of experience in the car business
  • Started out selling cars, moved to Used Car Manager, then New Car Manager, to General Manager for 8 years
  • From General Manager moved into a VP of a 10 store group role
Jim Devitt

Jim Devitt

Account Executive (IL)
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  • Joined ADG June 2020
  • 30+ years automotive experience 10 of those years in F&I
  • 5 Years General Management
  • 7 Years VP Training and Development
  • 3 Years National Sales Manager
  • Specializes in organic growth and dealership development
Jake Lambert

Jake Lambert

Account Executive (IL)
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  • Joined in October of 2019
  • 10+ years of experience in automotive retail sales
  • Experienced background in digital sales process, sales management, & F&I
steve mcgurk

Steve McGurk

Senior Associate (IA)
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  • Joined ADG August 2016
  • 18 years of F&I Training / Income Development with Rosenberg & Associate in Iowa & Wisconsin
  • 4 years of experience in Sales & Consulting with Reynold & Reynolds in Iowa & Missouri. 4 years with Fleetwood Enterprise in 12 SE States and 3 years of experience in Sales & Consulting with Chrysler Corporation in Madison Wisconsin.
  • Family owned McGurk – Meyers Motors Iowa City Iowa
Sammy Saad

Sammy Saad

Account Executive (IL)
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  • Joined ADG in November 2020
  • 20+ years of retail automotive experience in the Chicago area market
  • Started as a Salesperson, moved into a Sales Manager role for 5 years, and served as a Finance Manager and Finance Director for 15 years with a high volume auto group
  • Experienced in domestic, import, as well as high line automobile sales
Robert Christopherson

Robert Christopherson

District Training Manager (NE)
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  • Joined ADG September 2018
  • 7 total years of retail experience
  • 4 years as a Finance Producer & Director for a large dealer group
  • 3 years as a Sales Manager for the same dealer group
  • Specialized in training F&I and Salespeople
  • Bachelors degree in Marketing at Iowa State University
kellen vance

Kellen Vance

District Training Manager (NE, IA)
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  • Joined ADG October 2016
  • Spent 5 years as a Finance Manager at the Midwest Region’s largest Chevrolet dealer.
  • Spent a year as the Finance Director training incoming Finance Managers.
  • Spent 2 years training and developing Finance Managers in Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois.