OWL Automotive Consulting, LLC, PO BOX 7901, Fredericksburg, VA (2026)

06/16/2026

As temps rise, so do the “our network just went down” calls…

And a surprising number of them come down to one simple, preventable issue: HEAT.

Every dealership has some kind of network closet or room. Now’s the time to double check a few things to keep everything running smoothly during your busiest months.

1. Monitor the Temperature

Network equipment doesn’t love the heat nearly as much as customers love summer car shopping.

✅ Set up temperature monitoring alerts in your network closets

✅ Catch rising temps before equipment shuts down

2. Quick Refresher: IDF vs. MDF

MDF (Main Distribution Frame): Your main network room where core equipment lives (servers, primary switches, internet connection)

IDF (Intermediate Distribution Frame): Smaller closets around the building (service bays, showroom, offices) that connect back to the MDF

Both are critical and both can overheat quickly if airflow isn’t right.

3. Check Air Circulation

Network closets have a funny way of becoming storage closets… which is bad news.

✅ Make sure vents aren’t blocked

✅ Clear out boxes, paper, and “mystery clutter”

✅ Confirm fans / AC are working properly

✅ Keep doors closed if the space is climate controlled

4. Give Equipment Breathing Room

✅ Don’t stack gear too tightly

✅ Clean out dust (it traps heat!)

✅ Check that fans in switches and servers are working

5. Don’t Wait for a Failure

Summer is go time for dealerships. The last thing you want is downtime from something easily preventable.

💡 Rule of thumb:

If it’s uncomfortable for you to stand in the closet, it’s definitely uncomfortable for your network. Stay cool, stay online, and have a strong (and interruption free) summer.

Want to make sure your dealership’s network is ready for summer? Learn how OWL can help https://loom.ly/YNTxipw

06/15/2026

OWL Automotive Consulting is proud to celebrate and congratulate Co-Founder and Partner Tom Olney on his upcoming retirement, effective June 30, 2026.

After an incredible 40+ year career in the automotive industry, Tom leaves behind far more than a professional legacy. He has left a lasting mark on the people, relationships, and culture that define OWL today. His leadership, integrity, and partnership have helped shape everything we’ve built.

As Tom begins this well-earned next chapter, Co-Founder Sally Lopez will assume full ownership, continuing to lead OWL with the same values, trust, and client-first approach that have guided the company since day one.

Tom, thank you for your vision, your mentorship, and the impact you’ve had on all of us. You will always be part of OWL.

Please join us in celebrating Tom’s remarkable career and wishing him all the best in this exciting new chapter.

Visit our website to read the full announcement.
https://loom.ly/Q4WObDc

06/13/2026

Please join us in congratulating Jared Carmouche on his new role as Senior Manager of Networking!

As we continue to grow, we’re excited to expand our leadership team, and Jared is a natural fit for this next step. He has been a key member of our engineering team, playing an instrumental role in helping our clients improve their networks to better support dealership operations, reducing downtime and enabling more time to sell and service vehicles.

Jared is highly respected across the organization and is known as a strong leader and mentor who is deeply valued by his teammates.

He brings extensive experience with platforms like CDK, Tekion, and Reynolds, along with a strong understanding of how to optimize networks that support critical dealership tools. His technical expertise and dedication have consistently made a meaningful impact for both our clients and our team.

We’re thrilled to have Jared stepping into this leadership role, where he will help drive continued growth, strengthen our capabilities, and build even greater depth within our engineering organization.

Congratulations, Jared. We’re excited for what’s ahead!

06/12/2026

Change Management Matters, Especially During a DMS Transition

When a dealership changes its DMS, it is not just a system swap. It is a complete shift in how your team operates every single day.

From:
🚘 Selling cars
🔧 Writing repair orders
📅 Managing month end

Every role touches the DMS. Every process changes. Dealerships are already running at full speed on a normal day. Add a new DMS and suddenly everything feels off balance. Productivity dips. Frustration rises. Your entire ecosystem gets disrupted. But it does not have to be that way. With the right change management approach and the right partner, you can reduce the strain on your people and keep your operation moving.

That is where OWL comes in.
We help dealerships navigate DMS transitions with:

✅ Structured project management
💬 Clear communication
🤝 Hands on support

So your team does not carry the full weight of the change.

Because the goal is not just switching systems.

It is protecting your people and your performance.

Learn more here : https://loom.ly/R-KraHU

05/30/2026

This month, we’ve been deep in the trenches with our clients, helping them navigate some big decisions and shifting priorities. From AI strategy debates to infrastructure upgrades and operational training, the conversations have been fast-moving and impactful. Here’s a look at the hottest topics we’ve been working through together 👇

AI: Go Fast or Lock It Down?
Teams are split between moving fast and tightening controls around cybersecurity and compliance. No single answer, just a lot of smart conversations happening.

Office Manager & Controller Training
Demand keeps climbing and is now one of our top inbound requests as teams focus on operational efficiency.

DMS Conversions
After a long stretch of looking, clients are making decisions. Some of the choices may surprise you 👀

Construction Season
Dealers are building and renovating, and we’re busy managing the IT side of those projects.

AD to Entra Migrations
A major push across the board. Clients are prioritizing security and lining up to make the move.

💡 Change is happening fast, and the teams leaning in now are setting themselves up for a strong second half.

What’s going on at your dealership right now? Are you seeing the same trends or something different?

05/28/2026

When taking on a new construction project or facility upgrade, we remove the IT guesswork and heavy lifting so your opening day is seamless and your team is ready to perform from the moment the doors open.

At Spartanburg Subaru, we partnered with the team from the earliest stages of construction through the grand opening. Our project management team was engaged from day one, ensuring the wiring supported dealership operations, Wi-Fi delivered reliable performance, and the network infrastructure was secure and built to scale.

As the project progressed, we stayed closely aligned every step of the way, including being onsite for the grand opening to set up PCs and ensure end users were fully prepared to hit the ground running. We will continue to support Spartanburg Subaru as their MSP in partnership with Hudson’s internal IT team.

While their team focused on customers and delivering an exceptional experience, we worked behind the scenes to ensure the technology was simple, stable, and seamless.

We’re proud to have supported Spartanburg Subaru from construction through opening day and beyond.

A big thank you to General Manager Heath McPherson and the entire Hudson Automotive team for trusting us once again with another successful project. We truly value Hudson Automotive Group’s continued partnership with OWL.

05/15/2026

Welcome to the Team, Katie Hirt!

The depth of the OWL Automotive Consulting team continues to grow, and our expertise becomes even more dialed in.

We are excited to welcome Katie Hirt as our new DMS Project Manager. Katie brings over 8 years of experience in DMS implementation, along with a well-rounded background in both variable and fixed operations, making her a true jack of all trades in dealership operations.

She joins our strong team of Reynolds and Reynolds specialists, where she will support clients with user security and system optimization, helping them strengthen their security posture and improve efficiency across their dealerships.

Katie shared, “I am excited to be joining OWL Automotive Consulting, LLC and working hands-on with clients alongside industry experts.”

We are thrilled to have Katie on board and look forward to the impact she will make.

05/10/2026

Growth continues here at OWL, and we are thrilled to welcome some fantastic new talent to the team. Joining our Service Desk are two new NOC Technicians, Tier 2, Aaron Hendrickson and William McCurdy. Both bring great experience, strong technical skills, and a customer service focus that truly meets the OWL standard.

We are also excited to welcome Senior Network Engineer RJ Howell to our Network Engineering team. RJ joins us with an impressive background and is already proving to be a great addition to the team.

Please join us in welcoming Aaron, William, and RJ to OWL. We are excited to have you all on board and look forward to the great work ahead.

05/09/2026

Not all heroes wear capes, some keep projects running, chaos in check, and teams moving forward.

Ashley Stowe is the backbone of our Professional Services team. Keeper of organization, calm in complexity, trusted teammate, and the ultimate utility player. The way our PS team operates today is a direct result of her consistency, ownership, and ability to show up wherever she is needed.

We are excited to officially announce Ashley’s promotion to Senior Professional Services Project Support Administrator. This role reflects the impact she already makes every day and the confidence we have in her continued growth.

Congratulations, Ashley. Well deserved and well earned.

05/08/2026

After an incredible start to 2026, we have seen a lot of exciting growth at OWL. As our team continues to expand, we have been able to create and grow key roles within our IT organization, all with one goal in mind: delivering an even better experience for our clients.

We are proud to share that OWL veterans Sheila Powers and Larry Cousino have accepted new roles on the team. These role changes position them to make a big impact across our service delivery and security operations.
Sheila has spent the past several years as a NOC 1, gaining deep knowledge of our systems, our team, and most importantly, our clients. That experience makes her a natural fit for her new role as Service Desk Dispatcher. Sheila’s familiarity with our workflows and client environments will help keep our Service Desk running smoothly, support our technicians more effectively, and continue driving strong SLA performance and exceptional service.

Larry Cousino, an original member of the OWL team, is stepping into the role of Senior Manager of Security Operations as part of our growing security team. Larry brings years of experience, institutional knowledge, and a strong commitment to doing things the right way. In his new role, he will be instrumental in ensuring all cybersecurity related tickets and initiatives are handled with an added layer of diligence and care, helping protect our clients and their environments.

We are incredibly excited about these team changes and confident they will strengthen our ability to support our clients today and into the future.

OWL Automotive Consulting, LLC

06/16/2026

06/15/2026

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

05/30/2026

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05/08/2026

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