VinSolutions and Wolfington Fallout?

[Jeff Kershner]

From February 14th, 2010 (a day of ):

(Vocus/PRWEB ) February 14, 2010 — Sean Wolfington has agreed to serve as Chairman of the Board of VinSolutions, the industry leading automotive “Dealership Marketing System†that helps retailers attract, sell and retain more customers profitably.

“We asked Sean to join our board because of his vision and his unique experience leading some of the most successful marketing and consulting companies in the industry,†said Doug Kinney, CEO of VinSolutions.

We asked Sean to join our board because of his vision and his unique experience leading some of the most successful marketing and consulting companies in the industry

After I saw the power of their all-in-one system to do everything a dealer needs I had to get involved. Their system reminds me of Apple, because they revolutionized the automotive technology market the way apple revolutionized the mobile market

Wolfington co-founded and led Cyber Car and Automark (sold to Reynolds and Reynolds in 2001) and BZ Results (sold to ADP in 2006). Wolfington currently owns Tier 10 and Level 5 Marketing and serves on the board of the Lumen Institute.

“After I saw the power of their all-in-one system to do everything a dealer needs I had to get involved. Their system reminds me of Apple, because they revolutionized the automotive technology market the way apple revolutionized the mobile market,†said Wolfington.

VinSolutions offers retailers one platform that integrates all of the tools they need to run their business and it integrates with all the main DMS systems including ADP, Reynolds, AutoSoft and Arkona. “I was spending too much to 15 different companies that did not integrate and now I pay 75% less for one system that does it all and more,†said Todd Crossley from Crossley Ford, the #1 Ford retailer in the Kansas City Market. “Now I have one system that does everything from managing my internet marketing to desking and financing in one system that is easy to use.â€

“We work tirelessly so we continue to have the best technology in the industry and we invited Sean to join our team because we want to have the best team in the industry,†said Mike Dullea, co-founder and COO.

From the comment string from February 2010 at Sean Wolfington Joins Chairman of the Board of VinSolutions | DealerRefresh

Jeff,

Thanks for spreading the good news.

I am looking forward to hearing about what DealerRefresh readers think about VinSolutions and how we can continue to grow and improve.

Sean.

Guys - We are the lucky ones! To have a person like Sean Wolfington join VIN is an honor. I can tell you personally I love working with this guy! His energy, passion, and idea's are awesome! Today VIN is 24 - 36 months ahead of all companies in our space. Just setup a product overview via the web and see for yourself. Now with Sean Wolfington in the mix, everyone is going to see it, hear about it, and understand it better! Keep up the great work DealerRefresh! This is the only MUST read blog in automotive.

Godspeed!

Sean Stapleton

-------------------

This was posted Friday the 25th, 2011 of February on VinSolutions' facebook page and by a VinSolutions employee on ADM.

A Message from VinSolutions' CEO Mike Dullea

There has been some confusion about Sean Wolfington's involvement with VinSolutions. Sean Wolfington is not our Chairman of the Board, in fact, Sean Wolfington is not on the VinSolutions Board at all. We are not in anyway a Wolfington Company, as he lists us on his website, nor are we partnered in anyway with any other company he does call a "Wolfington Company".

Sean Wolfington has no operational involvement in Vinsolutions, Sean is not included in our strategy, day-to-day operations or anyway at all. If you have heard that Sean is involved with VinSolutions from anybody, it is simply not true. We neither ask for his advice nor would we take his advice if offered.

VinSolutions has been hearing from dealers, OEM's and strategic partners that Sean Wolfington, partners of Wolfington and employees from his plethora of other companies either state or imply that they are partnered, integrate or work with VinSolutions organization in some way. Once again this is simply not true.

If you are one of the dealers that has hesitated to do business with VinSolutions because of the perceived relationship with Wolfington or the Wolfington Companies please understand what you are hearing is not true. VinSolutions asks that you call us or visit us at www.vinsolutions.comhttp://www.vinsolutions.com to find out the truth about VinSolutions and Wolfington.

All info about VinSolutions/Wolfington will soon be available at www.VinWasWarned.com

Remember-Be One With VIN

Not Wolfington

Mike Dullea

CEO Vinsolutions.com


Thank you.

What do you think happened?

 

[Alex Snyder]

Just curious after rereading that press release from February 2010....what happened to Doug Kinney?

 

[kevinfrye]

I saw this exchange on the ADM forums on Saturday and it appears that the post was removed. I am uncertain as to what exactly is going on, but I did see the original press release last year as well.

 

[nallen]

Didn't anyone else think it was somewhat strange that Wolfington joined With VIN last year and then several other companies that were competing with VIN and never promoted VIN one second??? He sure did put a lot of energy into those other companies though....

I give VIN a thumbs upon that choice!

 

[Jerry Thibeau]

 

[Chip Grueter]

 

[philipzelinger]

Whenever I see a post that suggests a conflict between two friends -- in this case Sean Wolfington and my many friends at Vinsolutions -- I am hesitant to take sides. That said, sometimes it is necessary since our only true asset on sites like DealerElite and ADM is our reputation and shared friends so I will limit my reply to personal observations and experiences to eliminate any potential for passing on half truths. I will also support my opinion of the issue by listing the "facts" as I know them -- here I go:

1) I was witness to the multiple press releases that supported the appointment of Sean as the Chairman of Vinsolutions along with highly complimentary comments by people within the organization at the time that I know and trust. (See the samples included in this post supporting my memory of the event.)
2) I know Sean Wolfington to be a person of impeccable character who I respect on many levels both personally and professionally.
3) I have often deferred my opinion to Sean's and I would not hesitate to do it again should he accept a position on the board for any of the companies that I own or have an interest in -- including those of my most valued vendor clients.
4) I have a similar respect for Vinsolutions as a company and I know and respect most of their management team. (That is not to say that I don't respect them all, simply that I only know most!)
5) Life experiences have taught me that many relationships change over time and only the strongest survive the challenges of today's economy.
6)The Internet and social media sites like this one are often used to vent frustrations that reflect a moment in time vs. the reality of a long term relationship that has a beginnning a middle and and end; often viewed from conflicting perspectives.
7) The issues raised in this post and the subsequent comments will survive long after the resolutions that they surface.
8) When a post like this surfaces there is often a tendency to take sides with the only "winners" being the ones who didn't take them; sides that is!

In summary, it is my personal observation and opinion that Sean Wolfington is a valued and trusted friend and associate who absolutely understood that he was accepting the role of Chairman at Vinsolutions at some point in time that apparantly may have come and passed; although I am basing that assumption of the comments from the CEO of Vinsolutions that sparked this post vs. any first hand knowledge of that conclusion. Any suggestion that Sean intentionally abused his understanding of his relationship with Vinsolutions for a self serving agenda is unfounded and in my opinion should be addressed off line to avoid further confusion or comments that have no constructive benefits for any of the involved parties; includiing Vinsolutions.

 

[Chris Saraceno]

Our Dealership's have worked with the Wollfington family and Sean Wolfington for many years. I have ALWAYS found Sean to be a person of the highest character ,he is respected by all leader's in our company.
I have also been very impressed with the leadership at VinSolutions everytime I have had contact with them.

This entire situation should be handle offline

 

[brianbenstock]

In the world we live in no one is safe from slander-

I read with great interest the comments made on this blog regarding VinSolutions and Sean W. While I do not know of the specific relation between Sean and VIN, what I do know is that Sean makes any company that he does business with better.

Sean is not the first business leader to be slandered by VIN Solutions, and it is now apparent that this is a part of their business manner.

Sean W. went out of his way to have me make time for a presentation by VINSolutons; I agreed to do this out of respect for Sean. During this presentation, the representative from VINSolutions made negative comments about the CRM company that I am doing business with (E-Lead CRM) and the used car pricing tool (V-Auto) that we have been using (with fantastic results) since 2007. Rudeness is better than any argument as it totally eclipses any intellect; needless to say this approach did not yield a positive result for VIN Solutions. Dale and Sean are among the two most respected business men that I know, both share many of the same qualities, and both have been the victim of needless, false attacks by VINSolutions.

Sean does not need me to defend the outstanding reputation that he has developed, it speaks for itself; nor does he need me to speak of his integrity, that too is self evident. I write this because Sean W. is too much of a gentleman to defend himself against these attacks, and I did not want these false words to go without proper opposition.

A thick skin and a happy life are both gifts from God, keep your chin up Sean.

Brian Benstock

 

[ronmorrison]

Hi all,

since we're using this (and other automotive forums) to hash out this fracture I'd like to provide a response, some social-media-esque etiquette input if you will. I'll be brief. In the 15+ years that I've know Sean Wolfington I've only know him to do what he's said he'll do and then some. In the 6 years or so that I've know Mike, I've found him only to be a professional and forward thinking individual, I haven't worked with him at the length I've worked with Sean.

I've read the positive comments about Sean in these posts and again, speaking from my personal experience I can only add I agree with every positive description of Sean Wolfington, his character, and his professional work ethic.

That said: SocialMedia and "transparency/trust rules" dictate that the principals to this issue (Sean Wolfington and VIN Execs) work outside of open forums to clarify their relationship moving forward. Fairness and respect for DealerRefresh and similar forums call for those principals to produce collaborative and mutually agreed upon characteristics of their relationship(s) and share those in an informative way with the forum members for the members' benefit. Anything less then that IMO feels manipulative and heavy handed in an effort to unfairly influence forum members to one position or another. In other words - Mike: this isn't the place. Those of us that are sharing our opinions on the relationship or its fracture, I'd offer also: that this isn't the place. This is the place to educate, to edify, to build, to grow, to learn, to lead. Be Leaders. Be Builders. Grow. Learn. Edify. Make something or someone spectacular!

Thanks!