“Many of our partners are making significant investments in technology to drive an exceptional customer experience. Our goal at Safe-Guard is to ensure we have the capabilities to be fully integrated in this journey and a thought leader in the F&I space.”

Pryor will lead Safe-Guard’s marketing relationships with the company’s agent, national retailer and OEM partners. Pryor brings more than 15 years of automotive OEM experience to Safe-Guard. Most recently, he was Brand Vice President for Jaguar North America, and prior to that, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Porsche Cars North America. He has served in a variety of roles in the automotive industry including marketing, product development, finance, aftersales and customer relationship management.

“Safe-Guard has an incredibly compelling story that is waiting to be told. As a marketer I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity: A respected brand, great customer service, and a strong management team with an overwhelming desire to deliver innovative products and services,” said David Pryor, Chief Marketing Officer of Safe-Guard Products. “I look forward to drawing on my 15 years of automotive experience as we continue to lead the industry in delivering solutions to the changing F&I landscape.”

(2.7.13)

“Safe-Guard is excited to partner with Goldman Sachs to continue to grow its business and build upon its market-leading position. With our partners, we are well positioned to drive sales growth, provide service delivery enhancements and introduce new products that deliver exceptional value for our dealers and their customers,” Randy Barkowitz, Chief Executive Officer, said.

Doug Duncan, Founder and former Chairman said, “Safe-Guard’s vision and core values of providing innovative products and excellent customer service are the foundation to its success. Alongside its latest partner, Goldman Sachs, the Company will continue to chart a great future.”

“Safe-Guard has an industry-leading management team and world-class relationships,” said Sumit Rajpal of Goldman Sachs. “We look forward to working with the Company as it continues to provide superior products and services to all of its customers.”

###

About Safe-Guard Products International, LLC

Founded in 1992 and based in Atlanta, Safe-Guard is a leading provider of F&I program solutions to the automotive aftermarket industry as well as the RV, marine and motorcycle/powersports segments. The Company develops, markets and administers the highest-quality F&I programs and matches them with unparalleled customer service, advanced technology solutions and industry-leading training. Safe-Guard is a proud partner to more than half the country’s top 500 dealers, the most successful general agents and the largest dealer groups. The Company also boasts more private-label OEM programs than all other providers combined. For more information on Safe-Guard, please visit www.safe-guardproducts.com.

About Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world. For more information on Goldman Sachs, please visit www.gs.com.

Contact: Andrea Raphael, Goldman Sachs, (212) 357-0025, andrea.raphael@gs.com

Contact: Teneisha Jones, Safe-Guard Products, (800) 742-7896, ext. 9234, tjones@sgintl.com

(12.21.12)

(12.17.12)

Traditional pay plans in the F&I office are based on a percentage of profits, but with a slim profit margin, Pre-Paid Maintenance usually only puts a few bucks in a Finance Manager’s pocket. Why not pay Finance Managers $25-30 on each Pre-Paid Maintenance sale?

It may sound crazy to cut even more into the profits of a low-margin product, but it will pay dividends in customer loyalty. Pre-Paid Maintenance should be treated as a retention product – a service retention tool. Getting customers back in the dealership repeatedly is more valuable than any profit the product could make.

To increase your service retention index, a 2-year oil change-only Pre-Paid Maintenance Program with free tire rotation can position your dealership to compete with individual repair chains, such as Pep Boys or Jiffy Lube.

"We greatly appreciate the many years of commitment and the invaluable contribution that Kitty has provided our organization," said Dave Duncan, Safe-Guard's president.

As one of the company's founding employees, Haas has served in a variety of positions within the company, including senior leadership roles in client relations, marketing, communications and operations, and helped shape the world-class customer service culture that has propelled Safe-Guard into its market-leading position.

"Just as Safe-Guard has transformed over the past decades into a leader in our industry, I have been shaped by my experience here and feel honored and proud to have played a part in the evolution and success of this organization," said Haas. "I look forward to hearing about all the future successes of Safe-Guard Products, our clients and the exceptional team of people within our company."

(9.7.12)

The SOC 1 Type II attestation was provided by the independent audit firm, UHY LLP, Certified Public Accountants. The firm evaluated the design of Safe-Guard’s operations and control environment, and found that these controls had been operating effectively for the period ended March 31, 2012. Their unqualified opinion represents that they are satisfied that the company has accurately described its controls for systems in place through the period of the audit, and those controls are adequate to achieve appropriate control objectives. The controls were tested and, during the period of the audit, were operating effectively.

“This examination emphasizes Safe-Guard's continued commitment to create and maintain the most stringent controls needed to ensure the highest quality and security of services we provide to our customers,” said Safe-Guard’s CEO Randy Barkowitz. “This is especially important as we continue to grow alongside our major strategic partners.”

(6.5.12)

His career includes finance positions at various public and private companies, beginning with 16 years at Ford Motor Company, including 12 years with Ford Credit and Ford’s financial services operations. He then spent three years as treasurer of Hexcel Corporation, a $1.2 billion publicly traded manufacturing company with operations in the United States and Western Europe. During the past 12 years, he served as CFO/CEO for three start-up ventures and turnaround companies sponsored by private equity investors. He has an MBA from Stanford University.

“Bruce is a strong addition to our executive team,” said Randall Barkowitz, CEO of Safe-Guard Products. “His diverse entrepreneurial and leadership experience will be important as we continue to grow our business.”

(5.24.12)