Reynolds President and acting CEO Chris Walsh
Reynolds and Reynolds
The Reynolds and Reynolds Co. introduced Rey, an artificial intelligence agent designed for dealership professionals, during the Reynolds Retail Summit: Amplify 2025.
Rey is powered by the Reynolds Spark AI data layer and can provide strategic recommendations, run reports, help with tasks, and contact the Technical Assistance Center. The tool will be integrated across the Reynolds Retail Management System.
“We are one of only a few companies developing AI at this scale,” said Reynolds President and acting CEO Chris Walsh. “I’ve been with the company for four decades, and I don’t recall a release that generated this level of excitement.”
Reynolds said Rey has the potential to significantly expand efficiency within dealerships, building on the work of its Reynolds Performance Managers, who help dealers with utilization and process improvements. Walsh added that future development will allow employees to ask Rey to complete actions inside the software on their behalf.
Dealer Contest Highlights Best Practices
In addition to the launch, Reynolds recognized dealership professionals through the Automotive Amplifiers Contest. Five finalists presented ideas on stage at Amplify, and Kamir Martínez Díaz and Chris Ponte were named winners. Each received a trophy and a $5,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
Ponte, who improved the off-the-shelf fill rate at Scranton Chevrolet, won the Automotive Amplifiers Impact Award. He credited the ability to share ideas directly with dealership leadership as key to implementation. He donated his award to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Martínez Díaz of Pepe Abad Auto in Puerto Rico won the Innovation Award for reducing document processing times and saving her dealership tens of thousands of dollars annually. She donated her award to the American Cancer Society of Puerto Rico, honoring both a cancer survivor on her team and her sister, who's currently undergoing treatment.
Reynolds said it will share details of the winning ideas and additional best practices from the contest this fall.
“Seeing dealership professionals embrace new practices that move retail automotive forward is what Amplify is all about,” Walsh said.
