Inside DART: The Program Lithia's CEO Is Betting the Next 80 Years On with Diego Rojas Artwork

Fixed Ops Roundtable

The Fixed Ops Roundtable, hosted by Ted Ings, is your source for cutting edge information, technology, and best practices from leaders and innovators in the retail automobile industry. Enjoy weekly episodes featuring expert interviews that originally aired during Ted Ings popular Fixed Ops Roundtable live and virtual events.

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Inside DART: The Program Lithia's CEO Is Betting the Next 80 Years On with Diego Rojas

April 13, 2026 • Ted Ings

0:00 | 6:56

Automotive talent development just got a serious upgrade, and Lithia & Driveway's DART program is leading the charge.

Diego Rojas, the architect behind one of the most in-demand leadership development programs in automotive retail today, joins the Fixed Ops Roundtable to talk about what's happening inside Lithia & Driveway that dealership general managers across the country are lining up for, and waiting months to get.

What exactly is a "Darter?" Why are stores fighting over them? And what does Lithia's CEO want to see happen before the end of 2026?

Diego answers all of it, and what he reveals about where DART is heading next will surprise you.

In this episode:

How the DART program develops next-generation dealership leaders differently than anything else in the industry
Why Northwood University graduates are becoming some of the most sought-after candidates in automotive retail
The hiring and placement process that makes this program unlike anything else
Lithia & Driveway's bold 2026 targets straight from the CEO
What's on the horizon globally for DART

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Thanks, Brian Kramer

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