Eric Fifield
Chief Sales Officer
EFG Companies
Clearly, we are in the midst of challenging times. Due to shelter-in-place orders, many in the U.S. are working from home or furloughed, and millions have lost their jobs, with cars parked in the driveway. Others have picked up a delivery job and are putting many unexpected miles on their vehicles. And for those who perform essential functions that we rely on, it is business as usual with a whopping dose of added stress. Whatever the situation, everyone is burdened in some way.
In the retail automotive industry, we’ve been through hard times before. Most recently, the Great Recession taught the industry a lot about running a financially sound business through both economic ups and downs. Since then, the industry has drastically changed with the progression of online retailing. As dealers ramp up online retailing efforts to stay engaged with consumers stuck at home, EFG has once again brought to market its traffic-driving, market differentiator – WALKAWAY Vehicle Return Protection.
Provided complimentary on automotive financing, WALKAWAY allows consumers the option to return their vehicle in the event any of these unforeseen life events occur:
- Involuntary unemployment
- Physical disability
- Loss of driver’s license due to medical impairment
- Self-employment personal bankruptcy
- Accidental death
- International employment transfer
As CFO, Neha Parikh brings almost 30 years of experience in financial management at Fortune 100 and mid-size companies to her role. At EFG, Neha will utilize her extensive experience in financial and business planning, resource allocation, and financial reporting to provide strategic direction, decision-support, and leadership for EFG’s accounting and financial planning division. Neha’s managerial and consulting experience spans companies like GoDaddy, ADP, Verint, Cox Enterprises and AT&T, where she served in various capacities ranging from Executive Director to Business Unit CFO. She received her MBA in Finance from San Jose State University, and her BBA in Financial Accounting from Mumbai University.
Ben Cantrell brings two decades of experience in finance, accounting, operations and retail automotive to his role as Vice President, Treasurer and Controller. In this role, Ben will analyze complex processes and systems to plan and implement dynamic solutions with a focus on cost savings and cash flow optimization. Prior to EFG, he served as Chief Financial Officer for Seniority, Inc., and for Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation. Ben also served as Audit Supervisor for Lane Gorman Trubitt, PLLC, and as Staff Accountant for RSF Partners. Ben is a certified public accountant and received his Bachelor of Business Administration from Baylor University. He also received an MS in Accounting and his MBA in Accounting and Corporate Finance from the University of Dallas.