Mike Edwards's Profile and Contact Information

Mike Edwards, President of THE FIRST GROUP FAMILY OF COMPANIES (First Innovations, Inc.; First Guard Warranty Corporation; First Insured) has over 37 years of experience in the insurance and automobile industries.  He grew up in a family-owned auto dealership that was in operation for over 40 years and because of this he has management experience in every aspect of a dealership.  Not only was he the Vice President of Operations for his family’s Ford dealership in the Dallas area for 10 years, but he also developed, wrote and provided training for all the variable operations training programs for the Texas Automobile Dealer Association’s only endorsed sales training company at the time. He then spent over 12 years training, managing and administering F&I departments, sales departments, used vehicle departments, and overall dealership profit programs for dealerships around the country.  He was also the Vice President of Marketing, and later became the Executive Vice President, of the largest credit insurance producing company and third party vehicle service contract provider in Texas and New Mexico, as well as one of the largest automobile dealership Worker's Compensation direct insurers for over 7 years before forming First Innovations (parent company of First Insured) in 1999.

Mike has been a featured speaker and trainer, as well as held workshops for the following:

• Finance & Insurance Conference Las Vegas
• National Automobile Dealers Association Convention
• Texas Automobile Dealers Association Convention
• TADA Fall Workshops
• Texas Future Dealers
• Houston Automobile Dealer Association
• San Antonio Automobile Dealer Association
• Dallas New Car Dealer Association
• Tarrant County Auto Dealer Association
• Coastal Bend Auto Dealer Association
• New Mexico Automobile Dealer Association Convention
• National Marine Manufacturers Convention
• NCM 20 Groups
• TADA 20 Groups
• NADA 20 Groups
• Mitsubishi Motor Sales Corporation
• Honda Motors Top 20 Dealer Performance Group
• General Motor-Motors Holding Southwest Dealer Group
• NADA’s national satellite network, SkyLink
• Hundreds of in-dealership seminars and training

Mike attended and played collegiate football for the United States Air Force Academy and the University of Arkansas before a knee injury ended his playing career. Mike has a Certified Automotive Merchandising Degree from Northwood University (Institute), a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Texas Arlington, and graduate work toward a Master's Degree in Mid-Management from the University of Houston Clear Lake. Mike holds a Limited Lines and General Lines P&C insurance license.  He is a member of the USAFA 1954 Society and Sabre Society, University of Texas Longhorn Foundation, a Founding Executive Member of the University of Texas Club, member of University of Texas Littlefield Society and University of Texas Arlington's 1895 Society, as well as a member of the University of Texas Chancellor's Council and past member of  UTA's College of Education's Leadership Council.