Built for dealers, by dealers.
OWL began with three automotive veterans who spent years working together inside one of the country’s largest dealer groups. Today, we’re a national consulting and managed services partner built exclusively for retail automotive, still guided by the philosophy that started it all: think without walls or borders.
Three Dealership Veterans. One Shared Vision.
Before OWL existed, Sally Lopez, Tom Olney, and Renay Winston spent years working side by side under Roger Penske, helping grow one of the largest automotive groups in the country. Across HR, accounting, IT, and operations, they built more than expertise, they built a friendship rooted in a shared passion for retail automotive.
In 2018, that partnership became a company. The name OWL is literally their story: the first letters of Olney, Winston, and Lopez, standing for the partnership that started it all.
"Think without walls or borders, while staying rooted in the areas where we know we can deliver real value."
That philosophy shaped everything that followed. OWL's earliest work centered on operational consulting; supporting dealerships through mergers and acquisitions, DMS conversions, and operational assessments. Those services remain the foundation of our Professional Services team today.
From an Idea to a National Dealership Partner
From a three-person consulting partnership to a national dealership consulting and managed IT services firm. Here's how OWL got here.
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2018 | OWL Is Founded
Sally Lopez, Tom Olney, and Renay Winston launch OWL Automotive Consulting, combining decades of retail automotive experience across technology, finance, operations, and human resources.
From the beginning, the focus is simple: bring real dealership experience to real dealership challenges.
OWL’s early work focuses on operational consulting, including M&A support, DMS conversions, operational assessments, and strategic dealership initiatives.
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2019 | The Next Chapter
OWL quickly begins gaining momentum through referrals and relationships across the automotive industry.
As the company grows, co-founder Renay Winston retires from OWL. Tom and Sally continue building the business together, expanding its reach while staying true to the consultative approach established by the original partnership.
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2021 | OWL Expands into Managed IT
As dealership technology becomes increasingly complex, clients begin turning to OWL for more than consulting.
Drawing on Sally’s experience as a dealership CIO and the team’s deep understanding of retail automotive technology, OWL expands into Managed IT Services and begins building a dedicated team of automotive IT professionals.
The expansion marks an important evolution for OWL: from an operational consulting firm into a partner capable of supporting both the business and technology sides of dealership operations.
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2018–2026 | Built on Referrals
For its first eight years, OWL grows without a formal marketing or sales team.
New clients come through referrals, repeat engagements, and relationships built across the automotive industry. What began with three trusted industry veterans continues to grow dealership by dealership, driven by the experience of the team and the results delivered for clients.
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June 2026 | A New Chapter of Leadership
Following Tom Olney’s retirement, Sally Lopez becomes sole owner of OWL Automotive Consulting, continuing as Founder & CEO and leading the company into its next chapter.
The transition builds on the foundation established by OWL’s founders while positioning the company for continued growth, expanded capabilities, and an even greater impact across the retail automotive industry.
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Today | One Team. More Ways to Support Dealers.
Today, OWL has grown from three founders into a national team of more than 45 professionals dedicated exclusively to retail automotive.
OWL brings together Managed IT Services, Cybersecurity, Professional Services, Finance & Accounting Services, dealership operations expertise, DMS consulting, and M&A support under one organization.
The company has grown. The mission behind it hasn’t.
For OWL’s first eight years, growth came almost entirely through referrals and repeat engagements. There was no formal sales or marketing team driving that growth. Dealership leaders recommended OWL to other dealership leaders because of the experience, execution, and results they saw firsthand.
As OWL continues to grow, that foundation hasn’t changed. Trust is still something we believe has to be earned, one dealership at a time.
OWL was built by automotive veterans who understood dealerships from the inside, and that experience continues across our team today.
Our professionals bring backgrounds in dealership technology, accounting, operations, DMS implementations, cybersecurity, finance, and executive leadership. That means we don’t approach dealership challenges with a generic playbook. We understand how decisions in one part of the dealership can impact the entire operation.
From the beginning, OWL was built around the idea of “thinking without walls or borders” while staying focused on the areas where we can deliver real value.
That philosophy has allowed OWL to evolve from operational consulting into a broader dealership partner spanning Professional Services, Managed IT, Cybersecurity, Finance & Accounting, DMS consulting, and M&A support.
The services have expanded. The approach hasn’t: bring the right expertise together to solve the dealership’s challenge.
Let's Streamline Your Dealership Operations
We work with dealerships of any size, manufacturer, and DMS to improve operations and drive results. Tell us about your dealership, and let’s get started today.