Gilbert Compliance Services

Compliance That Works in the Real World

Compliance has become one of the greatest challenges facing today's automotive dealerships. Between privacy regulations, cybersecurity requirements, workplace safety, employment laws, and manufacturer expectations, dealership management is expected to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment while remaining focused on serving customers and growing the business.

I founded Gilbert Compliance Services because I saw firsthand that most dealerships don't have a compliance problem—they have a resource problem.

While working in enterprise privacy and technology, I had a conversation with a close friend who owns a California new car dealership. As we compared our daily challenges, it became clear that we were solving many of the same problems. I was helping large organizations build privacy and compliance programs, while he was trying to apply similar regulatory requirements inside a busy dealership.

The dealership had access to compliance tools, checklists, and templates. What it lacked was someone with the experience to translate those requirements into practical processes that employees could consistently follow.

That conversation became the foundation for Gilbert Compliance Services.

Today, I serve as an outsourced Compliance Officer for California dealerships, helping management teams build practical compliance programs that reduce risk, protect customer information, and create a culture of accountability.

My Background

About Dave Gilbert

I bring more than 20 years of experience in technology, information systems, and regulatory compliance.

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from San Jose State University and spent more than two decades working in the technology industry, implementing and supporting software solutions for organizations with complex regulatory and security requirements.

For the past ten years, my primary focus has been data privacy and compliance. Before founding Gilbert Compliance Services, I served as Lead, Implementation & Technology Services at TrustArc, one of the industry's leading privacy management companies. There, I worked with organizations implementing privacy frameworks, regulatory compliance programs, and governance processes designed to protect sensitive information and meet evolving legal requirements.

Over the past several years, I have applied that expertise directly within California automotive dealerships, helping dealer principals and management teams address not only privacy and data protection requirements, but the broader operational compliance responsibilities that affect every department.

My Philosophy

Effective compliance isn't created by purchasing software or filling binders with policies.

It comes from understanding how a dealership operates, identifying where risk exists, and building practical processes that employees can realistically follow every day.

My goal is to become a trusted extension of your management team—not simply an outside consultant who visits once a year.

Whether it's safeguarding customer information under the FTC Safeguards Rule, strengthening California privacy compliance, performing your required policy inspections, or building an overall compliance management program, I believe compliance should provide confidence, not complexity.

Why Dealerships Work With Gilbert Compliance Services

Clients choose Gilbert Compliance because I combine three areas of expertise that are rarely found together:

Over 20 years of technology and information systems experience
A decade of specialized privacy and data governance expertise
Hands-on compliance experience working with California automotive dealerships

This combination allows me to bridge the gap between regulatory requirements and day-to-day dealership operations, helping clients implement compliance programs that are both effective and practical.

My mission is simple: help dealerships reduce risk, protect their customers, support their employees, and confidently navigate today's increasingly complex regulatory environment.