So Long, JM Solutions?So Long, JM Solutions?

One of the more surprising stories coming out of the NADA convention in New Orleans is the near-dismantling of JM Solutions. One industry executive calls it "stunning."

First, it sold its flagship product, AAX, an inventory-management solution, to DealerTrack. There's been no official announcement regarding what DealerTrack paid for AAX but sources confidently place the price tag at $32.5 million.

The sale happened so quickly, AAX was still in the JM booth during the NADA convention.

JM Solutions also is looking to sell its CRM tool DealerUps. Meanwhile, folks at DME Automotive say they're not sure what their future holds.

JM Solutions, a division of JM Family Enterprises Inc., made a big splash in 2005 buying several companies with the intention of tying together several front end solutions. Read more here.

Unfortunately, the strategy didn't work. Company President Scott Barrett retired following the AAX sale and reportedly is planning on devoting more time to his church.

On paper, JM Solutions was a good idea and it had good people trying to execute the strategy. Sometimes, things just don't work out.