Now under new leadership, AutoCanada announced changes in its executive team as it “continues to strengthen its operational foundation and leadership bench.”

All of the changes are effective immediately.

The Edmonton-based dealership group has promoted Mikel Pestrak to interim president of dealership operations, Art Crawford to president of collision operations and Cynthia Hill to general counsel.

In addition, as part of a planned transition, the company said president of Canadian operations Jeff Thorpe and chief operating officer Brian Feldman have stepped down from their roles. They will remain with the company as advisors to interim CEO Sam Cochrane through Jan. 1 to assist with the transition.

“These leadership changes are about continuity and momentum and ensuring we have the right team and structure in place to carry the business into its next phase of disciplined, profitable growth,” said Cochrane, AutoCanada’s chief financial officer, who was named interim CEO when Paul Antony transitioned out of his role as executive chairman two weeks ago.

Pestrak joined AutoCanada in 2018 as vice president of F&I operations. The company cited his “proven record of operational and financial excellence, strong leadership and strategic focus” in his 18 years of experience in the auto retail and insurance industries.

Crawford has served as vice president of collision centers since coming on board in 2018 and has turned that operation around from a money-losing business to one of AutoCanada’s most profitable units, with 32 locations and growing.

During Antony’s final earnings call in May, he cited Crawford as being responsible for AutoCanada’s ACX operating method, a key piece in the company’s financial recovery over the past year.

“I’d like to give credit for the name ACX to Art Crawford, who’s running our collision business,” Antony said. “It’s him and his team that came up with it, and we’ve stolen it from him. So we owe it to him to say that the ACX operating method, though it is AutoCanada’s, it started in Art’s garage.”

Crawford’s resume includes more than 20 years of experience in rental, MRO distribution and collision repair.

Hill was previously a partner in the law firm of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, with a practice focused on corporate and commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, and capital markets. Since coming to AutoCanada in 2020 as senior associate general counsel, she has helped guide the company through complex transactions, corporate governance and sustainability initiatives. In her new role, she’ll oversee all legal, compliance and risk functions.

“Each has demonstrated exceptional leadership and delivered transformative results in their respective areas,” Cochrane said, “Mikel through record-setting dealership F&I performance, Art by building a thriving collision platform from the ground up and Cynthia by steering our legal and governance functions with unwavering professionalism.

“I would also like to sincerely thank Jeff Thorpe and Brian Feldman for their contributions to AutoCanada and for their continued support during this transition period. … Their leadership has been instrumental in positioning AutoCanada for long-term success.”