Former dealer Jay Lee has been named director of West Coast operations for the Tim Lamb Group.

The dealership sales and acquisitions firm said Lee will oversee its operations and client engagement in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada.

Lee has been an owner and dealer principal in his 25-plus-year career, the company said, building and scaling high-performing dealerships, and leveraging strategic analysis to identify opportunities to maximize profitability, expand market share and elevate customer satisfaction.

Jay Lee

He has also served as chief operating officer and platform general manager, managing multi-rooftop operations throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The Tim Lamb Group said that experience in the full lifecycle of dealership ownership, from acquisition and growth to an eventual sale, allows Lee to offer clients a perspective that “blends analytical foresight with real-world experience throughout the buy/sell process.”

“Jay has all of the ingredients for a successful broker,” Tim Lamb Group president Tim Lamb said. “He has experienced the buy/sell process as both a dealer and a partner and brings valuable insight to our clients.

“Jay is deeply committed to a strategic, discreet approach, focused on optimizing transaction value while preserving strong relationships between all parties involved.”

Lee said his new role has “already felt so natural. The automotive industry is going to change over the next 5-10 years, and I’m excited to help dealers navigate those changes — whether they’re growing or exiting.

“Helping retailers with their next move is what excites me most. Understanding the emotions of what goes through the buy/sell process is all relatable to me. It can be nerve-racking, anxious, exciting and hopeful, and having gone through all of the emotions myself will provide a foundation for my relationship with my clients.”