Auto auction veteran John Tharp has joined Carmigo as its new vice president of sales.

Tharp comes to the online marketplace and wholesale platform for dealerships with more than 35 years of experience in the auto industry, most recently as general sales manager of America’s Auto Auction-Baton Rouge.

He previously served as national program manager for Insurance Auto Auctions, overseeing a team of more than 80 direct reports. He was responsible for maintaining relationships with hundreds of dealerships nationwide and working with them on inventory acquisition.

He has also worked in dealerships as general sales manager and used car director.

“Carmigo is in a prime position to help dealerships’ evolving inventory management needs,” Tharp said in a news release. “Carmigo’s wholesale platform brings a lot to the table, especially as the market is challenging used car managers like never before. After I got to know the team, I knew I could play a role in serving and growing their dealership network.”

Tharp comes on board following the Feb. 1 launch of Carmigo’s wholesale platform, Carmigo Turn. He’ll be working with the company’s product and marketing teams to bring the platform to dealerships throughout the Southeast and using their feedback to shape future offerings.

“John has joined our team at the perfect time,” Carmigo CEO and co-founder Andrew Warmath said. “We’ve already seen how Turn can help dealerships protect their profits and navigate a never-before-seen used car market. John is going to help us bring that to more dealers and serve the buying and selling needs of those in our network.”

Tharp will also focus on growing the sales team as Carmigo looks to expand across the Southeast in 2024. The company, which was honored as one of Cherokee Media Group’s 2023 Emerging 8 for improving a specific aspect of the auto industry through technology, said it has already tripled its sales force in the past two months, with more growth expected.