ADESA’s announcement that it has named general managers at three of its locations is an indication of “our deep bench strength and our appeal to outside candidates,” said ADESA chief operating officer Srisu Subrahmanyam.
The new general managers are Brian Wong at ADESA Flint, Mark Melton at ADESA Las Vegas and Eric Carpenter at ADESA Colorado Springs.
“[Wong] has built a stellar reputation while moving up the ladder at ADESA Flint, [Melton] has been an outstanding addition to our general manager ranks since joining ADESA in 2016, and [Carpenter] was drawn to our vibrant, growing organization by our commitment to continuously enhance the customer experience,” Subrahmanyam said in a news release.
Previously the assistant general manager at ADESA Flint, Wong was also general sales manager and outside sales representative at that location. He was with Fiat Chrysler in international product planning and brand operations before coming to ADESA, and he also previously worked in Seattle for Ford Motor Co. in marketing, sales and services.
With 20 years of auction business experience, Melton has worked in all facets of the industry, according to ADESA. He had worked in Eugene, Ore. as general manager at ADESA Northwest since 2013. (In 2016, ADESA acquired and renamed the auction.) He was fleet lease manager and general sales manager before being promoted to general manager at that location.
Carpenter was with Enterprise Holdings for 24 years before joining ADESA, and he has spent his entire career in the auto remarketing industry. Most recently for Enterprise Holdings, he was group fleet manager for Colorado and southern Wyoming. His previous positions at Enterprise were remarketing manager of sales and operations and fleet strategy manager.
Following its recent spin-off from KAR Auction Services, Inc., IAA Inc. named the members of its board of directors.
John Larson, who was the lead independent director of KAR since June 2014, was named IAA chairman of the board.
IAA completed the spin-off in June; it was first announced in February 2018.
Eight individuals will serve on the IAA board of directors, and seven of those are independent. IAA said its board members offer strong experience in the automotive and insurance claims industries and bring international expertise as well as significant knowledge in areas such as finance, strategy, and human resources.
The eight board members are:
— Larson (chairman), who is former KAR director and chief executive officer of Bestop Inc., which manufactures soft tops and accessories for Jeep vehicles. He has held various senior executive roles at General Motors Co., including the Buick, Pontiac and GMC divisions, and as general director of remarketing.
— John Kett, chief executive officer and president of IAA.
— Brian Bales, executive vice president and chief development officer of Republic Services, a recycling and waste disposal services company.
— William (Bill) Breslin, founder and chief of Wenonah Consulting, a service, expense and loss management services company for claims operations across the insurance industry.
— Sue Gove, founder and president of retail consulting and advisory firm Excelsior Advisors LLC.
— Lynn Jolliffe, former director of KAR and chief executive officer of Jolliffe Solutions Inc., a human capital and talent management consulting company.
— Peter Kamin, founder and managing partner of 3K Limited Partnership. That private equity firm partners with management teams that are seeking capital to implement growth strategies for creating shareholder value.
— Olaf Kastner, former regional president and chief executive officer for China for the BMW Group.
Upon completion of the spin-off, Larson and Jolliffe resigned from the KAR board of directors.
“I look forward to working with such a diverse and talented group of individuals, helping to lead IAA into its next phase of growth as a public company,” Larson said.
“As an independent company, IAA is well positioned to leverage our strong global footprint, deep industry relationships and focus on technology and innovation to better serve our diverse base of global customers,” Kett said. “This board’s leadership will further enhance our competitive position in the marketplace and help drive long-term value for our shareholders.”
In naming Tony Markese as vice president of reconditioning, Manheim says the move will help the company grow its reconditioning operations in preparation of digital and mobility sector growth.
Markese, who was promoted to vice president, operational excellence for Manheim in 2012, will now have responsibility for determining the strategic direction of the company in the area of reconditioning services.
He will work to ensure the company attracts and retains quality automotive technicians across its nationwide network. Manheim said in a news release that attracting technicians will be “no small feat,” with an industry shortage in that area.
But Markese has confidence in the future technician workforce of Manheim. Reasons for that confidence include Manheim’s partnership with the TechForce Foundation and a future new and aspiring technician apprentice program.
“We know what bright futures automotive technicians can have, especially at a company like Manheim, which offers training, support and opportunities for career growth,” Markese said. “Between our internal programs and external partnerships, we are doing everything we can to promote this important career path and highlight the role that it will play in the future of mobility.”
After joining the company in 1998 as controller at Manheim Orlando, Markese eventually served as general manager at several Manheim operating locations in Florida before his promotion to vice president, operational excellence. He helped lead large, transformational projects in that position. Among those projects: a $400 million initiative to modernize Manheim’s operating locations.
Manheim said that to meet growing industry demand, it continues to invest in its reconditioning shops, people, processes and technology. In addition to reconditioning services for vehicles within the Manheim marketplace, more than half of Manheim’s physical locations now offer reconditioning services. The company said those services help dealers get their vehicles in front-line condition, and that has allowed the company to produce more than 100,000 retail-ready vehicles since 2015.
“Reconditioning is a significant part of our business and is growing fast as the mobility landscape shifts and new entrants come onto the scene,” said Manheim senior vice president, assurance and reconditioning Fredrick Standfield. “With the fast-paced transformation of the automotive marketplace, Tony’s exceptional ability to manage change and help his teams and clients envision the big picture make him the ideal person to lead this growing area of our business.”
In response to what it describes as growing demand from its customers for mobile sales, ADESA on Thursday named Matt Laughridge to the newly created position of general manager of ADESA Mobile Auctions.
Also, the company promoted Sawyer Walker from regional to national manager of the company’s dealer-to-dealer sales program, ADESA UVA.
ADESA said in a news release that Laughridge brings almost 20 years of experience to the new position. He joined the auto remarking industry in 1999, and his experience includes positions in auction management and sales. Most recently, he was director of mobile auction sales and operations at Manheim.
President of the ADESA specialty division Jane Morgan described Laughridge as “a proven leader in the industry, with an innate ability to close a deal.”
Mobile sales allow dealers to turn inventory more quickly and efficiently, Morgan said, and that saves time and money on transportation, she added.
“Matt will build on the momentum we’ve created in our mobile division and solidify our position as the provider of choice in the mobile auction space,” Morgan said.
Regarding the promotion of Walker, Morgan said UVA helps car dealers meet today’s marketplace challenges by providing the opportunity “to buy and sell retail-ready inventory in a comfortable, convenient and exclusive environment.”
“Sawyer’s deep knowledge of the UVA auction program makes him the perfect choice to lead the initiative as we expand the concept into additional markets,” Morgan said.
When ADESA purchased Brasher’s Auto Auctions in 2016, Walker was managing the UVA program for that auction group. He continued in that position until 2018, when ADESA promoted him to regional UVA manager in 2018. Previously, he served in a sales role for Brasher’s.
ADESA’s expansion of UVA sales includes an additional bi-weekly UVA sale at ADESA Las Vegas and a weekly UVA sale at ADESA Dallas expected to launch this summer.
ADESA has named new general managers for its auctions in Salt Lake City and Des Moines, Iowa. The company said in a news release that both new GMs bring “decades of auction industry experience and will help advance ADESA’s customer-focused strategies.”
The company appointed Kevin Stumm as general manager of ADESA Des Moines. Jeff Brinkley will lead ADESA Salt Lake.
ADESA said previous ADESA Salt Lake general manager Rob Brasher has decided on a reduced role at the auction to focus more on family and other interests. He will continue in a sales leadership position for the auction.
Stumm has been in the auction industry since 2003, when he became general manager of Wisconsin Auto Auction. He went on to found the company, VinFocused, a consultative service provider for large to small automotive dealerships. He previously worked for Lee Enterprises, CarSoup.com and Autotrader.com in director or manager positions.
Brinkley’s career in the auto auction industry began in 1985. At that time, he worked for the former Indianapolis Auto Auction, which later became ADESA Indianapolis, and from 2001 to 2016, he served as assistant general manager at that auction.
He was assistant general manager at ADESA Orlando from 2016 to 2018. For the past year, he has been assistant general manager at ADESA Salt Lake. Also, he was previously assistant general manager at Greater Nevada Auto Auction and general manager of the former ADESA Southern Indiana.
ADESA central region vice president Doug Shore said Stumm and Brinkley are “proven leaders in the industry who know the business and our customers.
“As the in-lane auction experience evolves and we continue transforming the way we serve our customers, it’s important to foster strong industry relationships. Kevin and Jeff have not only successfully built winning teams, they have deep customer relationships that will continue to create growth at ADESA.”
Alliance Auto Auction was founded in Texas in 2011 and has operated four locations in the state. But Alliance’s chief executive officer Tim Adams has had a long-term goal to open an auction in Austin.
He has now met that goal.
Alliance Auto Auction is opening a new 35-acre greenfield facility in Austin. The auction will host a groundbreaking ceremony this month on its new six-lane facility, which will be located on the northeast side of Austin on the corner of SH130 and Chandler Rd.
“This brand-new facility will give us the opportunity to showcase what ‘Joining the Alliance’ is all about,” Adams said in a news release. The Austin facility will be part of the Alliance’s group of current auctions located in Dallas, Abilene, Longview, and Waco.
In other Alliance Auto Auction news, former ADESA Dallas assistant general manager Bob Bannister was appointed general manager of Alliance Dallas. Also, auction industry veteran Mike Bohannon was named general manager of Alliance Waco.
Regarding the new Austin facility, Alliance plans a “soft opening” of the auction at the end of 2019, and a grand opening gala is planned for early 2020.
Alliance chief operating officer Christopher “Dino” Dean said the Austin location “will be the first of many more to come, as we strive to grow to 12 locations.”
Regarding Alliance’s leadership changes, Bannister’s appointment will allow Dean, who led the building and opening of the Dallas facility five years ago, to fully assume his new role as chief operating officer along with Adams as they lead the new Austin project and continue expansion into additional markets. Dean was promoted to that role in 2017.
A member of the auction industry since 1998 when he started with ADESA Sacramento, Bannister served the last 20 years with ADESA, most recently as assistant general manager of ADESA Dallas.
“[Bannister] is a man of integrity and high moral character and is highly respected in the metroplex,” Dean said in a news release. “He brings a wealth of leadership experience and customer service to our organization, which makes him the perfect individual to take on the GM role at our Dallas location. We look forward to him putting his years of experience and industry knowledge to work with us in managing continued growth and delivering excellent customer service.”
Bohannon is also a long-time industry member, starting in the 1990s at Fort Worth Auto Auction. After moving on to ADESA Dallas, he worked under Adams in a leadership role in the late 1990s.
Bohannon’s two-decade career has included time on the auction and national remarketing side of the business. He has worked with Americredit, Triad, Santander and Exeter Finance Corp.
“Bo has a wealth of experience on both sides of the auction block,” Adams said. “His deep understanding of the remarketing industry will benefit us on more fronts than just Waco. I am very pleased to add a man with this level of character, knowledge and consistency to our growing leadership team. I think it’s really great that Bo has decided to come back to his auction roots and join the Alliance family.”
Direct Auction Services has named Marco Soria as national operations manager for its Direct Reconditioning division. Soria will work to standardize company processes for all aspects of vehicle reconditioning.
Soria most recently served for more than 10 years as operations manager at ADESA Sarasota. Before his time at ADESA Sarasota, he was operations manager at Manheim Orlando and Manheim Fort Lauderdale.
“Marco has a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of auction processes and a great history with our auction customers,” Direct Reconditioning president Jeffrey York said in a news release. “I have no doubt his work ethic, passion to help others and his operational expertise will continue to drive our business forward in 2019 and beyond. DAS has made a serious commitment to be the leader in vehicle reconditioning within the auto auction industry.
“We understand that our people make the difference at all levels.”
Soria said he looked forward to joining Direct Auction Services, which provides operational services such as drive-away, detailing, on-site staffing and tires for the automotive industry.
“DAS has a legacy of consistent proven success, and I’m excited to help continue this tradition of excellence,” Soria said.
Insurance Auto Auctions has appointed Vance Johnston chief financial officer. Johnston, who most recently served as CFO for SP Plus Corp., will report to IAA chief executive officer and president John Kett.
Kett said Johnston’s experience in leading finance teams and working toward operational efficiency will help IAA decrease cycle times and increase efficiencies for customers, bringing them improved economic returns.
IAA is making strategic investments toward “innovative approaches” to its operations, Kett said in a news release.
“Vance’s extensive financial and public company background combined with his corporate strategy and operational expertise will be significant assets to IAA as we move into our next phase of growth,” Kett said.
Johnston, who will be based at IAA’s headquarters in Westchester, Ill., brings a “diverse combination of high-growth and public company experience” that includes almost 30 years in the areas of finance, accounting, corporate strategy and treasury, according to IAA.
Johnston’s work for SP Plus included responsibility for the finance, accounting, treasury, investor relations, strategy, corporate development, IT and procurement functions. SP Plus provides parking, ground transportation, facility maintenance, security and event logistics services.
Prior to SP Plus, Johnston was chief financial officer for Furniture Brands International, and before that he served in finance, corporate strategy and operational positions at companies such as Miami Jewish Health Systems, Royal Caribbean International, Burger King and OfficeMax.
Johnston started his career in the audit division for Ernst & Young.
Auto reconditioning services company CARS Recon has appointed Jay Cadigan as non-executive board director. Cadigan has worked in the remarketing industry for more than 40 years and was inducted into the National Auto Auction Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
He retired from Manheim in 2017.
Cadigan served as vice president of industry relations for Manheim and before that was Manheim’s market vice president for Florida and Puerto Rico; president of sales and operations for the General Motors and Avis Budget Group accounts; and Skyline Auto Exchange’s general manager (the auction is now Manheim NY Metro Skyline).
He also worked for Golden Gate Auto Auction, US Fleet Leasing, Avis Car Leasing and Hertz.
In the new role, assisting other board members in developing strategic opportunities as CARS Recon’s growth continues will be his main objective.
Cadigan earned Ring of Honor recognition from the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association in 2016 and was named the Remarketer of the Year in 2015 at the Conference of Automotive Remarketing.
Insurance Auto Auctions’ latest expansions, at branches in five states, add more than 110 acres to the company’s footprint in Alabama, Arkansas, Minnesota, New York and Texas.
In other auction news, Auction Management Solutions, which provides consulting services to automotive industry clients including independent auto auctions, has added Bloomsburg Auto Auction in Bloomsburg, Pa., as a client.
And one more piece of auto auction news released recently is that Butch Royall has joined Kansas Auto Auction–Wichita as general manager.
Regarding the Insurance Auto Auction news, the company has made land investments at IAA Huntsville (Ala.), IAA Little Rock (Ark.), IAA Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minn.), IAA Long Island (N.Y.), and IAA Houston North (Texas).
IAA said the expansions mark a continuing investment in its future growth, addressing logistical needs of sellers and providing buyers with increased inventory options.
IAA chief executive officer and president John Kett said in a news release that the expansions mean the company can gather and store more inventory for its sellers and offer more selection of vehicles to its buyers.
“By anticipating our current and new clients’ growing volume across the country, we continue to make strategic investments to meet their future needs and most importantly further enhance their auction experience,” Kett said.
Regarding the AMS/Bloomsburg Auto Auction news, AMS said Bloomsburg AA typically runs 200 units each Wednesday. Bloomsburg is the 24th auction in the AMS portfolio, and the third auction to join in the first quarter of 2019. Predominantly a dealer-consignment sale, Bloomsburg features on line bidding through Edge Pipeline as well as Auction Access.
The 15-acre auction is located near Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Harrisburg and about a two-hour drive from Baltimore and Philadelphia. The auction sits on 15 acres that once served as a truck terminal before John Vance converted the facility into an auction.
After Vance’s long career as an auctioneer along the Eastern Seaboard, he and Heather Vance opened Bloomsburg AA in 2013. Vance followed in his father Jim Vance’s footsteps and is still an auctioneer in the region. Jim Vance was also an auctioneer along the Eastern Seaboard and is still an auctioneer at the two-lane auction.
For Bloomsburg AA, Heather Vance runs the offices and oversees personnel. John’s son, J.D., 22, works in sales, and his youngest son, Parker, 19, performs maintenance and other duties at the auction. John’s mother, Ruth, works the office on sale day. Jim, of course, works the auction block.
“John Vance, his family, and the entire team at Bloomsburg are fantastic people,” Tom Stewart, president of AMS, said in a news release. “We’ll be working together to increase both vendor and buyer business from a strong base.”
“We welcome the opportunity to work with AMS,” John Vance said. “Tom’s knowledge of the industry [coupled] with his hard-working team and contacts, will benefit us tremendously.”
Regarding the Mid Kansas AA news, Mark Ottley, president and chief executive officer of Mid Kansas Auto Auctions said new Kansas Auto Auction – Wichita general manager Royall has won several awards during his career, including the Ford Auction of the Year while he was general manager of Lauderdale Miami Auto Auction. In 2013, Royall teamed with Mike Hockett to build ABC Baton Rouge. The auction sold in 2017, and Royall retired.
“Butch brings a wealth of experience, and we feel he will be a great coach for our young and talented team,” Ottley said in a news release.
Royall said he was coming out of retirement because, “I missed working with fleet accounts and I especially missed working with the dealers. And so, it was pretty easy to talk me into coming back, as the facility is new and Mark has brought together such a great team.”
Sitting on 30-plus acres, the five-lane Mid-Kansas Auto Auction – Wichita has a full reconditioning department featuring a five-bay mechanical shop and a two-line detail operation.
The auction opened in November. It features dealer and commercial vehicles.and conducts sales every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.
