Online car-buying start-up Gettacar announced a $25 million round of funding back in February.
And last week, founder and chief executive officer Yossi Levi was named an Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 Greater Philadelphia Award winner by Ernst & Young, which orchestrates the program for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies.
The award recognizes those who are "unstoppable entrepreneurial leaders," excelling in talent management; degree of difficulty; financial performance; societal impact and building a values-based company; and originality, innovation, and future plans.
In 2020, Gettacar reported 186% year-over-year sales growth with expectations for more this year. Gettacar attributed its success to “exceptional” customer service, including upfront pricing, real-time financing options, home delivery and what’s dubbed the Gettacar Guarantee, which provides 365 days of protection coverage and maintenance.
“I am absolutely honored to be recognized among the Entrepreneur of The Year 2021 Greater Philadelphia winners for building a successful business, and making an impact on our local community,” Levi said in a news release.
“Our ability to humanize the car buying experience would not be possible without Gettacar’s dedicated employees and their truly supportive families who day in and day out push us to be better leaders and better teammates,” he continued.
Levi was selected by a panel of independent judges. The award was announced during the program’s virtual awards gala on July 27.
As a Greater Philadelphia award winner, Levi has become a lifetime member of an esteemed multi-industry community of alumni winners from around the world – all supported by vast EY resources.
Levi is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 National Awards. National award winners will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.
At least seven companies that operate within the used-vehicle industry have been included among the Inc. 5000; the prestigious annual ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.
Two of the highlighted firms provide vehicle transportation services as the listing included ACERTUS and Montway Auto Transport.
Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been competitive within their markets, officials said in a news release that companies on this year’s list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020’s unprecedented challenges.
“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter said in a news release on Tuesday. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.”
Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543%, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.
“We are honored and humbled to be included on this prestigious list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for a third consecutive year,” ACERTUS chief executive officer Trent Broberg said in a company news release. “This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to excellence as we navigated some of the toughest challenges our company and the industry has ever faced.
“A global pandemic, capacity constraints, inventory and parts shortages and natural disasters were just some of the many roadblocks; however, our team remained steadfast and focused on innovation and driving the future of automotive logistics,” Broberg continued. “This milestone is especially meaningful this year and would not be possible without our loyal customers, carriers, drivers, frontline workers and incredibly talented team.”
In another news release, Montway Auto Transport principal chief executive officer Dimitre Kirilov shared a similar reaction to the accolade.
“Montway’s continued growth is largely due to our strong and dedicated team of customer service professionals who go above and beyond to ensure customers’ transportation needs are met, while also delivering an excellent experience,” Kirilov said in a news release from Montway. “We’re honored to be recognized by Inc. for this prestigious award.”
“Congratulations to all of this year’s ranked companies that worked hard to serve their customers and grow their businesses,” Kirilov went on to say.
Other used-vehicle industry companies on the list included:
No. 650: RefiJet, which specializes in auto refinancing
No. 1,510: Global Lending Services, which focuses on subprime auto financing through its network of dealerships
No. 2,615: LotPop, which helps dealerships with inventory management
No. 3,777: First Help Financial, which works with consumers who previously could not secure auto financing
No. 4,675: Tricolor Holdings, which is a used-vehicle retailer that specializes in the Hispanic market
Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles, can be found at www.inc.com/5000.
America’s Auto Auction recently presented its August Spotlight Award to Cheri Slaughter, the company’s fleet/lease specialist for the Houston market.
The company highlighted Slaughter — who has been with the operation for 12 years — divides her time between America’s Houston and America’s North Houston operations.
“Cheri is an invaluable member of the America’s team,” America’s North Houston general manager Buddy Cheney said in a news release. “Since coming onboard with us in 2009 as a dealer account manager, she has taken on many different responsibilities, including fleet sales, credit union and bank account management, and even some operational responsibilities.
“She’s the first to raise her hand when any department in our auction needs help, and she always does it with a fantastic attitude and a smile. She’s an outstanding person, a tremendous success in our business and an asset to our industry,”
Slaughter’s 30-year career in the auto industry began in 1989 when she worked for a Toyota distributor as an administrative assistant. From there, she went on to work for two different finance companies in the Houston area, calling on auto dealers and eventually becoming a subprime finance company representative.
America’s highlighted that Slaughter “hit the ground running” when she launched her career with the company in 2009 at its North Houston auction.
In her initial post as a dealer account manager, America’s recollected that Slaughter generated more vehicle sales in her first three months than any other previous representative had. Her stellar performance led to her promotion to fleet sales, and she began calling on credit unions and local fleet accounts while maintaining her relationships with dealers in the Houston market.
The company said Slaughter has continued to make an impact on her customers and her auction team, serving as local fleet/lease specialist, managing accounts for both America’s Houston and America’s North Houston Auto auctions.
America’s national sales director Tammy Swofford remembered her first meeting with Slaughter in 2013 when they made customer visits and attended conferences together as Slaughter mentored Swofford in fleet/lease account management.
“My expertise up to that point was dealer sales, and Cheri was so helpful in showing me the fleet/lease ‘ropes,’” Swofford said.
“It was immediately evident what strong and productive relationships she had built with our auction customers,” Swofford continued. “Since that time, we have expanded in the Houston market with our South Houston location, and Cheri divides her time between both locations.
“Just as recently as last week, I received another compliment from a customer about Cheri’s excellent level of service. She is warm, inviting, knowledgeable, thorough and has a smile that lights up a room,” Swofford added.
Slaughter described what her experience has been like with America’s
“I love all the people I work with, and I believe in service at heart,” Slaughter said. “I’ve always known how important it is to truly listen to what our customers say, even if they’re upset about something.
“Stopping, focusing on them, and listening makes them feel they’re important to our business. That individual attention is a big part of America’s Auto Auction’s customer service culture, and has helped me be successful,” she went on to say.
Founded in 2005, America’s Auto Auction has 23 locations. Additional information on all company facilities can be found at www.americasautoauction.com.
Probably no one would have begrudged Sara Edgington if she exclaimed an extra loud “Yee-haw” during the 2021 Texas Auctioneers Association Senior Bid Calling Championship.
The general manager for Texas Lone Star Auto Auction became the first woman to win the competition, which culminated on Saturday at the Kalahari Resort & Conference Center in Round Rock, Texas.
According to a news release from the XLerate Auction Group, Edgington competed on Friday and was named champion at the awards banquet the following evening.
Each contestant sold two items during the convention where they could show their style to the judges and the crowd. The competition was judged by five industry experts with points awarded in six categories, including style, overall bid calling, professional image, opening statement, salesmanship and professionalism.
“Sara is the first female in the 30-year history of the contest to win the senior competition,” XLerate chief executive officer Cam Hitchock said in the news release. “We are very proud of her accomplishments: in winning this award, and in the strong leadership she brings to the Texas Lone Star auction.”
Edgington reports that her father, Lyle Bond, who won the championship during the event in 2000.
“This has been the highlight of my 24 years in the auction industry that I get to share the same award as my father,” Edgington said.
While accepting her awards, which included a belt buckle, she added, “And you know how we love our big buckles in Texas!”
Yee-haw!
Consumer Portfolio Services is quite impressed with performances by independent auctions.
In fact, independent auctions swept all categories, as the subprime auto finance company announced its 2020 Auction Award recipients.
Three of the four accolades went to Rawls Auto Auction, which earned honors in all three categories for the large CPS volume auctions.
Rawls has earned the CPS Heavy Hammer Award in consecutive years and its second CPS Top Gun Award in the past three years.
The finance company said DAA Seattle continued its impressive commitment to client satisfaction in 2020, backing up its 2019 CPS Top Gun Award for auctions with a lesser volume of CPS vehicles.
“In an extremely challenging year, all of our auction partners went above and beyond normal standards to facilitate a well-balanced approach to provide a channel to reintroduce our repossessed collateral into the marketplace,” CPS remarketing manager Mike Scott said in a news release. “In a difficult time, our auction partners faced adversity at every turn, but met that challenge with a mantra of quitting not being an option.
“While we are honoring two auctions for their achievements, we would like to thank all our 2020 auction partners for their efforts. The success of our remarketing program is a direct correlation to our auction partners,” Scott continued.
CPS Top Gun Award – Auction of the Year (Small CPS volume): DAA Seattle – Auburn, Wash.
CPS Top Gun Award – Auction of the Year (Large CPS volume): Rawls Auto Auction – Leesville, S.C.
CPS Heavy Hammer Award – Highest Sales Retention: Rawls Auto Auction – Leesville, S.C.
CPS Operational Excellence Award – Best Fleet/Lease Department: Rawls Auto Auction – Leesville, S.C.
In a key complement to our Women in Remarketing and Women in Auto Finance franchises, Auto Remarketing is proud to celebrate our third annual Women in Retail awards, a program sponsored by CarGurus.
With these awards, we specifically recognize leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors.
The honorees for 2021, listed in alphabetical order by last name, are:
Shelly Bennecke, Board Member, Whisker Auto
Elena Ciccotelli, Automotive Partnerships Director, Lyft
Michelle Denogean, CMO, Roadster
Jamie Fischer, AVP, Inventory Operations, DriveTime Automotive Group
Madison Gross, Director, Consumer Insights, CarGurus
Edie Hirtenstein, Founder & VP, VINData Products
Monica Howard, OEM Partnerships Program Manager, CARFAX
Sharon Kitzman, President, Dominion DMS
Marnie Maton, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, TrueCar
Susan Moll, AVP – Implementation & Training, Cox Automotive, Inc.
Jackie Parker, BDC Director, Patriot Auto Group
Jenn Reid, VP Strategy Partnerships, Market Scan Information Systems
Brenna Stansberry, Co-Owner, General Manager, Park Marina Motors
Sonia Trejo, Executive Director, Member and Dealer Engagement, Costco Auto Program
Jenny Watson, Chief Experience Officer, Vroom
These women will be recognized in the upcoming May edition of Auto Remarketing, which includes Q&A features with honorees, and during Used Car Week this fall.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2021 Women in Remarketing honorees in the March issue of the magazine, and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.
Next up is Ellen Westpfahl, who is assistant general manager at Manheim Orlando Market Center.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in the remarketing industry? But, also, what aspect(s) of the business would you change — and how?
Ellen Westpfahl: The people that I have met along the way have impacted my entire life, first starting at Avis Rent A Car in 1977 and then with the auction the past 35 years (in March). So as you can see, the remarketing industry has been my life. With this industry there is change every day, so the interest and the challenges are there always. A good change would be more collaboration between all auctions and organizations in the industries such as FIADA (Florida Independent Automobile Dealers Association) and NAAA (National Auto Auction Association). The opportunities are there but we don’t always take advantage of it and everyone should.
AR: What are some improvements that need to be made in the industry from a diversity and inclusion perspective? What are some examples you’ve seen of D&I programs that have worked?
EW: Last year seemed to be a pivotal year that diversity and inclusion were brought to the forefront — there were always classes to take but not the passion that there is now. We have D&I calls and classes, which presented the need for improvement.
In our organization now and in other organizations, there are so many groups that you can join or create that will fit everyone’s desire.
At Manheim Orlando and Manheim Central, one of the examples is making the time and being consistent in our open-door approach to listen and let our employees help us build the communication bridge to gain the knowledge of what we need to do. Our approach to open this bridge was to start quarterly calls with the teams.
Also, we asked for volunteers to get on calls with our senior management so we could just listen to the employees. We also have had Women with Drive at both locations for the past four years, which has many different people attending. And we are doing them through teams during the COVID restrictions, so we don’t miss anyone that wants to attend.
AR: Describe a time when you were either a mentor or a mentee, and how that has shaped your career.
EW: I’ve had the opportunity to be a mentor the past three years to three amazing people. It was exciting mentoring people new in their careers as they are hungry for information and knowledge.
One of my mentees was at Dealer.com, and I learned so much about what they do through the mentoring program, and it is amazing to find out no matter what part of the automotive industry you are in, a lot of the struggles and successes are the same. Our industry is lucky to have these future leaders coming in.
AR: Describe a time in your career where you were challenged and how you overcame that challenge.
EW: When I think about challenges and I look back at my career — having worked for four owners and 23 general managers — I certainly have had my share of challenges.
Overcoming those obstacles was simply getting to know the people involved which is the foundation of our business.
AR: What is the top trend/storyline in the remarketing industry that you’re watching this year?
EW: Digital; everything digital. After COVID last year, our industry became digital! Calls and meetings were now Zoom and Teams meetings — all in a matter of weeks, when we have spent so many years just trying to incorporate digital into our world. There are so many articles, but what I have enjoyed most is listening to dealers and how they have learned to shift their business model with all the digital changes.
AR: What is something you would tell your younger self if you could go back to when you started your career in remarketing?
EW: Face your fears, set your goals, review your goals and make sure that every day you are doing something to achieve them. And remind yourself to enjoy the business, but not be consumed by the business, so you can achieve your work/life balance.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2021 Women in Remarketing honorees in the March issue of the magazine, and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.
Next up is Chipo Taylor, who is regional controller – Southwest at XLerate Group.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in the remarketing industry? But, also, what aspect(s) of the business would you change — and how?
Chipo Taylor: I enjoy the client, customers, employees, and my counterparts. I enjoy everyone I interact with every day. This industry is so dynamic and amazing with the vast different cultures and personalities that all come together to push this industry forward. The people I work with (employee or not) make every day different and I look forward to taking on each days challenges and successes.
I have been in this industry almost 21 years and I still run into people that are shock that I (being a black woman) am so involved and understand what is going on in this industry. It encourages me even more that when we are done conversing, the person I am speaking to is very impressed and has learned something also. I would love to have a national networking place that all Women in Remarketing could go to at any level. And if there is one already, I would heavily use it to educate and mentor young ladies early on in their career.
AR: What are some improvements that need to be made in the industry from a diversity and inclusion perspective? What are some examples you’ve seen of D&I programs that have worked?
CT: Mentoring for a lot of us in the industry is key. I have always been an aggressive “go-getter” but guidance through my mentorship is what pushed me thru to the next level.
AR: Describe a time when you were either a mentor or a mentee, and how that has shaped your career.
CT: I have several awesome mentee stories, but there was one mentor that really helped me make some major decisions in my career.
It was through a mentorship program with one of my companies; however, the mentors were volunteer executives from other companies. This person ONLY mentored me for one year but, the advice and guidance he gave me was contrary to any other advice that I had ever gotten before.
From the first meeting, he expressed the brilliance that he saw in me and that with that he decided not to mentor me professionally, but on life, in general.
This was ideal for me because he was the first to really impress upon me the value to work/like balance and really mean it by the way he had lived his life. To this day, I still feel really close to him, especially when the challenge of work/life balance arises. By the way, after our first meeting, we never physically met again because I lived in Dallas and he lived in Atlanta.
AR: Describe a time in your career where you were challenged and how you overcame that challenge.
CT: I had been working with a company for 12 years, from my first day out of college to this point. I had interviewed for a few promotions in other states but with the same company and was always the “second pick.” I had a conversation with my controller about this auction company reaching out to me for the same role I had been interviewing in-house with.
He and I discussed pros and cons, and ultimately, we both agreed it was the best decision for me and my career to go for it. He would always tell me that my time was next and that he appreciated how humble I was, because he would say, “Chipo you know more than me.”
I am a very dedicated and loyal person, especially working with and in the environment I had been for so long. I can honestly say that when I got the controller position, it was the most challenging thing to accept because of the professional family I made with this company. But it was the best thing I could have ever done.
AR: What is the top trend/storyline in the remarketing industry that you’re watching this year?
CT: I think the most interesting story lately for me has been the transition from physical to digital platforms in 2020. This has been a topic of discussion and planning for some time now. It’s amazing how it has taken off during these times, obviously forced by COVID, but it’s still doing amazing.
AR: What is something you would tell your younger self if you could go back to when you started your career in remarketing?
CT: You are amazing … you will never guess what publication will be asking you questions about your career. 🙂
Always remember that work/life balance is key — never work so much you don’t have time for a life.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2021 Women in Remarketing honorees in the March issue of the magazine, and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.
Next up is Laura Wehunt, who is vice president of automotive valuations at Black Book.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in the remarketing industry? But, also, what aspect(s) of the business would you change — and how?
Laura Wehunt: I enjoy the people in this industry. This is a fast-paced environment, especially during this rollercoaster ride that has been the pandemic, but it is the people that make every day enjoyable, no matter what is going on around us.
AR: What are some improvements that need to be made in the industry from a diversity and inclusion perspective? What are some examples you’ve seen of D&I programs that have worked?
LW: At our parent company, Hearst, this is an area of focus and is spreading to all of the individual businesses within the organization. The first step being education and raising awareness, and this is being accomplished through ongoing training, communication and a motto to RISE: Reinforcing Inclusion Supporting Equity. One example is through actively seeking out minority- and women-owned business enterprises as suppliers.
AR: Describe a time when you were either a mentor or a mentee, and how that has shaped your career.
LW: Early in my career, I had a mentor that taught me to be proud of being a female in this industry. Previously, I had the mentality of wanting to blend in and be “one of the guys,” but I realized through her leadership that diversity in ideas and backgrounds is what brings positive change. Once I embraced who I was and what I could bring to the table, it gave me the confidence to know there are no bounds on what my individual success looks like. It also gave me the drive to want to help other females in this industry gain this same confidence and find their own success.
AR: Describe a time in your career where you were challenged and how you overcame that challenge.
LW: This past year was a big challenge personally. I took on a larger leadership role within my organization, but I also did it while trying to transition the team to working from home. Overnight, we had to figure out a new way to get our jobs done and still be as effective and efficient. Thankfully, I work with an amazing group of individuals, and we overcame this obstacle together. Now, we’ve settled into what is now feeling fairly “normal.”
AR: What is the top trend/storyline in the remarketing industry that you’re watching this year?
LW: The top story on my radar right now is the semiconductor shortage. This is causing short-term challenges for new inventory availability, but this shortage will also have long-term implications for the industry as we look into the future at a shortage of available used inventory in the market and the impact it is going to have on pricing.
AR: What is something you would tell your younger self if you could go back to when you started your career in remarketing?
LW: Be confident in yourself. Being different isn’t a bad thing. Use it to accomplish big things and bring about positive change.
Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2021 Women in Remarketing honorees in the March issue of the magazine, and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.
Next up is Emily Barber, who is a partner at State Line Auto Auction.
Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in the remarketing industry? But, also, what aspect(s) of the business would you change — and how?
Emily Barber: I absolutely love working in the remarketing industry. I find that I work best in a work environment where no two days are the same, which is certainly the case in remarketing! I also really enjoy working with people from all different backgrounds. In the same hour, I might talk with a small business owner, a CEO of a large company and a remarketing executive — I really enjoy the dynamic mix of people.
AR: What are some improvements that need to be made in the industry from a diversity and inclusion perspective? What are some examples you've seen of D&I programs that have worked?
EB: I simply wish that more women would join our industry! I think it's a wonderful network of people and I hope to see more female faces through the years.
AR: Describe a time when you were either a mentor or a mentee, and how that has shaped your career.
EB: I have been attending auction conventions since I was a little girl, and Patty Stanley and Charlotte Pyle are both industry leaders that I have always looked up to. I really value their knowledge, opinions and guidance, and I know that they are both a phone call away when I need advice. I hope to follow in their footsteps throughout my career!
AR: Describe a time in your career where you were challenged and how you overcame that challenge.
EB: I cannot think of a bigger career challenge than the year that everyone just experienced. Although being forced to close down for weeks on end was terrifying, it made us stronger as a company.
I have never seen such an effort made by our employees to ensure that our business not only functioned properly, but they went above and beyond to provide the service that our customers needed, all while doing it in a safe environment. Through any business challenges that I have faced, I find that the key is to have the right people in the right place.
AR: What is the top trend/storyline in the remarketing industry that you're watching this year?
EB: I think staying abreast of everything that is happening in the EV space is critical, both developmentally and legislatively. When I think about the next two decades in our industry, I feel strongly that EVs and how they are retailed and remarketed are going to play a major role.
AR: What is something you would tell your younger self if you could go back to when you started your career in remarketing?
EB: I wish I had started keeping a weekly business journal when I first started in remarketing. That is something my father has always done, and it's fascinating to go back and read his journals from years ago. It provides a wonderful history of the market and our business, and it often tells great stories that make me smile.
