Dealers Auto Auction Group has named its vice president of national sales and operations, bringing in David Diedrich for the role.
Diedrich has been in the auto auction industry for three decades.
“Assisting clients in establishing selling processes and markets, while developing promotions to potential buyers for the respective clients is the key to success in this business,” Diedrich said in a news release.
“As technology has evolved in the auction industry, assisting clients with assessing, customizing and onboarding technologies to reach potential vehicle buyers has been an ever-increasing focus,” he said.
City Enterprises chief executive David Andrews said in the release: “We are very excited to have David join our team. His experience and industry knowledge will help move us to the next level.”
Diedrich’s experience includes responsibility for running whole-car and salvage vehicle auctions.
As provider of predictive analytics and marketing automation solutions for dealerships and manufacturers, automotiveMastermind announced on Monday that the IHS Markit division has hired two new executives and promoted one to add to its leadership team.
According to a news release, Charity Taylor joined the team as vice president of data analytics, while Matt Leone came aboard as chief operating officer, leading the operations, finance and human resources teams.
Mastermind also has promoted Tomy Szczypiorski from national enterprise account director to vice president of national enterprise accounts.
The addition and promotion of these seasoned professionals will play a vital role as the company continues to accelerate, according to Mastermind.
The company said Taylor has been working in the automotive industry for more than 20 years, beginning her career supporting a variety of departments at General Motors with her finance background. She then spent more than 12 years making data-driven decisions at J.D. Power, helping the company provide real-time estimation of retail sales, incentive spending and transaction pricing.
With her industry background, Mastermind said that Taylor will help the organization refine the use of third-party data to support product advancement and improve sales efficiency for its clients.
Prior to joining Mastermind, Leone was the COO for HotSchedules, a software-as-a-service providing HR services for the hospitality industry. Mastermind indicated Leone’s background in the SaaS industry will help the company be more effective and efficient long-term, as well as support overall employee culture and growth.
Szczypiorski joined the company in 2018 as the director of strategic partnerships. Prior to Mastermind, he spent two years with the digital marketing solutions provider, Dealer.com. Mastermind pointed out that Szczypiorski’s automotive experience, along with owning his own business, gave him concrete sales and solutions acumen.
In his new role as vice president of national enterprise accounts, Mastermind said Szczypiorski will oversee the enterprise account team, working to strengthen and broaden relationships with current and future dealer group partnerships.
Mastermind co-founder and chief executive Marco Schnabl emphasized the addition and promotion of these seasoned professionals will play a vital role as Mastermind continues to invest in the expansion of its product offering and team to provide increased value to dealer partners.
“The best data and the best people are Mastermind’s most important assets,” Schnabl said in the news release. “I look forward to collaborating with Matt and Charity to continue building a team of the industry’s best so Mastermind remains a leader in providing behavior prediction technology and predictive marketing analytics to the automotive industry.
“Tomy has been a great member of our team for the past few years, and I’m confident he’ll continue building on the value he’s provided to our dealer partners in this new role,” Schnabl went on to say.
For more information about the company, visit automotivemastermind.com.
America’s Auto Auction promoted a staff member at its facility in Virginia Beach, Va., as the location welcomes customers back for live sales and readies for an upswing in fleet and lease volumes following the slowdown stemming from the industry restrictions put in place to battle COVID-19.
According to a news release distributed on Tuesday, America’s announced that Amanda Kennedy has been named fleet/lease manager at America’s Virginia after most recently serving as fleet/lease coordinator.
“Amanda has proven herself to be an outstanding team player from the moment she came to work for us in 2016,” America’s Virginia general manager Jerry Daisey said in the release. “She brings tremendous enthusiasm to her work, along with great organizational skills and an outstanding work ethic that shows in everything she does. Her leadership and dedication have made a great impact on those she works with at the auction and on our customers as well.
“She has a great future in the business, and we are delighted to have her on board as our fleet/lease manager,” Daisey added.
A U.S. Army Reserve Veteran who served in the military police, Kennedy first joined the auction as a member of its security team. The company mentioned she quickly showed an affinity for auction operations, and learned the business from the ground up, handling responsibilities ranging from check-in, inventory and running lane control on sale day, to writing condition reports, managing the auction’s GSA account and assisting commercial customers as a fleet/lease coordinator.
“America’s Auto Auction’s success stems from the outstanding people at each location,” said Tammy Swofford, America’s national sales director. “There’s great strength derived from employees who come up through the ranks, and we are committed to promoting from within whenever possible.
“Amanda’s commitment, dedication and skill have been evident in every position she has held at America’s Virginia, and we know that she and the auction will continue to thrive as she pursues her new responsibilities as fleet/lease manager,” Swofford went on to say.
Kennedy shared her perspectives about her time with the auction and new role.
“The last four years with America’s Virginia have been exciting and challenging, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of my auction education as I have learned about the business working in different departments,” she said. “America’s commitment to quality and customer service is evident in every aspect of the business, and I’m proud not only to work in that kind of company culture but to represent that culture to our clients.
“The auction has returned to live selling every week, and we foresee big gains in our commercial volumes,” Kennedy continued. “I’m looking forward to helping to facilitate that growth among our fleet/lease accounts.”
America's Auto Auction Virginia is situated in southeast Virginia, serving dealers and institutional accounts the very best in quality services. The auction moved to a new, modern 72-acre home in May 2011.
Located near Norfolk International Airport, the intersection of Highways 64 and 264, and the freight harbors of Norfolk and Newport News, the auction welcomes more than 500 dealers to its weekly Wednesday sale and hosts a large audience both onsite and online.
Founded in 2005, America’s Auto Auction is the third-largest auto auction company in the United States with 23 locations.
Additional information about all of the America’s Auto Auction facilities can be found at www.americasautoauction.com.
KAR Global announced three leadership promotions across its wholesale-market enterprise on Tuesday morning.
The new appointments include Mike Caggiano as executive vice president of U.S. operations at ADESA, Scott Meyer as vice president of reconditioning services and finance at ADESA, and Richard Carpentier as head of inspection solutions at KAR Global.
In explaining the moves, KAR Global president Peter Kelly said, “As KAR continues to focus externally on delivering advanced tools to support customer growth and digital transformation of the industry, our internal attention is on ensuring we’ve got the best leaders at the wheel.
“These recent promotions will help KAR form stronger partnerships to fully understand customer challenges and develop cohesive solutions throughout the remarketing lifecycle,” Kelly continued in a news release.
KAR Global described Caggiano as a “high-performing” industry veteran with more than 20 years of auction management experience with the company, most recently as executive vice president of ADESA’s Eastern region.
In his new position, the company said Caggiano will oversee all U.S. auction operations, including 59 locations, enhancing ADESA’s excellence in service delivery and auction experience.
With more than 15 years of remarketing leadership experience, KAR Global indicated Meyer will continue to oversee finance at ADESA while taking on an expanded role leading KAR’s enterprise reconditioning services. KAR provides commercial and wholesale customers a full range of reconditioning services available nationwide at ADESA auction facilities and via Dent-ology’s rapid response mobile services, ensuring inventory is retail-ready.
“ADESA remains focused on enhancing the total remarketing experience by creating new possibilities and driving value for buyers and sellers,” ADESA chief operating officer Srisu Subrahmanyam said. “In their new positions, Mike and Scott will lead with vision and ingenuity, ultimately facilitating a more progressive inventory liquidation, reconditioning and sourcing customer experience.”
Meanwhile, the company also highlighted Carpentier will lead KAR Global Inspection Solutions, leveraging technology and capabilities from across KAR — including AutoVIN, TradeRev, ADESA and DRIVIN — to add consistency, improve quality and create a more streamlined and seamless inspection process for dealers, retail customers and commercial clients.
Boasting more than 25 years of vehicle inspection management expertise, KAR Global noted that Carpentier will also continue to serve as AutoVIN’s chief operating officer.
“With two decades of experience and millions of inspections complete, KAR has earned a reputation for accuracy and reliability unsurpassed in the industry,” Subrahmanyam said. “As Richard takes the helm, our focus is on delivering one comprehensive solution, incorporating advanced technology for precise in-house inspections and self-service applications.”
With Cox Automotive continuing to emphasize digitization in both wholesale and retail and aiming to connect its digital offerings across the company’s brands, it has appointed Derek Hansen — previously the Manheim vice president of offsite solutions — to a role leading the Stockwave and iRecon teams at vAuto.
Meantime, it has added Connie Suozzo and Blake Kennedy to new leadership posts in Manheim Digital, which is led by Zach Hallowell, VP of Manheim Digital.
Suozzo, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree, is now the associate vice president of open digital and offsite. She has been with Manheim since 2013 and her most recent post was leading Manheim Digital’s upstream client programs.
Kennedy is now associate vice president of private digital stores and optimizations. He had been on Manheim sales team for five years, following 15 years with OPENLANE.
Hansen has been with Cox Automotive since January 2015, when he came aboard as senior director of strategy planning.
“As more clients lean into digital channels for their inventory needs, we have the opportunity and responsibility to give clients the tools they need to acquire and dispose of inventory more strategically and more efficiently than ever before,” Hallowell said in a news release.
“These leaders are the ideal people to move us into this next phase of digital wholesale, and their ability to work collaboratively across groups will help us create new connections across Cox Automotive’s inventory platforms,” he said.
Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) made a pair of executive changes the automaker indicated are designed to help guide the company's vision toward becoming a mobility company.
In changes that were effective June 1, Toyota announced Cheryl Hughes, former group vice president and chief HR officer at TMNA, has become group vice president for business revolution and transformation. In this newly created role, the OEM explained Hughes will be responsible for creating and steering initiatives that will help reshape TMNA’s business, culture and workforce.
Meanwhile, the company also said Craig Grucza, former group vice president for corporate shared services and HR, has been promoted to be TMNA’s new chief HR officer. Grucza will assume responsibility of TMNA’s HR function while continuing to oversee corporate shared services.
“While Toyota has always adapted to the ever-changing needs of the market, recent global events have created a need to redefine how we operate toward our vision of becoming a mobility company,” said Christopher Reynolds, Toyota’s chief administration officer of manufacturing and corporate resources.
“Cheryl brings world-class experience and perspective to this new role, and Craig’s diverse background compliments his new role as chief HR officer,” Reynolds added in a news release.
The automaker highlighted Hughes has played an integral role in helping transform TMNA’s business and creating an engaging team member experience.
Prior to her role as chief HR officer, Hughes served as a key leader responsible for the consolidation of Toyota’s U.S. affiliate operations. In that role, she helped oversee the reorganization of the company’s business units and the company’s relocation to its Texas headquarters.
The OEM also mentioned Grucza has led team member relations, compensation, staffing and recruiting and talent development programs for Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Kentucky.
In addition, Grucza previously served as vice president of HR for Toyota’s engineering and manufacturing operations and also was a key leader responsible for the development of the company’s Texas headquarters.
Along with announcing an enhanced vehicle cleaning and sanitization process, Hertz also revealed it will be looking to navigate through its current financial challenges triggered by the coronavirus pandemic with a new president and chief executive officer.
According to a news release distributed on Monday morning, Hertz said its board of directors has named Paul Stone president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Stone, most recently Hertz’s executive vice president and chief retail operations officer for North America, also has been elected to the Hertz board of directors.
Stone succeeds Kathryn Marinello, who plans to continue with the company in a consulting position for up to one year to support a smooth transition, according to the announcement.
“After an ongoing succession planning process, the board elected Paul to lead Hertz’s next chapter,” Hertz chairman Henry Keizer said in the news release. “Paul brings a customer-centered approach to growing the business that is driven by process excellence and employee engagement.
"Having successfully run our largest business segment for the last two years, Paul helped strengthen our brands by elevating service standards across the North American car rental operations.” Keizer continued.
Stone, began his 28-year career with Sam’s Club/Walmart as a store manager and was quickly elevated through the ranks to Western U.S. divisional senior vice president. He led operations for more than 200 locations with more than 30,000 employees. Prior to Hertz, he served as senior vice president and chief retail officer at Cabela’s, one of the leading outdoor outfitter retail companies. Over the course of his career, he has delivered strategy, service, people development and full-scale retail operations leadership.
Stone joined Hertz in March 2018 to lead the company’s North American car-rental operations, which encompassed approximately 4,500 locations and 27,000 employees. Hertz noted that Stone simplified operations, re-energized and developed talent, and elevated service standards, resulting in Hertz being ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power for the first time in 16 years.
In addition to car rental, the scope of Stone’s responsibilities included Hertz’s transportation network companies and car sales businesses.
“It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead Hertz,” Stone said. “I thank Kathy and look forward to working with my colleagues to do what Hertz people do best anticipate where transportation, mobility and technology are going and innovate to best serve our customers, stakeholders and communities.”
Stone takes over with Hertz facing unprecedent financial challenges because of travel nearly halted completely because of COVID-19, prompting firms such as Fitch Ratings to consider if the company files for bankruptcy.
Hertz did not mention any of its ongoing hurdles in Monday’s executive announcement.
“We also want to thank Kathy for her contributions as an exceptional business leader,” Keizer said. “Since joining the company in January 2017, she oversaw a successful operational turnaround, transformed Hertz’s culture, and built a best-in-class leadership team. The board wishes her all the best.”
Marinello added, “The hardest part about stepping down is leaving the amazing employees that have earned my respect over the last three-and-a-half years. It was an honor to serve them. I am confident that under Paul’s leadership, Hertz will prosper long into the future.”
Hertz reinforces vehicle cleaning
In a separate announcement distributed on Friday, Hertz introduced what it’s calling Hertz Gold Standard Clean, an enhanced vehicle cleaning and sanitization process that concludes with each vehicle being sealed and certified ‘Hertz Standard Gold Clean’ before each rental.
Hertz is also continuing to innovate to meet customers’ needs and preferences by launching a vehicle delivery service and highlighting its fast and touchless rental solutions.
“At every Hertz location around the world, our focus remains on getting people where they need to go safely and confidently,” Marinello said. “That’s why we’re raising the bar on our high standards for safety and cleanliness with Hertz Gold Standard Clean and continuing to introduce innovative rental solutions that provide our customers with a safer, faster and easier way to travel as they get back on the road.”
To give customers total confidence when they rent a car, Hertz said every vehicle will be sealed and certified “Hertz Gold Standard Clean” after undergoing a 15-point cleaning and sanitization process that follows U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines.
The company explained key steps in the 15-point process entail cleaning and sanitizing the interior and exterior of the vehicle, including all contact surfaces (steering wheel, consoles, door handles) with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved disinfectant for use against the virus that causes COVID-19.
“Sealing each vehicle is a first-of-its-kind practice in the car rental industry and one we believe will give customers added peace of mind knowing they are the only person to enter the vehicle after it’s been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized,” Marinello said.
Hertz Gold Standard Clean is rolling out across all Hertz locations in the U.S., according to the company, which also plans to launch the initiative in other countries, too.
In addition to these vehicle-cleaning protocols, Hertz highlighted that it has enhanced its cleaning methods at all locations and in shuttle buses, which includes using approved disinfectant to regularly wipe down high-touch areas such as door handles, counters, kiosks and other hard surfaces.
The company mentioned employees are also following social distancing guidelines and best practices, which are being reinforced through signage at all locations for employee and customer safety.
For customers who prefer to limit personal contact or want a more convenient rental experience, Hertz is now offering Hertz Neighborhood Delivery at nearly 3,000 U.S. neighborhood locations. The vehicle will be delivered to the customer and picked up from their preferred location.
Hertz also offers other low contact or completely touchless rental solutions. At many airports, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members can skip the counter and go straight to their vehicle. At locations where Hertz Fast Lane powered by CLEAR is available, members can also exit the lot with a quick facial scan, providing a completely touchless experience. When ready to return, members can simply drop off their vehicle and go with Hertz’s eReceipt and Express Return service.
“We’ve always provided a variety of rental solutions and service offerings to meet our customer’s individual preferences and that focus continues,” Marinello said. “As customers begin making travel plans or have other transportation needs, we want them to have total confidence that we’ve taken the right steps to protect their safety and will continue providing the caring and personalized service they know and expect from Hertz.”
Hertz Gold Plus Rewards membership is free, and the benefits are immediately available. To learn more, visit www.hertz.com/RewardsOverview.
To learn more about Hertz Gold Standard Clean, visit www.hertz.com/GoldStandardClean.
E-commerce company RumbleOn has appointed Rocco Falabella as strategic relationship director, with the company’s chief executive officer saying Falabella’s experience will help RumbleOn optimize its “evolving vehicle acquisition and distribution vehicle business.”
RumbleOn, which says it uses technology to simplify how dealers and customers buy, sell, trade or finance pre-owned vehicles through its 100% online marketplace, described Falabella as a veteran sales and relationship manager. He is known for his experience and track record of sales execution and business development.
“He brings deep industry connections to RumbleOn,” the company said in a news release.
Falabella most recently served as national remarketing director for motorcycle tourism company, J.C. Bromac, DBA EagleRider. His responsibilities at that company included direct dealer sales of EagleRider’s units to companies, dealers, and franchises.
Falabella cultivated strong business relationships at EagleRider, growing unit sales to dealers and expanding its customer base and growth opportunities, according to RumbleOn. His additional duties included oversight of the development and management of the remarketing department and EagleRider’s dealer exchange platform.
Before his time at EagleRider, Falabella was with Enterprise Holdings for 18 years. At that company, which is the parent company of international car rental companies such as Enterprise, National, and Alamo, he held positions of increasing responsibility. Fleet planning and forecasting were among his responsibilities, in addition to managing the remarketing sales teams and the logistics, reconditioning, and inventory management departments.
RumbleOn chief executive officer Marshall Chesrown said Falabella earned a “distinguished reputation” in the industry.
“Deepening our industry relationships and strengthening our sales function are key elements of the company’s next phase of growth. We are making bold moves as we continue to build RumbleOn for the future,” Chesrown said in a news release.
Falabella said RumbleOn has built disruptive technologies that have transformed the company into a “leading pre-owned vehicle supply chain solution.”
“I have a great deal of respect for what they have built, and I am thrilled to join this impressive group of visionaries,” Falabella said.
He continued, “I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work developing strategic plans, partnerships, and distribution channels to elevate RumbleOn’s market position and propel its reputation as ‘the’ online solution for dealers and consumers alike.”
Fair officially has a new chief executive officer.
Bradley Stewart, former CEO of on-demand private aviation services platform XOJet, takes over for interim CEO Adam Hieber.
Hieber, who will remain on Fair’s board of directors, will resume duties as a SoftBank Investment Advisers operating partner. He had taken on the interim CEO post in fall of 2019, when Fair founder Scott Painter stepped down from the position, news first reported by The Verge on Oct. 30.
Painter, who is Fair’s chairman, said in Monday’s release: “Fair is transforming the car from an owned asset that loses much of its value over time into a service that can be turned on or off like the countless other subscriptions people access on their phones.
“Brad’s passion for Fair’s unique offering is evident and exciting, and his experience innovating a mobility model that eliminates unwanted elements of ownership makes him the perfect choice to lead Fair into the future,” he said.
Stewart was XOJet’s chief executive from 2013 to 2018, after joining the company as president in 2010. Before his time with XOJet, Stewart had roles with Parthenon Capital and McKinsey & Co.
"It is clear to me that Fair is meaningfully improving both vehicle access and the driving experience, while offering real value for consumers,” Stewart said. “Its high engagement among digital natives, exclusive focus on the more affordable pre-owned market, and innovative financing structures create a seamless experience that offers freedom and flexibility — both highly desired attributes among today’s modern consumers.
“Fair and its products are perfectly positioned to capture several powerful trends in mobility, and I am proud to join this dynamic company at such an exciting moment,” he said.
AutoNation made another executive move on Wednesday, giving additional responsibility to a current member of its management team.
The company announced that Marc Cannon, AutoNation’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer, has been appointed executive vice president and chief customer experience officer.
AutoNation described Cannon as an innovative leader with more than 30 years of experience in establishing brands, addressing digital disruption, driving corporate social responsibility and crisis management. Through his tenure, the company said Cannon has helped develop customer-focused digital experiences and has been involved in strategic planning in technology as it relates to the customer experience for the AutoNation.
The company mentioned in a news release that Cannon will continue to lead brand, advertising, marketing, ecommerce, customer relations and communications with the added responsibility of technology.
“We know that a peerless experience is what customers want and expect from AutoNation, and Marc has been instrumental in creating our customer-focused strategy,” AutoNation chairman and chief executive officer Mike Jackson said.
“Marc is an innovative and successful leader who has placed AutoNation on the leading edge of the automotive retail industry,” Jackson continued.
Wednesday’s executive development marked the third one for AutoNation in April.
The other moves involved Jim Bender being appointed as president and chief operating officer 10 days after the AutoNation’s board of directors granted the request of Cheryl Miller, chief executive officer and president of the company, for a leave of absence for health reasons.
