After leading the company since 1997, Douglas May is retiring as chief executive officer of RVI Group.
The retirement was effective Sunday.
RVI also announced that it will have co-CEOs to succeed May: Daniel Egan and Michael McGroarty. May will remain in an advisory capacity and continue as a member of RVI’s board of directors.
RVI noted that it became “the preeminent insurer of residual values,” under May’s tenure as chief executive officer. During that time, the company said, it “profitably insured” more than $76 billion of asset values.
With RVI since 1996, Egan previously served the company in the roles of co-chief operating officer and chief risk officer. For many years before that, he oversaw RVI’s commercial equipment business.
McGroarty served as co-chief operating officer with Egan. He oversaw RVI’s commercial real estate and legal departments and served as general counsel. McGroarty has been with RVI since 2007.
“I want to express my deep appreciation for [May’s] invaluable leadership, commitment and contributions to RVI during his tenure,” Michael Pruzan, chairman of the board of directors, said in a news release.
“Doug will be greatly missed, but he has ensured we are well-positioned to move forward with two high-caliber leaders at the helm,” Pruzan continued. “[Egan and McGroarty] have extensive knowledge and experience, as well as the right operational capabilities to deliver on the company’s goals. We are confident in their ability to execute on the company’s strategy and look forward to RVI’s continued success under their leadership.”
Automotive logistics provider ACERTUS has appointed Jason Onsen to chief financial officer. Onsen previously served in top finance roles for Amazon and for St. George Logistics.
In his most recent role as vice president and corporate controller for St. George Logistics, Onsen led a 30-person finance team at five locations, built transaction-based models to validate direct costs, and integrated five acquisitions.
Prior to serving in that role for St. George Logistics, Onsen was finance leader at e-commerce marketplace, Amazon. Onsen financially managed the last mile delivery and middle mile transportation networks for that company.
Onsen was previously with Caterpillar for nine years, serving in various positions before becoming senior vice president of Neovia, formally Caterpillar Logistics. At Neovia, a $1 billion business, he reported directly to the chief financial officer, overseeing a team of 100 employees in nine countries.
“Jason’s financial and logistics background, combined with his extensive experience scaling innovative companies, will be tremendously valuable in our next phase of growth as we further our mission to provide a complete, end-to-end automotive logistics offering,” ACERTUS co-founder and chief executive officer William Billiter said in a news release.
“As ACERTUS continues to grow rapidly, we saw the need to level up our management team to support current and future expansion. His global experience will benefit our customers and employees, and I have no doubt what he brings to the table aligns well with our culture. We are thrilled to have him on board," Billiter continued.
Direct Auction Services detailed a major business restructuring on Thursday, announcing a trio of promotions in the process.
Direct Auction Services now has separate leadership for its two major brands — Roadrunner Services and Direct Reconditioning — while also looking to broaden its staffing solutions. The three promotions include:
— David Rush as president of Roadrunner Services
— Jeff York as president of Direct Reconditioning
— Renee Sherk as vice president of sales and staffing services for the Direct Auction Services team
“As industry solutions are developed for vehicle delivery to the end user, we are putting energy and leadership into becoming the certain number one provider in drive-a-way services, in keeping with our status as the only such company with a national footprint,” Direct Auction Services chief executive officer and founder David Nutter.
As the president of Roadrunner Services, Rush will lead the organization to provide advanced solutions to answer the increasing need for more options for local pick-up and delivery services to address the volume of vehicles being sold upstream coupled with the drive toward mobility. During the coming year, the company plans to promote and hire additional managers and develop additional regions to further broaden leadership in the field as growth surpasses more than 50 locations.
As founder of Roadrunner Services and since joining with Direct Auction Services, Rush has provided extensive leadership in the transportation area where he tried to create valuable, safe and efficient local transportation solutions for auctions as well as dealership, fleet management, railroad, captive lease and rental car company customers .
“Roadrunner Services has established itself as the premier driveaway provider in the nation,” Rush said.
“Our exponential growth and success are testaments to the efforts of our management staff and team members,” he continued. “As we continue this growth pattern, I will be focused on providing cost effective solutions, innovative technology and our commitment to safety.
As the president of Direct Reconditioning, York will devote his time to leading the way in terms of operations and the customer experience within automotive remarketing. His primary focus in 2019 will have an emphasis on safety, standardization and training.
“I’m a big believer in the adage you get out of people what you put into them,” York said. “Training our managers as well as our production line employees has become more critical than ever due to the changing workforce.
“Using standardized practices and concentrating on structured training requires investment but it pays off in the mastery of their craft and accident prevention,” he continued. “When you focus on training and consistent process the quality, productivity and safety will follow.”
York’s career spans more than 40 years in the automotive business. His current role comes full circle, back to where it all started with reconditioning and owning a national reconditioning franchise company back in the early 1980s.
“Jeff brings endless amounts of passion and attention to the fine details in quality vehicle reconditioning,” Nutter said. “At the same time, he is a model leader, known for cultivating inspired and high-performing teams that deliver in spades for his clients.”
As vice president of sales and staffing for Direct Auction Services, Sherk’s emphasis is on developing new business opportunities across all brands with recruiting being the highest priority to support the new business.
The company highlighted Sherk is known for her transformative ideas to help clients navigate today’s complex world of labor shortages. She is passionate advocate for strategic alliances and partnerships with both automotive industry leaders, community-based organizations, community colleges and technical schools, employing the Neurodiverse (Autism Spectrum), and other groups with significant barriers to employment to fill the employment gaps within the automotive industry.
“This comprehensive approach allows us to cast a wide net and provide training and opportunities for automotive related careers to those candidates who would otherwise be overlooked and underutilized,” Sherk said.
“I’ve seen the successes out there, and it inspires me every day to devote more energy into educating and communicating the benefits behind our impact hiring initiatives,” Sherk went on to say.
In her 10-year career in the automotive industry, Sherk has worked at multiple Manheim and ADESA locations and as a regional manager. In addition to assisting with a successful independent auto auction startup, she has served as a trusted advisor to senior executives in automotive dealerships and auction groups nationwide on issues such as marketing, talent acquisition, employee and management development, and employment law.
Renee joined Direct Auction Services in 2016 as director of staffing services.
Nutter said, “David Rush and Renee Sherk have played instrumental roles in taking our business to the next level — expanding our national presence and our capabilities. Jeff York, having spent more than 25 years in various general manager positions with Cox Automotive and most recently, ADESA Auto Auctions, along with his reconditioning franchise experience, was made for this role. Jeff brings an unmatched understanding of vehicle reconditioning and market dynamics, threats and opportunities facing our clients today and tomorrow.”
Attendees can meet up with DAS’ team from both Roadrunner Services and Direct Reconditioning during the upcoming Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas on March 26-27.
With an appointment the company says indicates a culture committed to diversity and inclusion, Cox Automotive’s Dealertrack appointed Mandi Fang to vice president and general manager of Dealertrack DMS.
Fang is a Cox Automotive and industry veteran that the company says brings more than 15 years of executive leadership experience in the automotive retail industry to her new role. That experience includes product management, innovation, sales and management of strategic accounts.
But Fang is also known as an influential women’s leader in the industry. She has served as a member of the Women in Tech Council and Women in Automotive. In 2016, she was listed as one of Auto Remarketing’s Women in Remarketing, and she received the Spirit of Leadership Award from Women’s Automotive Association International.
In her new role, she will oversee Dealertrack’s DMS business as the brand continues to develop services that the company says are important in helping dealerships adapt to shifting consumer expectations.
Fang most recently spent five years in product management, leading the development of Cox Automotive’s new and used vehicle inventory management, merchandising, and DMS services for dealers and OEMs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Morehead State University.
“It’s an honor to take on this new leadership role at Dealertrack DMS, where we don’t just talk about being dealer-centric, we deliver,” Fang said in a news release. “Working closely with [senior vice president Randy Kobat] and the rest of the leadership team, we will continue to partner with dealers to provide the open and transparent solutions they need to drive business and protect their bottom line.”
“I am confident Mandi’s substantial breadth of experience and skills will position her to take our DMS business to the next level with the dealership always in mind,” said Kobat, senior vice president of Dealertrack DMS, vAuto, HomeNet Automotive and Cox Automotive Rebates & Incentives. “With deep industry expertise and close dealer relations, she will continue to be an instrumental force in our ongoing push to develop industry-leading solutions that address the challenges facing dealers today and prepare them for what’s to come in the future.”
Penske Automotive executive vice president of marketing and business development Terri Mulcahey, who has worked with Fang for nearly 12 years, added, “Knowledgeable, strategic and detailed, Mandi has the characteristics and keen insight necessary to help lead teams and streamline technology solutions for dealers.”
Fang keeps busy outside of work, as well, volunteering at INN Between, Hospice for the Homeless and Best Friends Animal Society.
DealerTrack notes that its its culture of diversity and inclusion has contributed to the company’s success. For the second consecutive year, Dealertrack DMS has been named to the Women Tech Council’s 2019 Shatter List, which highlights companies that make an impact toward more gender-inclusive cultures that help advance women in tech.
The Shatter List scores companies on four factors that help women break and surpass the glass ceiling in technology. Factors include:
—executive engagement (active support from the CEO, executive team and all leadership)
—company programming (currently has women in leadership executive positions and proactively implements programs to support women in technology)
—community investment (active participation with the broader community to learn from and share best practices regarding culture and inclusion)
—women’s or D&I group (formal programs to support women internally)
Mazda North American Operations appointed its current president and chief executive officer Masahiro Moro to chairman and chief executive officer. The move was one of several leadership team changes MNAO announced that will be effective April 1, as the company “moves forward with its next-generation product,” said Mazda Motor Corp. president and chief executive officer Akira Marumoto, who is based in Hiroshima, Japan.
MNAO has also appointed current Mazda Motor Europe president and chief executive officer Jeffrey Guyton to president of MNAO, reporting to Moro. Additionally, MNAO will promote Masashi Otsuka to the new position of senior vice president of the Alabama business unit, reporting to Guyton.
In Moro’s expanded role as chairman and chief executive officer, he will oversee MNAO, Mazda Canada Inc. and Mazda Motor de Mexico.
“As Mazda moves forward with its next generation product, the company has made global leadership changes to further its path toward premium,” Marumoto said in a news release. “Mazda is a global business, and both North America and Europe are vital to its continued growth. Masahiro has been a tremendous leader in the U.S., and we are pleased to expand his role.”
New MNAO president Guyton will oversee all aspects of the company’s operations in the United States and Puerto Rico, including sales, marketing, parts and service, logistics, research and development, customer support and regional operations.
“The North American markets are crucial to Mazda’s success globally, and we have made significant investments here, particularly in a new joint venture production facility in Alabama,” Moro said. "(Guyton) will be instrumental in delivering significant business growth here in the U.S. During his 16 years at MME, Jeff successfully elevated both brand value and profit in Europe, and I know he will be a strong leader for MNAO as we continue on our journey to premium.”
Otsuka will lead the new operations in Alabama, where Mazda will manufacture its brand-new crossover SUV exclusive to the North American market. He will work with suppliers, handle logistics for the plant and manage quality assurance.
Moro noted that the company’s Alabama business unit is important to MNAO’s success.
“I believe Masashi Otsuka's outstanding business acumen will lead us to a successful launch of the plant and the all-new crossover SUV."
Current Mazda Motor Corp. general manager of the vehicle testing and research department Masaki Ueno, based in Hiroshima, Japan, will replace Otsuka. He will report to Guyton as the new vice president of research and development and design and will oversee management of that entire field.
“Masaki Ueno is a phenomenal engineer who has spent time previously in the U.S.,” Moro said. “He brings with him a wealth of valuable experience in safety technology.”
Continuing to grow its presence “with a strong brand in a market we love,” Larry H. Miller Dealerships announced on Friday its acquisition of Berge Ford in Mesa, Ariz.
In other dealer news, Lithia Motors in Medford, Ore., promoted Tina Miller to chief accounting officer.
The Larry H. Miller acquisition increases number of the dealership group’s Phoenix metro area stores to nine. Larry H. Miller Dealerships opened its first Valley location in Arizona, Larry H. Miller Toyota Peoria, in 1980.
Larry H. Miller will give a new name to the store’s sales and service center: Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa. Larry H. Miller will also rename the location’s collision center, commercial vehicle center and off-site quick lane to Larry H. Miller Collision Center East Valley; Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa Commercial Vehicle Center; and Larry H. Miller Quick Lane Tire and Auto Center. The dealership also features The Pit Stop, which is a café and coffee shop.
Larry H. Miller Dealerships will retain the dealership’s existing employees. That brings the total number of Arizona-based personnel at 13 dealership locations to more than 1,500. Larry H. Miller Dealerships now operates 63 dealership locations with 20 different automotive brands. The company operates in seven western states, beginning with a single dealership in Murray, Utah, in 1979.
The Berge family has owned and operated Berge Ford for more than 75 years.
“We’re thrilled to continue to grow our presence with a strong brand in a market we love,” Larry H. Miller Dealerships president Dean Fitzpatrick said in a news release. He added that Berge Ford has been named a Ford Triple Crown winner.
Berge Ford president Nancy Berge said that when determining a buyer, her company looked for a family-owned company with values and culture to match that of her business.
“We hand-selected Larry H. Miller Dealerships for the alignment of culture, their focus on giving back in the community and the way they treat their employees,” Berge said in a news release. “We know the dealership will be in good hands.”
Larry H. Miller Dealerships senior vice president of operations in Arizona, Pat Kroneberger, agreed that Berge Ford’s culture aligned well with the Miller dealerships.
“We’re excited to welcome the employees into our organization and share with them the mission, vision and values upon which Larry and Gail built our company,” Kroneberger said in a news release.
Regarding the Lithia Motors news, Miller has served as corporate controller for the company since 2015 and served for Lithia Motors in different accounting and audit leadership roles for 14 years. Miller previously worked in the assurance area for Ernst & Young.
Miller in her new role will oversee accounting, financial reporting, tax and risk management. She will also serve as the company’s interim principal financial officer.
“We appreciate Tina’s dedication to excellence and accuracy,” Lithia president and chief executive officer Bryan DeBoer said. “We’re excited to expand her influence and we’re confident she’ll continue to build wonderful teams.”
In a move aimed at development, launch and delivery of products and services, ADESA named Kurt Madvig vice president of product development.
Madvig joined parent company KAR Auction Services in 2001 as an auction general manager to establish and develop ADESA Long Island in New York.
Soon after the launch of the Long Island location, Madvig joined ADESA San Diego, and the company noted that he achieved double-digit revenue growth there. He starts in his new role with 30 years of automotive remarketing industry experience.
He most recently served as vice president of auction operations for ADESA, where he took a leadership role in opening of ADESA’s Chicago location, according to the company. An active member of the National Auto Auction Association, Madvig currently serves as co-chair of the NAAA Standards Committee.
“(Madvig) has been instrumental in introducing innovation, integrating technology and streamlining processes at our auctions,” ADESA chief commercial officer Paul Lips said in a news release. “Now, as leader of our product-development team, Kurt will focus on creating best-in-class service and industry-leading solutions for our customers.”
ADESA also named several current employees to the product development team under Madvig’s leadership. Eddie Ammar, senior director of protection products, will oversee ADESA Assurance and the development of additional protection products.
Director of inspection services Jason Murdock will be responsible for thorough inspections and creating new inspection offerings. Senior project manager Colleen McCormick-Shankle will oversee new product launches and implementations.
Karma Automotive has appointed two members to its executive team, including a former president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America and a former senior director for Faraday Future.
John Maloney, who oversaw all U.S. business operations as president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America, has been appointed chief revenue officer for Karma. He will help lead “Value Forward," which is Karma’s business and product introduction strategy that Karma chief executive officer Lance Zhou introduced in late 2018. Maloney will lead Karma’s sales, customer experience, marketing, public relations and after-sales activities.
Lewis Liu, who was formerly with Faraday Future, joins Karma as vice president, business development and strategy. His experience includes consulting for several major international and Chinese brands. Liu will help lead long-term business strategies, with a focus on luxury, high technology, customization and VVIP customer treatment.
Maloney to lead product introduction
Maloney joins Karma after most recently holding several consultancy and advisory roles, and he served as president and chief executive officer for Volvo Cars of North America.
At Volvo, he oversaw all U.S. business operations, including marketing, sales, parts, service and technology. Before being appointed president and chief executive officer, Maloney was the company’s vice president of marketing for nine years.
“John brings an extensive commercial skillset to our business and has the experience and leadership qualities needed to help deliver Karma’s strong and well-funded future,” Zhou said.
Maloney joined started his career by serving in sales and marketing positions within Ford Global Marketing, and the Lincoln Mercury and Ford Customer Service divisions.
Liu to lead collaboration efforts
“[Liu] has the kind of expertise in corporate financial investments, strategy development and implementation, international operational management, and market-entry strategies we need to help grow Karma’s unique luxury electric vehicle niche,” Karma chief executive officer Lance Zhou said in a news release. Based in Southern California, Karma Automotive designs, engineers, assembles and markets luxury electric vehicles.
Liu previously served as senior director of strategic partnership and business development for Faraday Future. Prior to that, he was a managing director of KPMG Advisory in China, overseeing the company’s automotive industry management consulting practice. He also served as senior vice president at private equity firm, Ascension Capital, and as general manager and plant manager at Philips Lighting Electronics.
“Karma’s Value-Forward business plan, which in part encourages collaboration with the right business partners to help accelerate technology and product development, really attracted me to the company,” Liu said in a news release.
The Dave Cantin Group (DCG), a dealership merger and acquisition firm, expanded its management team to meet a growing demand for services in key regions of the U.S.
Firm founder and chief executive officer Dave Cantin highlighted in a news release this week that the move nearly doubles DCG’s national team of regional and district managers.
DCG’s national team of M&A professionals now work from regional offices in New York, California, Florida, Illinois and Texas.
Mark Dwyer, previously managing director of DCG’s Midwest regional office in Chicago, has moved to DCG’s Madison Avenue headquarters in New York, where he joins William “Woody” Woodward to co-manage the Northeast region in one of the firm’s busiest offices.
Scott Worthing will succeed Dwyer as managing director of the Midwest region.
In addition, Chad Goodson has been appointed a managing director for the Southeast region, where he will co-manage the regional office with Dan Simonson. Based in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area of Florida, the Southeast is another of the firm’s fastest growing regions.
Fred Sherwood and Alex Covino also have joined the company as district managers in the firm’s West region. Based in Irvine, Calif., the region is led by managing director George Pero.
Worthing has more than 30 years of experience in dealership financing. He began his career with Mercedes-Benz Financial, where he held a number of senior management positions in dealer relationship management. He moved from captive finance to commercial banking in 2008, joining M&T Bank in Philadelphia as administrative vice president of dealer financial services. M&T Bank later appointed him to open an expansion market in Chicago through its SunTrust Bank group working closely with dealers in the Midwest.
“DCG has quickly established a solid reputation as the go-to dealership M&A firm in North America, and I’m excited to be part of the management team at such a fast-growing company,” Worthing said.
Goodson comes to DCG from Cornerstone Executive Capital, where he served as a managing director for more than 10 years. At Cornerstone he counseled dealers on organizational development, performance management, valuations, sales and service. He previously worked as a client development manager at CARFAX where he directed leadership and development activities with the company’s top dealer groups and vendor partners.
Prior to CARFAX, Goodson was in brand performance management for GP Strategies Corp., where he represented General Motors in the company’s Southeast region.
“DCG fills a much-needed service gap in a rapidly evolving market,” Goodson said. “I’m looking forward to joining this group of top-notch merger-and-acquisition specialists — unquestionably leaders in their field.”
Sherwood has worked in the automotive industry for 40 years, including significant experience with Chrysler in its dealer network office on the West Coast. He spent the last three years managing his own private consulting business and has been instrumental in consummating numerous buy/sell agreements.
Covino joins DCG with experience in both financial and real estate markets. Early in his career, he worked as an equity trader responsible for the active management of short-term-oriented portfolios under continuously changing market conditions. Covino later worked in residential and commercial real estate where he built a high-output real estate investment company that helped bridge the gap between conventional sellers and institutional investors.
“The rapid growth in demand for our services over the past year has allowed us to expand our team of M&A professionals to include a group of highly effective managing directors at five regional locations throughout the U.S.,” Dave Cantin said.
“This is the most experienced team of M&A experts in the country — a team with considerable expertise both on the retail and wholesale sides of the business," he went on to say.
John North III, who is resigning from his chief financial officer post at Lithia Motors effective March 1, is joining Avis Budget Group as its CFO, effective March 18.
Avis Budget noted in a news release that North will oversee all financial aspects of the business, including financial planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, tax, internal audit, investor relations, and treasury and risk management.
Martyn Smith will continue serving as interim chief financial officer until March 18 and will serve in a transitional and advisory role for at least six months after that, according to the company. He served for 16 years with Avis Budget Group and Avis Europe.
North has held various leadership positions in finance since 2002, most recently as CFO at Lithia.
Avis Budget noted in a news release that North helped lead the transformation of Lithia’s finance and accounting functions during a period of significant growth for the company from 2010 to 2018. He also helped complete various acquisitions and integrate those businesses.
North holds a degree in finance from Santa Clara University and is a certified public accountant.
Larry De Shon, president and chief executive officer of Avis Budget Group, said in a news release that North is a “strategic and innovative leader” with strong finance experience.
“Additionally, his background in the auto retail industry will serve the company well as we execute our strategy for success in mobility and sustained, profitable growth, including our initiative to increase our direct-to-consumer vehicle sales,” De Shon said in a news release.
Lithia said in its latest quarterly earnings release that North informed the company of his plans to resign from his positions after the company files its 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Lithia vice president and corporate controller Tina Miller will become interim principal finanical officer on March 1, as the company searches for a new CFO.
