Along with an enhanced partnership with General Motors, Enterprise Holdings this week announced the promotion of Christine Taylor to president and chief operating officer and the promotion of Carolyn Kindle Betz to president of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation.
The move makes both senior executives among the highest-ranking women in the car rental, automotive and travel industries, while marking another milestone for the rising third generation of family ownership of the company, which owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands.
“It’s fitting that these two talented women — granddaughters of our company’s founder, Jack Taylor — are moving up together as members of our senior leadership team,” said the company’s chief executive officer Pam Nicholson.
“Under Chrissy’s guidance, Enterprise has continued year after year to deliver record-breaking growth and business performance, while staying true to the values of customer service and workplace excellence that Jack instilled in our company,” Nicholson continued.
“Concurrently, Carolyn has continued to play a key role in developing our philanthropic strategies and ensuring that we are an engaged and responsible corporate citizen in the communities where we do business,” Nicholson went on to say.
Taylor previously was the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, a position she assumed in 2016. In her new role, Taylor will direct the company’s global business operations and oversee its product development and technology innovation efforts, with a special emphasis on ensuring that any new technology the company deploys supports its commitment to deliver a superior customer experience.
Taylor will continue to serve as a member of the corporate board of Enterprise Holdings and will report to Nicholson.
Kindle Betz previously was senior vice president and executive director of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, which contributed more than $50 million in charitable gifts to a wide variety of nonprofit causes in the company’s most recent fiscal year. As president, she will develop and oversee execution of the foundation’s philanthropic strategies.
In addition, Kindle Betz plays an active role in several community organizations at Enterprise’s world headquarters in St. Louis. Most recently, she assumed leadership of the ownership group that seeks to bring an MLS soccer team to St. Louis – the first such group in MLS history to be majority-owned by women.
Kindle Betz also will continue to serve on the company’s corporate board. The current President, Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, will now assume the role of chairwoman.
“These are both enthusiastic, energetic leaders,” Nicholson said. “When you look at Chrissy’s competitive drive and passion for innovation and Carolyn’s strong commitment to help our company make a difference in the world, you see the brand of leadership that will take Enterprise to the next level.
“And you see, as well, living proof that strong family ownership is a powerful competitive edge. Enterprise’s future is in very good hands,” Nicholson went on to say.
Their grandfather founded the company in 1957 with only seven vehicles, later naming it after the World War II aircraft carrier he served on, the USS Enterprise. Today, with annual revenues of $24.1 billion and 100,000 employees, Enterprise Holdings and its affiliates own 2 million cars and trucks and operates — through an international network of regional subsidiaries and independent franchises — more than 10,000 fully staffed neighborhood and airport locations in more than 90 countries throughout the world.
Enterprise partners with GM to add 100,000 connected cars in 2019
In other company news, Enterprise Holdings announced a partnership with General Motors to significantly increase the number of connected vehicles in its fleet by the end of 2019.
Enterprise began piloting its connectivity platform with GM this year, with a goal of adding more than 100,000 connected Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles to the fleet during the next 12 months.
The company highlighted this initiative will streamline and enhance the experience for customers of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands.
“This is our first step toward a fully connected fleet of vehicles,” Taylor said. “We’ve always understood the value of an integrated network, which has made this an easy decision. We’ll continue to adopt technology solutions that make renting cars easier and seamless for our customers.”
The company indicated connected vehicles will soon expedite the renting and returning of vehicles for customers at neighborhood and airport Enterprise, National and Alamo locations. For example, they can automate such tasks as checking fuel levels, vehicle condition and odometer readings. Onboard telemetry can allow geofenced rental locations to automatically receive these readings when customers return their cars, making the return of the vehicle frictionless.
“Connected vehicles provide customers with a simple, fast rental and return experience,” Taylor said. “The potential for the products and services we’ll be able to offer our customers when all of our vehicles are connected is limitless.
“As we add these cars to our fleet, we look forward to introducing customers to new technologies and features that not only enhance the driving experience, but also the entire transportation ecosystem,” Taylor added.
Beyond the benefits to future rental experiences, car rental customers can take advantage of the many features and services available via the embedded connectivity in GM’s connected vehicles. The vehicles will come with the latest technology for personalized driving experiences, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and OnStar. Such features as emergency services, crisis assistance, automatic crash response, and remote lock/unlock will also be included to add an additional level of convenience and safety.
“Together, we’re offering Enterprise customers the latest benefits of our connected fleet technology from renting the vehicle to enjoying it on the road and, finally, returning the vehicle,” said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president of GM Fleet. “This represents the latest evolution in our more than 60-year partnership with Enterprise.”
When Enterprise completes the transition to connected vehicles, the company said it will own the largest fleet of connected vehicles in the world.
An experienced manager with stints at both ADESA and Manheim now is in the independent auction space.
Earlier this month, Dealers Auto Auction Group announced the addition of industry veteran Ryan Edwards, who has been named as general manager of Dealers Auto Auction of Murfreesboro in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Edwards brings more than 20 years of auction experience, previously working for Manheim as general manager of its Cincinnati location and most recently with ADESA as general manager of its Phoenix operation.
“I am very excited to be a part of such an amazing auction group. This is truly a great opportunity for me to help grow what is already a very established auction location,” Edwards said.
Scott Keener, chief operating officer of Dealers Auto Auction Group added, “We are very excited to have Ryan as a member of our executive team. His successful leadership and overall knowledge within the industry will be an invaluable benefit to the group.”
Dealers Auto Auction of Murfreesboro operates on more than 35 acres and offers more than 500 units weekly across five action lanes. Weekly consignors include Credit Acceptance, Element Fleet Management, United Auto Credit, Caprock Remarketing and more.
DAA Murfreesboro is a full-service location, offering full reconditioning and mechanical services as well as in-house local transportation.
This week, automotive logistics provider ACERTUS announced three key personnel moves to bolster its leadership team, leveraging a trio of executives who possess vast industry experience.
Moving into leadership roles with the company are:
• Jason Caporrino as chief operating officer
• Michael Malakhov as executive vice president of sales and marketing
• Lainey Strohmeyer as vice president of people services
“I am excited about what these talented and respected professionals bring to our core leadership team,” said William Billiter, ACERTUS co-founder and chief executive officer. “Each one of them will play a key role in meeting our primary objective of enhancing the ACERTUS customer experience.”
As COO, Caporrino will lead and support strategic growth initiatives, corporate development, acquisitions and integration. He joined the company in 2014 and has been instrumental in the successful integration of three distinct businesses. Prior to joining ACERTUS, Caporrino held senior leadership positions with several supply chain, logistics and manufacturing companies.
As executive vice president of sales and marketing, Malakhov will draw upon his significant global experience in the freight transportation and logistics industries. He previously held numerous leadership positions at C.H. Robinson, a global third-party logistics company.
As vice president of people services, Strohmeyer will oversee human resources throughout the ACERTUS organization. She is certified as a senior professional in human resources by the HR Certification Institute, and as a senior certified professional by the Society for Human Resource Management. Prior to joining ACERTUS, Strohmeyer served as director of human resources for Intelliteach.
ACERTUS recently completed a rebranding effort following the integration of the MetroGistics, McNutt, AmeriFleet and Metro Title Services brands. Today, ACERTUS aims to be a one-stop shop with vehicle lifecycle solutions for OEMs, dealers and fleet management companies, offering:
• Transportation services, including car haul and driveaway
• Fleet logistics
• Innovative technology and tracking solutions
• Title and registration
• Compliance and care services
• Vehicle storage at more than 55 locations throughout North America
• Final-mile delivery solutions
More details about the company can be found at www.ACERTUSdelivers.com.
HyreCar bolstered its leader team again on Monday by naming another c-level executive.
The carsharing marketplace for ridesharing announced the appointment of Henry Park, who HyreCar considers to be a widely respected digital marketing thought leader, as chief operating officer.
Park arrives about a month after HyreCar announced the appointment of Scott Brogi as its chief financial officer.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Henry Park as our chief operating officer,” HyreCar chief executive officer Joe Furnari said. “We are reaching a key inflection point in our company’s history, and as we continue along our growth path, I believe Henry’s unique skill set and industry contacts will play an important role in improving the pace of operational execution.
“I look forward to working closely with Henry to create value for our shareholders over the long-term,” Furnari continued.
As part of HyreCar’s growth plan, Park will be working with the company’s leadership team to improve HyreCar’s end-to-end user funnel, streamline the rideshare insurance claims process and optimize customer service to improve the overall user experience.
“Ridesharing is undoubtedly the future of mass transportation, and I am thrilled to join the management team of HyreCar, a clear innovator within the Mobility-as-a-Service ecosystem,” Park said.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside such a diverse and skilled team to expand the HyreCar platform and solve some of the biggest bottlenecks facing the ridesharing industry today,” Park continued.
Prior to joining HyreCar, Park was chief operating officer and head of marketing at SearchForce, a paid search and social media bid management platform for digital marketers, where he oversaw the development and integration of successful marketing plans and media strategies.
Previously, as the executive director of traffic acquisition at YP.com, Park established strategies for lead acquisition for thousands of local advertisers during his more than eight years there, as well as ensuring traffic and lead quality.
AutoWeb, formerly known as Autobytel, has named a chief human resources officer, appointing a former Cox Automotive leader to the position.
Named the CHRO for AutoWeb, in a move effective Monday, was Sara Partin, who most recently held the same position at Yellow Pages.
Before her time with YP, she headed up HR at Cox Automotive’s Media Solutions Group.
“Sara’s extensive background running human resources for large automotive and media companies will be an invaluable asset,” AutoWeb president and chief executive officer Jared Rowe said in a news release.
Rowe has been director, president and CEO at Autobytel since April, after his tenure as CEO at YP. Rowe joined YP in 2016 after serving as president of the Media Solutions Group at Cox Automotive.
“Human resources is a strategic function that helps to fuel the growth of innovative technology firms. We look forward to utilizing her experience in building teams, driving change, and rationalizing human capital needs and efforts as we rebuild and strengthen our team in support of our new strategic direction,” Rowe said.
Added Partin: “AutoWeb has built a unique digital marketing platform providing OEMs and dealers with high-quality advertising solutions. As we introduce new strategic initiatives to better capitalize on this platform, I look forward to working with the team to bolster and better align the company’s human capital with our new objectives.”
LeasePlan USA will have a new president and chief executive officer effective Jan. 1.
According to an announcement posted this week, LeasePlan USA will be led by Matt Dyer, who previously has been the managing director for LeasePlan UK.
The company highlighted Dyer brings with him more than 20 years of experience working for LeasePlan and a wealth of industry knowledge.
As LeasePlan USA’s new president and CEO, Dyer will lead the company in its strategy to what’s next in the mobility space. In a company that says it’s poised to disrupt the industry, he will play an integral role in driving the digital transformation taking place at LeasePlan USA. Dyer’s previous experience leading key initiatives that put the customer first will further promote LeasePlan USA’s strong focus on optimizing the client experience.
During his tenure as managing director at LeasePlan UK, Dyer played a key role in developing the company’s innovation strategy. Dyer also oversaw the successful launch of CarNext.com, a pan-European marketplace for high-quality used vehicles in the U.K. which allows drivers to buy, lease or subscribe to vehicles from LeasePlan’s own fleet as well as third-party partners.
In his previous role as managing director of LeasePlan International, Dyer worked directly with LeasePlan USA and senior management to grow the global business in the U.S. market.
“The LeasePlan USA business is one that I hold in very high regard,” Dyer said. “I’m very much looking forward to working with LeasePlan USA and all of our customers to continue the great success that the company has.”
An executive who previously held senior positions at ELEAD1ONE, Sonic Automotive and Autoweb.com now is in a prominent role with DealerX Partners.
On Friday the provider of digital automotive services connecting in-market vehicle buyers with dealers and OEMs, announced that it has appointed Anthony Monteiro as chief strategy officer via a move that was effective Sept. 24.
DealerX Partners highlighted that Monteiro brings more than two decades of key management experience across the automotive and marketing industries.
As vice president of product for ELEAD1ONE, Monteiro was responsible for the overall product direction and development for one of the nation’s largest automotive CRM providers.
ELEAD1ONE chief information officer Carmen Andreoli said, “Anthony has a strong track record of successfully implementing strategic vision to position our software competing in the CRM and digital marketing space. His leadership and understanding of both the dealership’s needs and how to translate that into world class software is unmatched.”
Monteiro will be responsible for the strategic positioning and sales initiatives for the fast-growing company at DealerX.
“I started my career in digital marketing at Autoweb over 20 years ago, when most folks in the industry didn’t even have email,” Monteiro said. “I have been part of this industry both as a dealer and mostly as product visionary watching the evolution of where we are today. I have seen every platform there is to see and I can honestly say this one is the real deal.
“I am very excited to join DealerX and lead the industry with a digital marketing platform that specializes in providing our customers with high-quality, cross platform performance-based campaigns,” Monteiro continued.
“It is important to provide our clients with detailed visibility and attribution that helps them to understand the value and ROI our services and products and most importantly drives sales and service visits,” he went on say.
DealerX Partners chief executive officer Jeff Tognetti also shared his thoughts on the company’s newest executive.
“We have the industries best technology platform, advanced technology and an extremely talented team,” Tognetti said. “We are looking forward to establishing our brand and really look forward to leveraging Anthony’s experiences to help us grow by introducing new strategies and initiatives that I believe will unlock the company’s full potential.”
Carolina Auto Auction expanded its management team, naming two assistant general managers on Monday.
General manager and managing partner Eric Autenrieth announced that Joe LeMonds has been promoted to the post of assistant general manager of sales and marketing. And new to the auction is Vann Humphrey, who has been named assistant general manager of operations.
“I am very pleased to introduce Joe LeMonds and Vann Humphrey as assistant general managers at Carolina Auto Auction,” Autenrieth said. “Both are preeminently qualified in their areas of expertise and will play pivotal roles in our continuing focus to provide a superior buying and selling experience for all our customers.”
Autenrieth noted that LeMonds has worked for Carolina AAA since 2015, most recently as national remarketing manager. In his new role, LeMonds will continue to oversee the auction’s national accounts as well as managing both the fleet/lease and dealer sales team and the auction’s marketing efforts.
“Joe has brought tremendous energy and vision to the auction since joining us three years ago,” Autenrieth said. “He has demonstrated great success in developing strong customer relationships and has a keen understanding of how operations and sales work together. His skills will prove invaluable in taking our sales and marketing team to the next level and building an environment of increased trust and satisfaction for all our customers.”
LeMonds described what it’s like working for this operation, which is a member of ServNet and the National Auto Auction Association.
“At Carolina Auto Auction we are committed to providing a unique customer experience that far surpasses what you see at other competitors’ facilities,” LeMonds said. “Every business day we work to fortify that experience in every auction transaction, from the way vehicles are processed to the way we interact with buyers and sellers.
“We are consistently recognized with top rankings from our commercial accounts, and I’m excited to build on that success for both our dealer and fleet/lease customers,” he went on to say.
Although Humphrey is new to his role as assistant general manager of operations, Carolina Auto Auction has enjoyed a long relationship with him. Auterieth mentioned that Humphrey was an auction customer for many years as the director of remarketing for First Investors.
“We are delighted that Vann has joined the team at Carolina Auto Auction,” Autenrieth said. “He brings with him a strong background in quality control and compliance, and has tremendous skill in seeking out the most efficient and effective ways to get a process done. His experience as auction customer provides a valuable perspective and will enhance all areas of our auction operations.”
Humphrey touched on making the transition from being with a consignor to auction management.
“My relationship with Carolina Auto Auction goes back nearly two decades, and I considered CAA to be one of the top auctions for the better part of my career as a vehicle remarketer,” Humphrey said. “I’m thrilled to be on the auction side of the table, and am excited to work with a great group of auction professionals.
"In overseeing dealer registration, CR writing, lot operations and recon, my goal will be to make our already superior team function with ever increasing levels of quality and efficiency, to the ultimate benefit of every auction customer," he went on to say.
Carolina Auto Auction was founded in 1990 and is a part of the Stanley-Autenrieth Auction Group, owned by Henry and Patty Stanley and led by their son Eric Autenrieth.
Situated in Anderson, S.C., midway between Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C., the auction serves customers throughout the United States with a full offering of dealer consignment, fleet, lease, daily rental, insurance and financial institution vehicles.
The eight-lane facility also offers one of the largest dealer consignments in South Carolina and the Southeast.
RVI Group elevated one of its experts this week to lead its passenger vehicle insurance and analytics businesses.
Now under the leadership of Wei Fan, the firm announced its passenger vehicle insurance and quantitative analysis teams — which partner closely on business development and operations of RVI Analytics — are being consolidated. The company explained this move will allow RVI to capitalize on the analytics business including its Used Vehicle Price Index (UVPI) data subscription products.
RVI Analytics was launched earlier this year in partnership with Maryann Keller & Advisors (MK&A) — also a member of the Automotive Intelligence Council. The company is looking to offer comprehensive industry analytics for firms with automotive-related interests.
Management went on to state this operational consolidation will create efficiencies and improve RVI Analytics' ability to provide industry leading services to its clients, especially the accurate assessment of risk in used-vehicle prices, providing critical input to capital markets, lenders and lessors.
“Bringing these teams together will allow us to be more agile, better serve our customers and improve our execution through increased collaboration,” said Michael McGroarty, co-chief operating officer of RVI Group.
“We are presenting more comprehensive used-vehicle price index data than anyone else in the industry, and I am confident that this streamlined structure will position us for optimal performance going forward,” McGroarty continued.
Prior to joining RVI, Fan was the director of Used Vehicle Market Solutions for J.D. Power & Associates. Since 2007, Fan has had extensive experience with RVI’s passenger vehicle insurance and analytics business as the head of the quantitative analysis team.
“With an excellent track record at RVI, Wei is uniquely qualified to lead the passenger vehicle and analytics businesses at RVI. I look forward to their success,” said Douglas May, chief executive officer of RVI Group, which is among the companies set to be a part of Used Car Week 2018 — Education, Celebrations, Technology and Connections.
Discussions about wholesale pricing and elements through the remarketing chain are on tap for Used Car Week, which begins Nov. 12 at the Westin Keirland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Early bird discounts are available through Oct. 16. Complete details can be found at www.usedcarweek.biz.
CarMax tapped a top executive in the food business to help its used-vehicle retail operations.
On Tuesday, CarMax announced that its board of directors has elected Pietro Satriano to membership on the board; a move that was effective on Monday. The company added Satriano will serve on its nominating and governance committee.
Satriano has been the chief executive officer and a director of US Foods Holding Corp., a publicly held foodservice distributor, since 2015 and chairman of the US Foods board since 2017.
Previously, Satriano served as chief merchandising officer of US Foods from 2011 until 2015. Before joining US Foods, he was president of LoyaltyOne Co., and served in a number of leadership positions at Loblaw Companies Limited.
“We are pleased to welcome Pietro to the CarMax board,” said Bill Nash, chief executive officer of CarMax. “As a sitting CEO with extensive leadership experience in highly competitive and evolving industries, he is a very valuable addition to our board.”
