LotLinx recently hired former Cox Automotive strategist and noted marketing analytics expert and author Thomas Gage as its new chief strategy officer.
In this role, LotLinx explained that Gage will apply quantitative data gathered by LotLinx’s artificial intelligence technology to dealerships’ sales objectives to identify the best approach to their advertising campaigns and marketing spend.
Gage’s primary objective will be to help dealers identify where and how to market their inventory to achieve the best results.
Gage has been recognized as a visionary in automotive retail during his 17-year career with Cox Automotive. He was a thought leader in positioning the Autotrader brand to accelerate its growth through innovative analytics and audience tracking. He later supported the company through multiple acquisitions.
Gage is a regular speaker at industry conferences and co-authored the book, Who Sold It? with Brian Pasch, which focuses on marketing attribution. They are now collaborating on their new book, Frictionless, which focuses on digital retailing.
As he begins his work at LotLinx, the company indicated Gage will assist dealerships in implementing the LotLinx platform to meet sales and marketing goals. With a track record of accelerating corporate growth, and extensive knowledge of product, analytics, strategy and acquisitions, he will work with LotLinx’s team of experts to create even more powerful products to improve the efficiencies of dealerships by incorporating AI.
“There is a significant opportunity to apply the LotLinx technology to marketing challenges in a way auto dealership managers and salespeople understand,” Gage said. “We are really speaking their language, and making it easier for them to meet their business goals, simply by incorporating AI and marketing automation.
“No one else in the industry is as laser-focused on meeting the objectives of dealers as LotLinx,” he continued. “Marketing has become overly complex, but now we can greatly simplify things for our clients by putting more decision making into our products.
LotLinx vice chairman Mark Boyd added, “LotLinx is absolutely unique in this industry and Tom was one of the first people to truly recognize what that means for dealers.
“Having him on board in this strategic position is going to be monumental in helping communicate the astounding changes our AI is introducing to the marketplace,” Boyd went on to say. “He knows what dealers care about. He speaks their language. This is a big game-changer for us.”
HyreCar added another executive to its leadership team this week.
The carsharing marketplace for ridesharing announced the appointment of Scott Brogi as its chief financial officer, effective Thursday. Brogi previously led finance and operations for Teaching Channel, which was successfully sold earlier this year.
“We look forward to leveraging Scott’s deep experience and financial acumen,” said Joe Furnari, chief executive officer of HyreCar. “HyreCar is growing rapidly within the Mobility-as-a-Service sector, and his experience managing and directing financial operations is exactly what we’ve been looking for as we take our platform to the next level.”
Brogi has prior CFO experience and has held leadership roles at public and private companies across various sectors, including education, entertainment, healthcare and internet services.
Brogi began his career in corporate banking and finance with Chase Manhattan Bank, and afterwards, led finance and development for successful startups like AccentCare and Pictage.
Brogi also has a background in corporate financial planning and analysis for public companies, such as the Apollo Education Group.
“HyreCar is well positioned as an enabler of the rapidly growing ridesharing market,” Brogi said. “I look forward to being an integral part of this experienced executive team, while working closely with Joe and the board to drive revenue growth and margin improvements during this rapid growth phase of the company’s lifecycle and beyond.”
Familiar names now have new roles at Sonic Automotive.
This week, the publicly traded dealership group announced that its board of directors has elected David Smith as chief executive officer and Jeff Dyke as president, both effective as of Tuesday.
Sonic also said Scott Smith, the company’s co-founder, resigned as chief executive officer and president of the company and as a member of its board of directors, effective on Monday, to take on a new role with the company and to spend more time with his family after having served for more than 21 years as a director and an executive officer.
The company said Scott Smith will remain an employee in his capacity as co-founder to ensure a smooth leadership transition and to provide strategic advice to the leadership team.
“Sonic Automotive is a fantastic company run by thousands of fantastic employees to whom I am deeply grateful for their hard work and dedication,” Scott Smith said. “It has been a pleasure and great privilege to lead the company.
“I am excited to move into a different role that will allow me to spend more time with my family, and I am also committed to help David, Jeff and our other teammates with a smooth transition,” Scott Smith added.
David Smith has a more than 20-year tenure with the company, most recently serving as executive vice chairman and chief strategic officer since March. Prior to that appointment, he served as vice chairman from March 2013 to March 2018, executive vice president from October 2008 to March 2013, senior vice president of corporate development from March 2007 to October 2008, vice president of corporate strategy from October 2005 to March 2007, and as dealer operator and general manager of several of the company’s dealerships prior to October 2005.
David Smith has also served as a member of the Company’s board of directors since October 2008.
Dyke has served as Sonic’s executive vice president of operations since October 2008, where he has been responsible for direct oversight for all of Sonic’s automotive operations. Dyke joined the company in October 2005.
“I am grateful to Scott for his many years of outstanding service and leadership. He has been instrumental in charting our course and helping to build one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers,” said Bruton Smith, the company’s founder and executive chairman.
“At the same time, we have a very talented executive leadership team, and we are confident that David’s and Jeff’s deep knowledge of our businesses, commitment to our culture, and focus on value creation for stockholders have prepared them well,” Bruton Smith continued.
William Belk, the company’s lead independent director, added, “This announcement is the result of our planned succession process being implemented. The company’s independent directors have strong confidence in David and Jeff.
“We also are appreciative of Scott’s great work over the past two decades and know his continued role as an advisor to David, Jeff and the rest of the leadership team will be invaluable,” Belk went on to say.
Manheim has promoted Jane Gitere to be director of national accounts for Manheim Specialty Auctions.
Gitere has served in leadership positions with Cox Automotive brands for over a dozen years.
The company announced Tuesday that amid continued growth of Manheim Specialty Auctions, Gitere will be responsible for promoting awareness of Manheim’s Specialty sales.
“With Manheim’s Specialty Auction sales experiencing year-over-year double-digit growth, our team is committed to delivering support and engaging clients with products and services that enable them to get the job done,” Manheim Specialty Auctions senior director of national accounts Ted Elech said in a news release.
In addition to supporting and expanding revenue and relationships for Manheim Specialty Auctions, in her new role, Gitere has been tasked with making sure that clients are informed about technology enhancements and offerings from other Cox Automotive brands, the company said.
“I look forward to helping our clients grow their business by efficiently turning inventory that meets their changing needs,” said Gitere.
Previously, Gitere has served as Cox Automotive senior director of sales and strategy and senior director of commercial and major dealer sales for Ready Logistics. Meanwhile, before taking on those roles, Gitere was also senior manager of national client sales support and operations at Manheim.
Manheim started hosting Manheim Specialty Auctions about 13 years ago to give clients access to a large volume of used non-traditional vehicles.
In 2005, 21 of Manheim’s 83 operating locations in North America began to concentrate on selling high-quality specialty units, such as boats, RVs, motorcycles powersports vehicles and medium and heavy trucks, according to the company.
Faraday Future (FF) has appointed a new vice president of product, technology and intellectual property (IP) strategy who has previously spent time at both Tesla and Apple.
The company announced Monday that it has chosen to bring aboard Jeff Risher to lead FF's IP strategy and patent portfolio efforts. He brings 20 years of experience in intellectual property strategy, licensing and litigation, the company said.
Most recently, Risher served as Tesla’s chief intellectual property counsel and chief litigation counsel.
“Joining FF at this exciting stage, and in this amazing product/technology strategy role, feels like a natural evolution for me, merging my passion for technology and product innovation with my legal and IP background,” Risher said in a news release announcing his appointment. “I am incredibly proud of the companies I've been privileged to work for, and I am grateful that FF is entrusting me with this great opportunity to be a part of a new era of mobility and technology integration.
“The progress that FF already has made toward this vision with the Faraday Future FF 91 and beyond surprised and delighted me, and I will lead my teams to make sure we execute on that vision.”
In his new role, Risher has been tasked with managing FF’s overall product strategy, advanced technology adoption and strategic relationships, according to the company.
Meanwhile, prior to joining Tesla, Risher held senior legal and IP leadership roles at Apple for almost nine years.
At Apple, he served as director of patent litigation and director of patent strategy and licensing. During his time at the technology company, FF said that he oversaw and negotiated technology disputes, licensing engagements and strategic partnerships.
In addition to serving on the advisory board of several technology startups in Silicon Valley throughout his career, prior to joining Tesla and Apple, Risher has also held IP-related positions at Abbott Laboratories in Chicago and law firms Latham & Watkins and Rutan & Tucker of Southern California.
The executive leadership team at LeasePlan USA has recently grown with the appointment of two new vice presidents who will be responsible for heading company operations and providing strategic leadership and organizational development, respectively.
LeasePlan USA announced Wednesday that it has brought on Debbie Conrad Boyce to serve as executive vice president of operations and Alanna Mahone to serve as human resources senior vice president.
“I’m proud to add two new incredible leaders to lead our company to the future,” LeasePlan USA president and chief executive officer Jeff Schlesinger said in a news release. “Each member of our leadership team brings a unique skill-set that, when combined, creates a formidable group of highly energizing professionals. With the appointment of Debbie and Alanna, we are moving at full speed ahead to what’s next.”
Boyce, who spent 30 years at Cox Automotive, will be responsible for driving operational excellence within the organization while assuring a positive client experience.
At Cox Automotive, she held several positions where she was in charge of driving strategy, increasing revenue and boosting client loyalty, said LeasePlan.
Meanwhile, Mahone, who brings over 20 years of organizational development expertise, has been tasked with managing all areas of organizational development for the company. According to LeasePlan, in her new role, she will oversee talent, culture, recruiting, compensation, compliance and employee relations.
Most recently, Mahone led the human resources division at Mansfield Oil Company.
DealerSocket, a leading provider of software for the automotive industry, on Friday announced the appointment of Gary Ito as chief financial officer. Ito brings three decades of financial and accounting experience to DealerSocket.
The company indicated it will lead DealerSocket’s finance and accounting teams focused on driving revenue growth and expansion. He will also lead the vendor management organization and expand the company's partnerships through the DealerSocket Certified Partner Program.
DealerSocket added that Ito will also work closely with the leadership team to identify new revenue opportunities, including leading the company’s mergers and acquisitions.
“Gary’s extensive background and proven track record will be incredibly valuable to our company’s success,” said Sejal Pietrzak, president and chief executive officer of DealerSocket. “His experience at several growing software companies, where he was instrumental in providing the finance vision, strategy, and leadership, will be a huge asset to DealerSocket as we continue to grow and further our mission to drive the future of automotive.”
Over the course of his 30-year career, Ito has worked at several global software and technology organizations, including both public companies and private equity-owned companies.
Most recently, Ito was the chief financial officer of Outmatch, a predictive analytics software organization focused on helping companies hire better talent and develop their employees. Prior to Outmatch, he led finance and operations at SAP Ariba and was also the CFO of Quadrem.
Ito began his career at Nortel where he held a variety of finance and management positions in both North America and Asia for more than 18 years.
“DealerSocket is the industry leader in innovative software, and I’m excited to join such a strong and growing company,” Ito said. “DealerSocket has a customer-centric approach, and I look forward to working closely with our high-performing, talented team.”
An executive who has held posts with Hearst Autos, CarMax, ADESA, Manheim and Dealertrack now is a part of The Appraisal Lane, a mobile app-based community connecting dealers with valuation experts and buyers to receive cash offers on used inventory,
This week, The Appraisal Lane hired Jordan Walters as its new director of enterprise and OEM sales. Walters, who most recently was director of enterprise sales for Hearst Autos, now is responsible for growing The Appraisal Lane's automotive dealer group and manufacturer business relationships.
Walters kicked off his career at CarMax, managing the company's auction program. At Manheim, he honed his online skills as business director and operations manager. He was then responsible for product sales and dealership implementation at Dealertrack.
Walters served in several managerial roles at ADESA before joining Hearst Autos in 2015. At Hearst, he worked on integration for Car and Driver, Black Book and Jumpstart Automotive Media, building value for brands, dealers and consumers.
“Jordan is a perfect addition to our team,” said Andrew Iorgulescu, co-founder and president of The Appraisal Lane. “He has extensive industry experience, a successful business development track record, and he understands the needs of dealers and OEMs to improve processes and create a better customer experience.
“As we’re growing into new markets and expanding our community to include consumers, I’m confident Jordan will help accelerate this growth,” Iorgulescu continued.
The company added that Walters’ new appointment comes at a crucial time for The Appraisal Lane on the heels of a record-breaking summer and in the midst of the company’s westward expansion. The Appraisal Lane is now available in 43 states, with plans to be active in West Coast states by year’s end.
“In a short time, The Appraisal Lane has made a tremendous impact on the used car industry. I’m excited to be a part of this paradigm shift,” Walters said.
“It’s great to be able to leverage my existing relationships and forge new ones for a company that is improving many verticals inside dealer and OEM businesses,” Walters continued. “Our ultimate goal is to drive a transparent and improved personal experience for our clients.”
LotLinx has named a new vice president who will develop new AI-based digital advertising solutions for the company.
The company announced Wednesday that it has brought aboard Eric Turner from Ford Motor Co., to serve as LotLinx’s VP of product management.
“Our goal is to always push forward and find new and exciting ways to help dealers allocate their ad spend for the right initiatives, in turn creating a massive improvement in their ROI,” LotLinx general manager of product and technology Lance Schafer said in a news release. “Eric is the perfect person to spur innovation amongst our team and get in front of the dealers who use LotLinx AI to identify ways to continue helping them sustain success.
“His skills will be put to use early, as some of our newest offerings are ready to go to market very soon.”
According to LotLinx, Turner will lead the development and launch of new LotLinx advertising spend and strategy offerings in his new role. Meanwhile, he most recently led key initiatives to grow the Lincoln brand while at Ford over the past five years.
“LotLinx’s revolutionary AI-based marketing solutions directly benefit dealerships in meaningful ways,” said Turner. “My objective is to deepen LotLinx’s roots as the leading innovator in automotive digital marketing by working with our team to develop and launch world-class products. Like so many other aspects of life and business, AI is critical to the future of marketing. It is thrilling to join LotLinx’s team of talented and driven people who are already experiencing tremendous success with this new technology.”
Hertz Global Holdings has named Jamere Jackson from Nielsen Holdings to replace outgoing company chief financial officer Thomas Kennedy.
The company announced Monday that after four-plus years with the company, Kennedy has resigned. And Hertz's senior vice president and chief accounting officer Robin Kramer will assume the additional role of acting CFO in the interim period ahead of Jackson’s arrival.
According to Hertz, Jackson, who mostly recently served as CFO of Nielsen Holdings, will be in charge of all financial aspects of the company.
“We are delighted to have Jamere join our team. He is a strategic, results-oriented financial leader with a proven track record of operational excellence,” Hertz president and chief executive officer Kathryn Marinello said in a news release. “Additionally, his collaborative leadership style coupled with an extensive and varied background, including in the consumer products and services arena, will serve Hertz well as we execute our growth strategy in a dynamic environment.”
Prior to joining Nielsen in March 2014, Jackson served as VP and CFO of General Electric Co.’s Oil & Gas – Drilling and Surface.
It was in 2004 that Jackson first joined GE. Before taking on his role as CFO at GE Oil & Gas, he held leadership roles in GE Global Business Services, GE Corporate and GE Aviation.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Hertz as it leverages its rich history, brand strength and legacy of innovation to address an evolving marketplace,” Jackson said. “I look forward to becoming part of the team that is leading the company through its next phase of transformation.”
In addition to his time spent at GE, Jackson has also held past roles in finance, mergers and acquisitions and strategic planning at The Procter & Gamble Company, Yum! Brands, First Data Corp. and Total System Services.
