Holman Automotive Group Inc. announced Monday it has named a new chief executive officer, chairman of the board and chief operating officer, among a variety of other new hires, as well.
Melinda Holman has been named chairman of the board, and Carl Ortell will assume the role of chief executive officer.
And Brian Bates will take on the role of chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Holman Automotive.
Furthermore, Chris Conroy has been named do the position of executive vice president at Holman and president of ARI.
Bill Cariss will serve as executive vice president of Holman and president of retail operations.
All these changes come as the organization’s chairman, Joseph Holman, is stepping into the role of chairman emeritus, and will serve as a mentor and offer counsel to the Holman board and executive team.
“This is both very exciting and a very natural progression for the Holman organization, which has grown significantly since the company was founded by my grandfather Steward Holman more than 90 years ago,” said Mindy Holman, the new chairman of the board. “This change in leadership will allow us to leverage our talent, resources and knowledge across all of our lines of business which in turn will allow us to become an even more flexible and dynamic organization.” She emphasized that the core principles upon which the business was founded — hiring and empowering the best, most talented individuals; providing exceptional customer service; and giving back to the communities that support Holman’s success — continue to guide the business and its leadership.
Ortell, the new chief executive officer, has been with the company for 29 years and has been president of ARI since 2010.
“I am tremendously honored to be asked to serve as CEO of Holman Automotive,” said Ortell. “Holman is comprised of four unique automotive businesses, all of which provide critical, industry-leading products and services but which also complement each other incredibly well. We also have the best people — professionals who are incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated to providing our clients with exceptional customer service. We are well positioned to draw upon our strengths in order to pursue new opportunities and continue to grow and expand. Our future will be about building a one-business mindset that serves consumers, businesses, governments and other entities in various markets, industries, countries and regions."
Bates, the new chief operating officer of Holman Automotive, has held many positions during his 26 years at the company, most recently are CFO for Holman and ARI.
In his new role as COO and CFO, he will work closely with Ortell and the executive team to capitalize on opportunities that bring the greatest value to the entire Holman organization, the company shared.
The following appointments have also been made within the Holman company:
- Frank Cardile has been appointed to the newly created role of group vice president of Holman Automotive.
- Anne Williams has also been appointed to the role of group vice president at Holman Automotive and will continue to serve as President of RMP Powertrain Solutions.
- Bob White has been promoted to executive vice president and chief operating officer of ARI.
- Glenn Gardner has been promoted to chief operating officer of Holman’s retail operations.
The American International Automobile Dealers Association announced today it has named a former Dealertrack Technologies and KAR Auction Services executive, who has also had prior experience with AIADA, as its vice president of member services.
In the new position, Dan Barson will be responsible for the development of AIADA’s member services department, which currently includes 10 corporate partners exclusively endorsed by the association. AIADA provides its members with discounts and services in areas including property and casualty insurance, apparel and uniforms, vehicle auction services and more.
“We are very pleased to welcome Dan Barson to the AIADA team once again,” said Cody Lusk, AIADA’s president. “His experience in business development and management in the auto industry will be an impressive asset to AIADA’s Member Services program.”
Before taking on the VP position with AIADA, Barson was the director of dealer consignment at Dealertrack Technologies where he helped create and launch the company’s trading platform.
He also spent seven years with ADESA and KAR Auction Services as the dealer consignment director of strategic partnerships and services. He served as the vice president of membership and industry relations at AIADA from 1993 to 2001.
Dent Wizard International announced recently that it has promoted Jessica Stone to the position of director of sales for Mint, the company’s onsite SMART repair service program.
Formerly the company’s regional business development manager for its Southeast territory, Stone will now work with the Mint team to develop additional sales opportunities and proliferate the number of Mint locations.
Stone will report to Lindsey Bird, Dent Wizard’s vice president of aftersales.
“Jessica has proven herself to be an articulate, highly motivated, and successful leader,” Bird said. “Her proven track record of successful sales, communications focused management, and customer service experience will no doubt prove to be an invaluable resource to our customers and Dent Wizard in her new role.”
Stone has been with Dent Wizard in various sales roles since 2004.
FCA US LLC — formerly known as Chrysler Group LLC — announced this week it has promoted a new vice president of dealer network development.
Taking on the position is Alistair Gardner, who will take on the new role in addition to his current position as president and chief executive officer of the Chrysler Brand.
Gardner has been with the company since 1986 and has held various positions with increasing responsibility in the sales, service and business operations.
He was named president and CEO of the Chrysler Brand in November 2013.
Gardner replaces Peter Grady, who announced his intent to retire late last year — a move that is effective March 31.
XLerate Group — which rebranded itself from American Auto Auction Group during last fall’s Used Car Week — brought on a new chief financial officer on Monday.
Joining XLerate after holding posts at organizations such as Auction Broadcasting Co. is Tom Schuler, who now is CFO for the dealer-centric auctions with physical and satellite sale operations in California, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Mississippi and Wisconsin.
“We are very excited to have Tom Schuler join our team as CFO,” XLerate chief executive officer Cam Hitchcock said. “Tom has 15 years’ experience as a financial executive for both publicly traded and privately-held companies.
“His extensive experience with corporate finance and strategic acquisitions will be extremely helpful as we look to expand XLerate in the coming years,” Hitchcock continued.
“Tom and his financial team will work closely with senior management and the auctions to build on the continued success of the organization,” Hitchcock went on to say.
Prior to joining XLerate, Schuler held CFO positions at Wright Implement, Diversified Vehicle Services, Auction Broadcasting Co. and Braun Consulting.
“I am fortunate to be joining XLerate at this time as the company has an outstanding senior leadership team in place, a strong financial foundation and a group of auctions that are widely recognized for superior customer service,” Schuler said.
“These ingredients will allow us to continue to provide the highest level of service to our customers as we grow the business,” he added.
Manheim announced on Friday that it has appointed a new general manager at its location in Darlington, S.C. Previously the assistant general manager of Manheim Phoenix, Danny Brawn has been named as the general manager at Manheim Darlington.
“Our goal at Manheim is to continue to recognize top talent and ensure they are positioned to drive solid performance while expanding our customer base,” said Mike McKinney, regional vice president, East Region Operations. “Our company and customers in Darlington will benefit from Danny’s leadership, extensive industry knowledge and insights.”
Having joined Manheim in 2005, Brawn brings a wealth of knowledge of the remarketing industry, including customer support, leadership and sales experiences from his time at Manheim Phoenix as well as from various roles with other Manheim locations, including field sales manager for the Northwest Market, general sales manager for Manheim Portland, dealer sales manager for Manheim Kentucky and dealer sales representative at both Manheim Orlando and Manheim Nashville.
In other Manheim news, Manheim Central California, along with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, unveiled its newly completed exterior and interior renovations Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The two-year project cost over $600,000, including a cafeteria remodel, new office carpeting and painting throughout the facility.
“We are excited about this project, and the opportunity to give our customers a bright and cheerier place to conduct business,” said Kim Waterman, Manheim Central California’s general manager. “This really has given our facility a new appearance both inside and out.”
The Dealer’s Auto Auction Group announced recently it has named Robin Treadway as the group’s managing director of auction operations.
David Andrews, the chief executive officer of City Enterprises LLC, DAA’s parent company, made the announcement.
“Robin’s expert knowledge of the auction industry covers every segment of our business,” Andrews said. “We are blessed to have someone with his level of integrity and experience to join us as we head into a new year of growth at Dealer’s Auto Auctions.”
Treadway brings 35 years of auction experience to the managing director position. He started his auction career as a ringman for Tom Beasley at the Nashville Auto Auction in 1982 and took him throughout Tennessee and Kentucky, as an auctioneer, before aiding in the acquisition of Tennessee Auto Auction by Manheim in 1994, which became Manheim Tennessee, where he would stay for the next 20 years.
“Joining Dealer’s Auto Auction feels like coming full circle and finding home,” Treadway said. “As I start with a smaller, more personal company in the same region where I began my career, I feel reinvigorated. I am excited and honored to be a part of David’s team and the Dealer’s Auto family of auctions.”
CarMax Inc. announced Tuesday that it has begun the recruitment process to fill over 2,500 positions at its locations in the United States. The majority of the available positions are in sales, with others in service, purchasing and in the business office. The positions will include full- and part-time work schedules as well as day and evening shifts.
“As we continue to grow nationwide, the same qualities of integrity, respect and customer service lead the way we recruit, hire, train and do business,” said Tom Folliard, CarMax’s president and chief executive officer. “Each new associate joins a team that’s providing the transparent and unique car-buying experience customers deserve.”
The cities with the largest number of sales positions include: Denver, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Miami and Atlanta. The company provides an array of competitive benefits for its employees, including discounts on car purchases and other services.
“Clear pathways for professional growth, along with a culture of teamwork and fun are what really set us apart,” said Donna Schaar, assistant vice president of talent acquisition at the company. “Applicants with strong customer service skills and a willingness to work varied retail hours should apply now.”
More information about the positions can be found on the CarMax website.
KAR Auction Services announced Wednesday that Rich Levene has been promoted to vice president of enterprise optimization for the company.
Formerly the director of the same KAR segment, Levene is responsible for “identifying and implementing opportunities to maximize resources and widen synergies across all of KAR’s business units, as well as leading the enterprise optimization team,” according to the company.
David Vignes, KAR’s executive vice president of enterprise optimization, made the announcement for Levene’s promotion.
“Rich’s proven track record of success, in-depth industry experience and unmatched attention to detail make him the best choice for this position,” Vignes said. “We are confident he will continue to contribute to KAR’s growth through his innovative contributions and thought-leadership.”
Levene, with over 20 years of remarketing experience, joined KAR’s enterprise optimization team in 2011 as director, where he led the initiative to improve the effectiveness of the company’s safety programs. He was the national remarketing director for KAR subsidiary PAR North America prior to that, while also holding prior remarketing management positions at CitiFinancial Auto and HSBC.
In other KAR news, one of its business units, Insurance Auto Auctions, also announced Wednesday the reopening of its facilities in Providence, R.I. and Altoona, Pa.
“The reopening of the Altoona and Providence sites strengthens our presence in the Northeast region,” said John Kett, IAA’s president and chief executive officer. “The two facilities help us better serve our customers and meet demands for catastrophe (CAT) services in an area where strong winter storms are prevalent.”
More information about the two IAA location scan be found on its information page.
Auction giant ADESA recently announced that it has named a new senior vice president of strategic initiatives.
John Hoctor has been chosen for the new SVP role. In this new role, Hoctor will be responsible for overseeing the company’s online dealer-to-dealer efforts, including both Dealer Connect and TradeRev in the United States, with a focus on strategic growth initiatives in the dealer-to-dealer space.
“This positions us to further develop the online dealer-to-dealer aspect of our business and provide technology solutions for our dealer customers, as we’ve shown with our investment in TradeRev,” said ADESA chief executive officer and president Stephane St-Hilaire. “John will leverage ADESA’s strong online presence and physical auction footprint to expand TradeRev’s reach and share this cutting-edge technology with even more customers — faster. So, more sellers can use this innovative tool to access real-time appraisals and bids for their trades, and more buyers can purchase retail trade vehicles instantly.”
ADESA bought a 50-percent stake in TradeRev this past August.
Hoctor will also stay on in his current role in which he oversees ADESA-subsidiary AutoVIN, a branch of the company he has worked with since 2009.
“John’s background in the dealer and retail world, combined with his experience in auction operations, brings the perfect skill set to drive our online dealer-to-dealer efforts in a direction that will result in maximum benefit to our customers,” said St-Hilaire.
Prior to joining AutoVIN, the new SVP served as the national director of remarketing for World Omni Financial Corp., a division of JM Family Enterprises Inc.
Prior to joining JM Family, Hoctor spent several years in the dealership world at the Maroone Automotive Group and the Esserman Automotive Group.
