Making a trio of senior leadership announcements, KAR Auction Services said Thursday afternoon that it has created a chief operating officer position that will be filled by Don Gottwald, who has been chief executive officer of KAR subsidiary Automotive Finance Corp. since 2009.
John Hammer, who has been president and COO of AFC since 2013, will be promoted to serve as CEO and president of AFC. Meanwhile, the company said in the press release that KAR CEO Jim Hallett will broaden his focus on growth, innovation and creating shareholder value.
“Technology has become a differentiator for KAR, and I will continue to focus on our leadership position and how the use of technology will serve our customers,” said Hallett. “Innovation through technology is an important element of our growth strategy and a key contributor to creating shareholder value.”
The aforementioned changes will be effective Monday.
Regarding Gottwald’s promotion to KAR COO, Hallett said: “Don was an obvious choice for this new role. During his tenure at AFC, he has exhibited superb leadership skills, delivered unprecedented growth to the business during one of the most difficult credit downturns our economy has ever experienced, and successfully driven innovation through numerous initiatives.”
Gottwald’s responsibilities in the new post include all KAR business units and related subsidiaries, including ADESA, Insurance Auto Auctions and AFC. Gottwald will oversee all support functions and will direct the strategic and operational leadership of these businesses as well as long-term alignment and integration enterprise wide, the company said in the statement.
“I look forward to working closely with our teams throughout KAR to maximize value and advance a deeper ‘one company’ application across all business units,” said Gottwald. “It is essential that we set the foundation to meet the diverse needs of both our customers and our markets.”
Hammer joined the company in 2009 as COO of AFC, then was promoted to AFC president and COO in 2013.
“During his nearly five years with AFC, John has proven to be a strong leader who is deeply invested in both employees and the company,” said Gottwald. “I am confident in his ability to drive AFC’s continued success.”
Consulting and recruiting firm TPC Management Co. has selected a long-term employee as its newest vice president.
Company president and chief executive officer Pierre Pons made the promotion announcement, naming 10-year employee Penny Wanna as vice president of administration.
“Penny has been instrumental to the growth of our firm in all aspects, and along the way she has also found time to advance her academic degree, another feature that has added value to her efforts at TPC,” said Pons.
TPC co-founder Pauline Pons added, “Penny’s energy is unmatched as she has consistently taken on increasing responsibilities. Our clients have readily seen her contributions and effectiveness.”
Wanna’s responsibilities at TPC Management range from accounting and project management to conference and event planning for clients and associated companies, including ServNet Auctions, Auction Academy and Interstate Automotive Services.
Prior to her roles at TPC Management, Wanna worked for 10 years as a reports analyst for Comcast in Minneapolis. She holds an associate of applied science degree from Columbia State College.
“This is an exciting and dynamic business, and I have the good fortune to work with a tremendous group of people here at TPC Management,” Wanna said.
“I have learned a great deal from the entire team over the last 10 years and look forward to working with them to continue building TPC’s impact and influence on the industry.”
Preferred Warranties, a provider of extended service protection plans to independent used-vehicle dealerships, on Tuesday announced its choice for vice president of marketing and sales.
Named to the position is an industry veteran bringing more than 25 years of sales experience, Brian Cosgrove.
Cosgrove’s background includes sales, sales training, sales management and marketing roles. As VP of marketing and sales at PWI, he will lead the company’s business development and sales management efforts, which will include marketing, sales teams and sales training programs.
“Brian’s experience, leadership skills and vision will be powerful assets to the PWI team,” said PWI president Wayne Herring Sr.
Cosgrove joins PWI from Corporate Environments, a One Point Company, where he was general manager and vice president of sales.
Prior to that role, he was in management roles at Automatic Data Processing, including regional manager in the Auto Dealer Services Division and vice president of sales, major markets in its Insurance Services Division.
Preferred Warranties was founded in 1992, and in May 2013 joined KAR Auction Services Inc.’s family of companies.
Dent Wizard International recently announced it has chosen a new regional business development manager from within its ranks.
Eric Walker, who has been with the company for more than a decade, has been chosen for the position.
His role will cover the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Southern Virginia.
“Eric’s promotion is just one indicator of the team’s success in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic,” said Mike Black, Dent Wizard’s chief operating officer. “And that team reflects what we’re seeing across North America. Dealer groups and dealerships are increasingly turning to our products and programs for increased revenues, quicker reconditioning cycle times, and happier clients and management teams.”
Walker will focus on growing Dent Wizard’s customer base for SMART repair services, which include paintless dent removal, wheel refinishing, bumper repair, interior repair, chip and scratch repair, hail damage repair services and more, the company said.
He will also head up sales for Dent Wizard’s Frontline Fast program for dealership pre-owned inventories. Walker will report to regional vice president Garrett Griffith.
Walker’s history with the company began in 2003, when he joined the team as a district sales manager for Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.
In 2004 he moved to Charlotte to be district sales manager for North Carolina, South Carolina and the Virginia Beach area.
Prior to this promotion Walker served as district sales manager for Tennessee and Kentucky.
The company noted that under Walker’s leadership, the number of technicians servicing Memphis, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky. more than doubled in each market, and the number of technicians in Nashville, Tenn. increased six-fold.
Vehicle leasing and fleet management solutions provider LeasePlan USA has announced a new addition to its sales team, for an expanded focus on the Pacific Northwest region.
Named as vice president sales, national accounts for the Pacific Northwest region is Michelle Eads, who brings 17 years of professional sales experience to the role.
Eads has spent seven of those years in the fleet management industry, where she served as an account executive and later an account manager of acquisition sales.
This fleet management expertise will allow her to propose solutions for fleet managers’ short- and long-term goals, LeasePlan officials said.
“Michelle’s background in management and organizational leadership, as well as her experience in the fleet industry, will help her develop new relationships in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jon Toups, chief sales and marketing officer.
“Michelle has a passion for the industry and cares about making fleet management easier for clients. We are thrilled to have Michelle at LeasePlan and look forward to her great contributions,” he said.
Eads is actively involved in the industry and has served on the boards of directors with local chapters of national organizations. Through this work, she contributes to new industry trends, officials noted, which helps her create innovative ways to make fleet management easier for the company’s clients.
