Dent Wizard International announced it has promoted a new director of operations for Canada.
Chosen for the position is Matt Boyd, who was most recently the company’s national sales manager in Canada.
Boyd is one of Dent Wizard’s most seasoned and experienced veterans and he has been brought on to apply his substantial automotive knowledge and experience to Dent Wizard’s continued growth in the Canadian market, the company said.
He will report directly to Michael Fedorowich, Dent Wizard’s regional vice president of the Northeast U.S. and Canada operations.
“Matt’s a proven performer who possesses the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm required for continuing our growth in this important market,” Fedorowich said in a news release announcing Boyd’s promotion.
Since his start in 2005, Boyd has served in a variety roles, such as Paintless Dent Removal technician, sales manager and district manager.
According to Dent Wizard, in his most recent role as national sales manager, he lead the company's Canada sales managers using various forms of mentorship, development and coaching.
Boyd holds a degree in business management from Nova Scotia Community College in Halifax.
CARPROOF announced on Wednesday it has appointed Greg Beckman as vice president of product to help the company develop innovative solutions for auto remarketers.
Beckman was most recently senior director of product management and strategy at OpenText Corporation, where he spent eight years in strategic senior positions.
CARPROOF said Beckham is a strategic leader with a proven history of driving product development and innovation.
“With Greg at the helm of our product development team, we will build on these accomplishments by enhancing our current offerings, and creating new products that allow our customers to increase profits,” Mark Rousseau, president of CARPROOF said in a news release.
“This is an exciting time for CARPROOF. Our current product line has made us Canada’s trusted source for vehicle history, and we are quickly becoming an industry standard in valuation.”
Beckman started his new role as vice president of product on April 3 and is based in the London, Ontario, head office.
“CARPROOF has a proven history of harnessing data to fuel informed decisions,” Beckman said. “I look forward to guiding its product development in ways that will innovate and enhance the future of the Canadian used car industry.”
On Monday, AutoCanada announced the appointment of Mark Warsaba to the position of senior vice president and chief operations officer, a move that is effective on April 1.
"Mark is an experienced and trusted leader who consistently delivers results. He is uniquely qualified to drive strategic prioritization and accountability within AutoCanada, with a laser-focus on operational excellence," Steven Landry, president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. "I have tremendous confidence in Mark's ability to align our business with industry-leading operational practices that will drive and extend the next-generation of AutoCanada's market leadership."
In his new role, Warsaba will be responsible for overseeing the operational performance of existing dealerships and the integration performance of new ones.
He first joined AutoCanada in 2013 as dealer principal with Audi Winnipeg and St. James Volkswagen in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Under Warsaba’s leadership, the stores received numerous awards, including the "Audi Canada Presidents Club" award in 2016.
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work alongside this terrific team and help to drive AutoCanada's continued success. My family and I are looking forward to making Edmonton our new home," Warsaba said.
For 11 years, Warsaba served in various leadership roles with Volkswagen Canada.
Before, he spent nine years working in logistics operations management.
Warsaba will report directly to Landry.
Warsaba holds a bachelor’s of arts degree from the University of Manitoba, and is currently a member of the National Dealer Advisory Council with Volkswagen Canada.
As the company prepared to share its 2016 used- and new-vehicle sales totals, AutoCanada announced late on Thursday that Thomas Orysiuk is resigning from his position as president and as a member of the company’s board of directors.
The dealer group said Orysiuk’s resignation as president and director is effective on Friday, and AutoCanada chief executive officer Steven Landry would assume the role of president and CEO.
“On behalf of the board of directors, we sincerely thank Tom for his many years of dedicated service as an officer and director of AutoCanada — and particularly in this year of transition,” Landry said. “We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
The executive action coincided with AutoCanada releasing its fourth-quarter and full-year financial statement, which included reports of annual revenue and gross profit staying nearly flat year-over-year.
The company said revenue from existing and new dealerships came in at $2.89 billion in 2016, down slightly from the 2015 figure of $2.90 billion. Its gross profit from existing and new dealerships remained flat at $486.1 million in 2016, as a year earlier it was $487.7 million.
Looking at how the dealer group moved metal, AutoCanada reported that its 55 stores retailed a total 19,561 used vehicles in 2016, down slightly from the 2015 total of 20,342 used units. On the new-model side, AutoCanada said its combination of retail and fleet transactions resulted in a sum of 40,032 units last year; that’s down by 2,425 units year-over-year.
“Fiscal 2016 capped off the second consecutive year where our core markets faced deteriorating business conditions. However, wherever there are challenges there are also opportunities, and I believe AutoCanada is well-positioned to execute on its strategy and create value for shareholders,” Landry said.
“We are responding to economic conditions in our key markets by focusing on market share, operating expenses, accretive acquisitions, and delivering consistent performance across all of our dealerships,” he continued.
Contained within the company’s outlook for 2017, AutoCanada said it plans to spend approximately $30.9 million on dealership relocations and expansions.
“We are under construction on the relocation of Audi Winnipeg, which we anticipate will lead to increased customer traffic and sales. We also plan to begin construction on two new open-point locations in Calgary and Ottawa,” the company said.
AutoCanada went on to mention its five-year capital spending outlook is approximately $145.3 million.
“This level of spending, along with the company’s current dividend commitments, are expected to be balanced with internally generated cash flow,” AutoCanada said.
AutoCanada also announced that it has executed an agreement with its syndicated lending partners to amend and restate its $250 million revolving credit facility while extending the maturity date of the agreement by two years to May 2020.
Although there were no changes to the composition of lenders included in the syndicate, AutoCanada indicated HSBC and RBC will co-lead the agreement while HSBC will retain its position as sole book-runner and agent.
Under the terms of the new agreement, AutoCanada pointed out there are no changes to the $250 million borrowing limit or debt covenants although modifications have been made to the facility pricing grid, which the company anticipates will allow for more effective management of financing charges.
“Despite the sustained economic challenges of the past two years, this new agreement highlights the unwavering confidence our lending partners, HSBC, RBC and ATB, have in AutoCanada and their continued support for the growth and success of our company,” AutoCanada chief financial officer Chris Burrows said.
“We believe that this agreement will allow us to continue to pursue and implement our strategic vision and underlines the strength of our relationships with our valued financing partners,” Burrows added.
Dealer performance will be one of the many topics discussed, as there are more than 100 people from 74 different dealerships registered for the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference, which will be held April 3-4 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
And the list has been growing steadily, say conference organizers.
If you’d like to connect with these folks, make sure you register for the conference today.
Honda Canada president and chief executive officer Jerry Chenkin announced his intent to retire on Tuesday.
Fellow Honda Canada veteran, Dave Gardner will take on leading the company after Chenkin officially ends his tenure on March 31.
Chenkin’s career at Honda spans more than four decades.
In 1975, he began his career in Honda's accounting department after emigrating to Canada from London.
"I feel very fortunate to have spent my entire career at Honda and I will look back on my time as a rewarding experience filled with many memories and lasting relationships," said Chenkin. "I've had the distinct pleasure of working with and learning from many dedicated Associates and Dealers who have helped shape the person I am today. I'm proud of what we've all achieved together and I know the journey ahead will be just as exciting as the one we've travelled together."
In 2013, Chenkin was named the president and CEO.
Chenkin is the first Canadian in the company's history to be chosen to lead the company.
According to Honda Canada, Chenkin established record sales levels in its automobile and power equipment businesses during the past four years
Gardner, who will succeed Chenkin, is currently senior vice president of operations and risk management officer.
He joined Honda in February 1989 and has held various roles within the company, including both zone and national responsibilities.
"I've had the honour of working with Jerry my entire Honda career and I know I speak for all of us here when I say thank you and good luck with the next chapter in your life," said Gardner. "Jerry has expertly led this company and I look forward to continuing with the work he started. We have always held true to our core philosophy — to be a company that Canadians want to exist — and my goal is to ensure we remain on that path."
ADESA announced on Friday it has promoted a new general manager of its Saskatoon, Saskatchewan auction.
Chosen for the role is Kevin McCaig, who was most recently an ADESA Saskatoon sales manager.
“Kevin has been an essential member of the team at ADESA Saskatoon, and he has played a valuable role in this auction’s success as it has grown from a three-lane operation into an eight-lane facility,” said ADESA senior vice president of Canadian operations Gregg Maidment in a news release. “Kevin was instrumental in helping the team at ADESA Saskatoon earn Auction of the Year honors for Canada and for all of North America in 2015.”
McCaig transitioned into sales management positions after joining ADESA Saskatoon in 2006 as a factory account representative.
In 2008, McCaig was responsible for opening a satellite branch in Saskatoon when he served as site manager for Automotive Finance Corp.
AFC, a subsidiary of KAR, is a capital funding source that provides inventory financing and comprehensive business services to car dealers.
McCaig returned to the auction as sales manager in 2009.
“I am confident that he has the leadership skills and experience to continue to grow this auction’s market share while maintaining a positive and productive customer experience,” Maidment added.
McCaig also serves as an auctioneer at ADESA Saskatoon. In 2010, he attended the World Wide College of Auctioneering.
Returning to Kijiji Canada is Will Harris who’s been called on to serve as manager of National Dealer Groups — Harris had been with Kijiji for three years before pursuing a role with Jumpstart Automotive Media Canada, where he served as an account executive specializing in digital sales.
“We are proud to welcome Will back to the Kijiji family. His extensive background in automotive sales will prove a tremendous asset to our dealer partners,” Leanne Kripp, head of autos at Kijiji, said in a news release.
“Under Will’s leadership, our team will work closer with Canada’s top dealer groups to create custom digital solutions, designed to optimize exposure on kijiji.ca and drive traffic into dealer showrooms.”
Harris returns to the Toronto office with a newly created role designed to leverage his sales expertise to enhance its autos brand in Canada and work closely with top dealer groups throughout the country, according to Kijiji.
“I am honored to be returning to Kijiji. We share the same entrepreneurial spirit, passion for the brand, and a deep understanding of the auto industry. I am optimistic about how this synergy will enable us to strengthen our existing dealer base and form new relationships across the country,” said Harris.
“Our company is experiencing great momentum in the market and with an exciting and promising year ahead, there’s no better time to dive back in.”
In his new role, Harris has also been tasked with supporting the continued growth of Kijiji’s classifieds business. The company is part of the eBay Classifieds Group.
eBay Classifieds Group currently has twelve brands in more than 1,000 cities globally.
Canadian Black Book announced it recently adopted a new director of sales and customer experience to join its team. Chosen for the position is Rui Nunes, who formally joined the company on Jan. 23.
“Our team at Canadian Black Book just got another serious jolt of high-end auto industry expertise and proven talent, and I can’t be more pleased to welcome Rui to this group,” Canadian Black Book President Brad Rome said in a news release.
“This hire adds a unique combination of sales and business growth acumen coupled with a high aptitude for technology development, which fits perfectly in our business plan moving forward.”
In his new role, Nunes has been asked to alter Canadian Black Book’s customer relationship culture and update CRM technologies in-house.
“Nunes brings with him a long resume of automotive business growth achievements and technology firsts,” the company said in a release.
Previously, Nunes managed the customer call center for Ford in the US.
Nunes has also served as a brand manager for Nissan where he guided the brand for the Nissan Leaf, the world’s first mass-produced 100-percent electric vehicle.
Nunes’s technology efforts within his career include delivering telematics and Internet connectivity to Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in Canada as well as establishing both onboard vehicle apps and integrated smartphone connectivity to remote control customer vehicles.
"The automotive industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace and Canadian Black Book is evolving with it. The addition of Rui to our team is another example of our commitment to provide our clients and partners with the information they need to make informed decisions," said Rome.
Along with other recent appointments to the front office, Canadian Black Book continues to boost its executive leadership team under president Brad Rome with the hire of Cole Reiken as the new vice president of digital strategy and product management.
Reiken’s background includes working with Kijiji.ca, Driving.ca, autoTRADER.ca and eBay Motors.
“Canadian Black Book has shown time and again its ability to see the opportunities within the industry and distribute its data and insights across multiple channels," Cole said in a news release. “Having been in the office now for a few weeks, it’s obvious that I’m surrounded by keen auto industry talent, and this company’s direction towards innovative digital industry solutions is abundantly clear to me.”
This follows the hiring of Brian Murphy as vice president of research and editorial earlier this year, and Richard Phillips moving into the role of vice president of business development and marketing after coming aboard as a consultant late last year.
“We have an unmatched, dedicated team at Canadian Black Book, but these new additions to our senior management team will open doors for us to continue on our path of adaptation and innovation,” Rome said in a news release. “The auto business is in constant flux and the team we’ve assembled has been built to address the changing needs of our industry.”
The three new executives complete Rome’s senior management team, which also includes Allison Goodwin, Yves Varin, Yolanda Biswah and Dennis Cartier.
Last month, the company formally announced that longtime leader Kathy Ward was retiring. Rome has been president since early 2015.
Mercedes-Benz Canada announced that the recently vacated role of vice president, sales has been filled by Gavin Allen, who most recently served as vice president, marketing.
Virginie Aubert was promoted to vice president, marketing from her role as national marketing manager. Both assignments are effective immediately.
Allen came to Canada from Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific in 2013. He has worked with the national sales team, as well as with the entire dealer body, to ensure that Mercedes-Benz Canada was well equipped with the right product and with the programs and marketing campaigns that help set the company apart in a highly competitive environment.
He has also led various initiatives for Mercedes-Benz Canada's connected car strategy and has championed several Best Customer Experience (BCE) initiatives.
Aubert has held various marketing-related roles at Mercedes-Benz Canada since she came on board in 2006 as marketing communications supervisor. For two years, she also worked with the Toronto Retail Group overseeing its marketing operations as well as the sales business development team. She was promoted to her most recent role of national manager, marketing communications in 2014.
In the last few years, Aubert and her team have created and produced a multitude of successful brand campaigns and marketing initiatives for smart, Mercedes-Benz products, Dream Cars and AMG models. During that time, she has also worked closely with the product management team.
“As I have said repeatedly since I first joined the company earlier this year, we have a tremendously talented pool of employees and I am in a very fortunate situation to be able to quickly and aptly fill two critical jobs with two very accomplished, highly dedicated and well-proven individuals who happen to currently work mere meters from my office,” said Brian Fulton, president and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Canada.
“I congratulate both Gavin and Virginie and wish them all the best in their new endeavors. They are both very adaptable and highly dependable and I know that their current solid working relationship will continue to yield strong results in both their new areas of responsibility,” he went on to say.
