TORONTO -

EBlock and EDealer said its chief executive officer and founder Ryan O’Connor will now serve in the role of chief innovation officer, and the companies have promoted their chief operating officer and president Jason McClenahan to chief executive officer.

The companies said they are making the moves “to expand the companies’ footprint while continuing to deliver the ultimate online auction and marketing experiences for clients.”

EBlock and EDealer said the changes come after a third consecutive year of triple-digit growth in the Canadian market.

EBlock says it provides sellers and buyers in the wholesale automotive market with a platform that combines “the energy and immediacy” of a physical auction with the “convenience and efficiency” of a digital one.

EDealer provides dealership marketing technology in Canada. It offers merchandising automation and vehicle optimization products that it says provides dealers with “consistent, accurate, merchandised inventory.”

Before coming to EBlock, McClenahan spent 16 years in the brick-and-mortar auction business. That, according to the companies, “shaped his understanding of how technology could complement a marketplace that was foundational to the industry’s success, yet ripe for innovation.”

The companies add that his work in the Canadian and U.S. markets, along with his experience at all levels of the brick-and-mortar and digital auction spaces, qualifies him to lead EBlock in its mission “to bring the auction industry into the future.”

During McClenahan’s time as president and chief operating officer of EBlock, the company and its sister brand, EDealer, have attained strong growth and success, according to the companies. Headcount has grown 65% in the past year, the company said.

Also, active clients on EDealer have hit an all-time high, the company said, with both brands transitioning to a shared technology platform.

O’Connor will also become a managing partner in addition to his role as chief innovation officer.

Also on the leadership team are chief technology officer Dmitry Vodiansky, whose team is responsible for EDealer’s and EBlock’s platform. Andy Bohlin is vice president of finance. The companies said they are working to continue the company’s “methodical approach to growth.”

“From the moment we joined forces over three years ago, I knew Jason had what it took to help us realize our full potential,” O’Connor said in a news release.

O’Connor added, “His influence on our business has been outsized; from refining our customer experience to steering us through our latest successful capital raise, together with his unmatched understanding of the auction business, has been critical to our success.”

He continued, “The timing is perfect for this. With Jason as CEO, I’ll be able to redouble my focus on delivering an amazing customer experience, which is where my passion’s been since starting EDealer back in 2004.”

“When Ryan and I first started working together, our visions could not have been more aligned,” McClenahan said.

He continued, “We come from a world centered around buying and selling cars. We both took a technology-first approach towards improving efficiencies that separate the EBlock experience from everyone else in the space.”

He added, “While others have been able to mask inefficiencies with cash, our focus has been on solving real problems with technology. Many people in this space now want to talk about trust and transparency. For me, those are just staples; they’ve always been part of my DNA. These are the main reasons why we’ve been able to succeed, and my vision for the future of the auction industry is crystal clear. I am thrilled to be a part of shaping the industry that I know and love.”

McClenahan also said, “Though so much has happened with automotive auctions, we’re still very early in the game. More change is on the horizon…change that will continue to improve the business—and the experience of doing business—for buyers and sellers alike. And we plan on staying at the forefront of that change.”