As the new vice president of Manheim Logistics, Joe Kichler will oversee business strategy and operations for the company’s leading logistics brands. Those brands are Ready Logistics and Central Dispatch.

Ready Logistics is a full-service transportation service, and Central Dispatch is a self-managed transportation service. Manheim says that together, those brands offer transportation services that help clients move vehicles more efficiently.

Strengthening strategic relationships with carriers, improving on-time delivery for shippers and positioning the operation for future growth will be key focus areas for Kichler, who most recently served as vice president of group strategy for Manheim.

In that post, he was responsible for strategic planning for Manheim and the Retail Solutions groups. Those groups include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Dealertrack.

In his new role, he will also lead Manheim Logistics’ transformation, which seeks to address the shortage of transport drivers, boost safety and efficiencies for clients and prepare the organization for what the company describes as “a fast-growing digital future.”

In his new role, Kichler reports to Manheim president Grace Huang.

Kichler joined Manheim in 2012 as vice president of operational excellence. In that position, he oversaw the design of new auction processes and client experiences and also led enterprise portfolio management and operational analytics functions.

He also previously held business strategy and management consulting positions with Deloitte and Boston Consulting Group.

“As we accelerate our digital strategy, Joe and his team will play an integral role in leading the transformation of our logistics business and technology,” Huang said in a news release.

Huang continued, “His engaging leadership style, commitment to operational excellence and passion for delivering world-class service will contribute to a better logistics experience for our clients, auction partners and team members.”