Maccabeus Top AutoMobility Stories – January 2023

Tesla China boss Tom Zhu promoted to oversee U.S. plants, sales

Tesla’s China chief Tom Zhu has been promoted to take direct oversight of the electric car maker’s U.S. assembly plants as well as sales operations in North America and Europe, according to an internal posting of reporting lines reviewed by Reuters. The move makes Zhu the highest-profile executive at Tesla after CEO Elon Musk, with direct oversight for deliveries in all of its major markets and operations of its key production hubs. The reporting lines for Zhu would keep Tesla’s vehicle design and development — both areas where Musk has been heavily involved — separate while creating an apparent deputy to Musk on the more near-term challenges of managing global sales and output. The Tesla posting showed that Zhu’s title of vice president for Greater China had not changed and that he also retained his responsibilities as Tesla’s most senior executive for sales in the rest of Asia as of Tuesday. Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters reviewed the organizational chart that had been posted internally by Tesla and confirmed the change with two people who had seen it. They asked not to be named because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. Zhu and a team of his reports were brought in by Tesla late last year to troubleshoot production issues in the U.S., driving an expectation among his colleagues then that he was being groomed for a bigger role. Zhu’s appointment to a global role comes at a time when Musk has been distracted by his acquisition of Twitter and Tesla analysts and investors have urged action that would deepen the senior executive bench and allow him to focus on Tesla. Under Zhu, Tesla’s Shanghai plant rebounded strongly from COVID lockdowns in China. Tesla said on Monday that it had delivered 405,278 vehicles in the fourth quarter, short of Wall Street estimates, according to data compiled by Refinitiv. The company had delivered 308,600 vehicles in the same period a year earlier. According to the Tesla notice on reporting lines reviewed by Reuters, the Tesla managers reporting to Zhu includeJason Shawhan, director of manufacturing at the Gigafactory in Texas; Hrushikesh Sagar, senior director of manufacturing at Tesla’s Fremont factory; Joe Ward, vice president in charge of Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Troy Jones, vice president of North America sales and service. Tesla country managers in China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand continue to report to Zhu, the notice showed. Zhu does not have a direct report at Tesla’s still-ramping Berlin plant, but a person with knowledge of the matter said responsibility for that operation would come with the reporting line for Amsterdam-based Ward. Ward could not be immediately reached for comment. Zhu, who was born in China but now holds a New Zealand passport, joined Tesla in 2014. Before that he was a project manager at a company established by his MBA classmates at Duke University, advising Chinese contractors working on infrastructure projects in Africa. During Shanghai’s two-month COVID lockdown, Zhu was among the first batch of employees sleeping in the factory as they sought to keep it running, people who work with him have said. Zhu, a no-fuss manager who has a buzz haircut, favors Tesla-branded fleece jackets and has lived in a government-subsidized apartment that is a 10-minute drive from the Shanghai Gigafactory. It was not immediately clear whether he would move after his promotion. He takes charge of Tesla’s main production hubs at a time when the company is readying the launch of Cybertruck and a revamped version of its Model 3 sedan. Tesla has also said it is developing a cheaper electric vehicle but has not provided details on that plan. When Tesla posted a picture on Twitter last month to celebrate its Austin, Texas, plant hitting a production milestone for its Model Y, Zhu was among hundreds of workers smiling on the factory floor. Allan Wang, who was promoted to vice president in charge of sales in China in July, was listed as the legal representative for the operation in registration papers filed with Chinese regulators in a change by the company last month. Tesla board member James Murdoch said in November the company had recently identified a potential successor to Musk without naming the person. Murdoch did not respond to a request for comment. Elecktrek previously reported that Zhu would take responsibility for U.S. sales, delivery, and service.  Source: Automotive News

Aludyne Names Bill Pumphrey President and CEO

The board of directors of Aludyne, a global light-weighting solutions and components supplier to the mobility industry, has appointed Bill Pumphrey as president and CEO of the company, effective immediately. Pumphrey also will serve on the board of directors of the company. Pumphrey replaces Andreas S. Weller who left Aludyne at the end of 2022 to pursue an opportunity outside of the automotive industry. Pumphrey brings extensive experience in the automotive industry having enjoyed a 38-year career serving global component manufacturers in senior executive roles since 2000. His most recent position was EVP and president at Cooper Standard, in charge of the company’s $3 billion global automotive business. Prior to joining Cooper Standard in 2011, Pumphrey held senior executive positions at Tower International, Lear Corp., and UT Automotive. He began his career at General Motors after earning his MBA from the University of Michigan in 1984 and a BA in 1982 from Kenyon College. “I am excited to join the Aludyne team and to help the company achieve its fullest potential, Pumphrey said. “Aludyne is well-positioned to benefit from the light-weighting needs of the global automotive industry, and has the team capable of providing the highest quality products in the most cost effective and safest way possible.”  Source: Aftermarket News

APCO Holdings buys F&I competitor National Auto Care

Finance and insurance provider and administrator APCO Holdings on Jan. 3 bought competitor National Auto Care, creating one of the industry’s largest providers. Tony Wanderon, 60, who led National Auto Care as CEO, replaced Scot Eisenfelder as CEO of APCO Holdings. Eisenfelder left APCO, the company said. Leadership from both companies would not disclose the purchase price, but Wanderon told Automotive News combined revenue for the companies is close to $300 million. Wanderon said he and APCO President John Lee had been discussing ways to merge their companies, “and finally, we had the opportunity this past year to be able to put that in play and close today.” “We’re going to be one of the top two or three providers in the country at the size and scale that we are today,” Wanderon added. “Our focus is really going to be driven around adding dealer profitability and adding value to our relationships in the marketplace and investing heavily as we need to really be much more efficient as we move forward and invest in technology with what we’re all having to deal with every day.” The combined APCO and National Auto Care company has about 800 employees and regularly services more than 2,000 franchised dealerships in the United States, Wanderon estimated. Finbarr O’Neill, executive chairman of APCO Holdings, said the company had about 450 employees at the time of the merger. O’Neill started working with APCO’s board in 2017 and became chairman in 2019. He said APCO was actively looking to acquire since May 2021. The acquisition “completes our national footprint, broadens our product offerings, brings us an additional executive management talent that will help us serve our dealers better and continue our growth,” O’Neill told Automotive News. One area of possible growth for Norcross, Ga.-based APCO will be the West Coast, such as California, Arizona and Utah, said Wanderon, noting there was not a lot of overlap between the two companies’ geographic footprints. “There is no state where we’re looking at and saying, ‘You know we have overcapacity’ or ‘We don’t want to grow that market anymore,’ ” he said. Another growth opportunity will be providing more insurance products designed specifically for electric vehicles, Wanderon said. National Auto Care, of Westerville, Ohio, and Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., provides finance and insurance products, administration, consulting services, training and marketing support. Its customers include automotive, RV and powersports dealers, credit unions and financial institutions. The company, founded in 1984, has been expanding its business through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Since 2020, it has completed 21 acquisitions, bringing in new product lines, new regions and service offerings, according to Lovell Minnick, a private equity firm that worked on the deal. “M&A has been a big piece of our growth,” Wanderon said. APCO, founded in 1984, is a provider and administrator of finance and insurance products. The company markets its products using its EasyCare, GWC Warranty and MemberCare brand names, along with other private labels. The addition of National Auto Care adds a new powersports segment to APCO. APCO continues to be in a growth mode. Said O’Neill: “We continue to look for M&A opportunities.”  Source: Automotive News

NaaS Technology Names Alex Wu as CFO, President and Director

NaaS Technology Inc., one of the largest and fastest-growing electric vehicle charging service providers in China, has appointed Alex Wu as its CFO, effective Jan. 15, 2023. This appointment concludes the previously announced executive search process undertaken by the company. Wu has also been appointed president of the company and will join its board of directors, also effective January 15, 2023. “We are delighted to appoint Alex as our president and CFO. Alex brings in a wealth of experiences and skills he accumulated during his successful career in both business and finance. This is an exciting time for NaaS to invest and grow its business with someone of Alex’s caliber, and we are confident this appointment will provide value to NaaS and its shareholders,” said NaaS CEO Yang Wang. “I am excited to be offered this opportunity to be part of such a dynamic and capable team at NaaS,” said Wu. “NaaS is a clear leader in the charging service industry. I look forward to working with Ms. Wang and the team to develop the company further in this remarkably fast-growing market.” Wu has been serving as the company’s interim chief financial officer since Oct. 1, 2022, and previously served as interim chief financial officer of RISE Education Cayman Ltd., the predecessor of the company, from September 2021 to June 2022. Wu has extensive experience in corporate finance, technology and management matters and served as a managing director of Bain Capital Private Equity. In addition, he served as a board director or board observer of various Bain Capital portfolio companies. Before joining Bain Capital Private Equity in 2017, Wu worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting with a focus on the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sectors and digital solutions across cloud, e-commerce and analytics. Prior to that, he worked with airline and telecommunications companies to plan and deliver transformation programs. Wu received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Peking University and his MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of New South Wales. As of Sept. 30, 2022, NaaS’ charging solutions had serviced 1,282 charging station operators, and connected more than 45,000 charging stations with more than 434,000 chargers on NaaS’ network. In the first three quarters of 2022, charging volume transacted through the company’s network reached 1,892GWh, and gross transaction value reached RMB1,861 million, representing 2.29 times and 2.35 times that of the same period of 2021, respectively. The Company also established strategic cooperation partnership with Chevron, Li Auto, NEWRIZON, Ohways, On Time, DianYue Travel, Tunghsu Group, and other industry partners during the third quarter of 2022.  Source: Aftermarket News

StoreDot Names Auto Industry Leader as Chairman

StoreDot, a provider of extreme fast-charging battery technology for electric vehicles, has announced the appointment of global automotive industry leader Carl-Peter Forster as chairman. This key appointment, effective immediately, signals yet another step in StoreDot’s global expansion and even closer ties with the global automotive industry, as it remains firmly on track for the mass production readiness of its “100in5”extreme fast charging cells by 2024. Forster is joining StoreDot after a stellar career in the automotive industry. He is currently a senior adviser and board member of several car companies. Past roles have included being a senior adviser to the Geely Group chairman and a board member of Volvo Cars. He also has served as CEO of Tata Motors and General Motors’ president of Europe. He spent the formative years of his career at BMW, where he held many senior engineering roles and eventually rose to become a member of the Management Board for Manufacturing. Dr. Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO, stated, “We are delighted that someone with Carl-Peter Forster’s experience is joining us at this exciting stage of StoreDot’s expansion. He joins our global expert leadership team, and we are looking forward to benefitting from his impeccable automotive industry experience and insight as well as his invaluable strategic guidance as we move from R&D focus to manufacturing and execution. Boosting our automotive bench strength is extremely important as we are aiming to build on our OEM strategic partnerships and encourage even more automotive manufacturers to independently assess our ‘100in5’ XFC cells and incorporate them into their electric vehicles.” Forster added, “It’s an honor to be joining StoreDot, a company that I have admired for some time. I am a passionate advocate of EVs and recognize that charging anxiety is currently a major barrier to true mass adoption of these zero-emission technologies. Therefore, the work that Doron and his team are doing to put extreme fast charging batteries into mass production is vital for our industry. I am looking forward to working closely with them and harnessing my experience to help in taking this extraordinary technology to market.” StoreDot previously revealed its “100inX” strategic technology roadmap. This featured 100in5, 100in3 and 100in2 of miles per minute of charging – three generations of StoreDot technologies of Silicon dominant XFC, semi solid state and post-Lithium architecture. The roadmap timings for these fast-charging solutions will be delivered over the coming decade with 100in5 by 2024, 100in3 by 2028 and 100in2 by 2032. The company now has a growing network of strategic partnerships and investors, spanning the entire battery ecosystem. To date, it has received investments from automotive manufacturers including Daimler, Ola Electric, Polestar, VinFast and Volvo. Additional EV OEMs are currently conducting real-world tests of XFC cell samples.  Source: Aftermarket News

Ford’s top labor negotiator to retire ahead of UAW talks

Ford Motor Co.’s top labor executive is retiring ahead of contract talks with the UAW later this year. John Savona, vice president of Americas manufacturing and labor affairs for Ford Blue, will step down in March, the automaker said Wednesday. His successor will be Bryce Currie, who previously was chief manufacturing officer at supplier Johnson Controls. Currie will join Ford on Jan. 30 to ensure a “smooth handoff” between the two leaders, the company said in a statement. He, like Savona, will report to Ford Blue President Kumar Galhotra. Currie will oversee a team of some 70,000 employees at more than 30 facilities, Ford said. Before his three years at Johnson Controls, Currie spent six years at GE Aviation and 14 years working in manufacturing at TRW Automotive, which is now part of ZF Group. “I see this less about returning to the auto industry than being part of creating something new and exciting,” Currie said in Ford’s statement. “Ford is helping define and deliver a future made possible by smart, connected gas and electric vehicles, and that’s very appealing to me.” Savona has overseen Ford’s North America manufacturing footprint since 2021, having previously served as director of global manufacturing quality. His career at Ford has spanned 33 years, starting as a security officer at the Michigan Assembly Plant before advancing through regional and global roles. “The arc of John’s Ford career has a storybook quality, but it’s been real and significant,” Galhotra said. “He’s highly regarded by colleagues in the plants and all of Ford, and his ability to connect with people on a very personal level has helped us navigate extraordinary challenges in the past few years.” Automotive News selected Savona as a Notable Military Veteran in 2021. He joined the U.S. Army after high school and was stationed in Germany for three years before being hired by Ford in 1989. “I couldn’t have dreamed where these 33-plus years would take me professionally and personally,” Savona said in a statement. “It’s been a privilege to work at Ford and to grow with and learn from so many great people, especially the dedicated men and women who make our plants go every day.”  Source: Automotive News

Hankook Tire Announces Executive Promotions in N. America

Hankook Tire today announced executive promotions at its North American headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. Rob Williams has been named president of Hankook Tire America Corp. Additionally, Jong Jin (JJ) Park has been promoted to vice president of USA PC/LT Sales. Intae (Ted) Choi has been promoted to vice president of North American marketing Strategy, and Byoungjoe (Joe) Park has been named vice president of corporate management. “We are committed to the U.S. and Canada markets, and Rob, JJ and Ted have all contributed greatly to our growth in the region,” said Sooil Lee, CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology. “Rob is a strong and versatile leader with expertise across many segments in the tire industry. JJ’s success in marketing strategy will be key to further success in our sales organization. Ted’s knowledge of our products will prove essential to our marketing efforts. Joe brings a strong audit and accounting background to the team. As we accelerate our global business strategy, we look forward to seeing the positive impact they have in the years ahead.” Williams has overall responsibility for Hankook Tire America Corp. as president, overseeing the U.S. and Canada regions. He will lead four departments and direct teams including the Tennessee Plant and TBR sales department, a role he’s held since joining Hankook in January 2019. In June 2022, Williams was appointed senior vice president of commercial and consumer sales for Hankook Tire America, adding leadership in consumer products to his existing oversight of commercial replacement and OE product sales and related services. Williams brings more than three decades of tire industry experience and has a proven track record of success in sales and operations executive leadership positions, strategic planning and optimizing profitability. “This is an exciting time for Hankook in the U.S. and Canadian markets as we continue to drive innovation across our passenger and commercial tire portfolios,” said Williams. “2022 has been a landmark year for Hankook in the U.S., with the announcement of further investment in our Tennessee Plant and the launch of iON, Hankook’s electric vehicle tire line. I am proud to continue to work with our teams to deliver performance, innovation and quality to driver and our partners, and look forward to the future as we continue to demonstrate the value of the Hankook brand.” Park will serve as vice president of USA PC/LT sales, overseeing sales innovation, corporate sales, as well as the North, South, and West Regional USA PC/LT Sales teams. Previously, he has served as vice president of marketing and U.S. sales innovation director for Hankook Tire America. Park joined Hankook Tire in 2004 and has experience across the American and United Kingdom regions. Choi steps into the vice president of marketing role, responsible for marketing strategy, TBR marketing, technical services, Canada Sales, as well as supply chain & logistics operations. He also will continue his role as vice president of Tennessee Plant Management Support. Choi has previously held executive positions with Hankook including vice president of its Australia subsidiary, vice president of GAIA Project, and corporate strategy & innovation team manager. Park was promoted to vice president of the North America Corporate Management Team overseeing finance, accounting, tax and internal audit functions for Hankook Tire America Corp. as well as for Hankook Tire’s Canadian subsidiary. Most recently, he served as Tennessee Plant corporate management team manager. He also held leadership positions at Hankook’s Global Headquarters on its Internal Audit and Accounting teams.  Source: Aftermarket News

MEMA Names Liz Goad Executive Director of Events

MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, promoted Liz Goad to executive director of events. In her new role, Goad manages and executes all events for MEMA and its two membership groups: MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers and MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers. Goad was most recently senior director of Events & Meetings for MEMA’s light vehicle aftermarket division. “MEMA’s events are critical platforms for industry dialogue as they bring timely and relevant insights to help members better understand the changing landscape, and engage with each other and industry thought leaders,” says MEMA President and CEO Bill Long. “Liz has the talent and expertise to ensure MEMA events are delivered efficiently and effectively, and valued by our members. MEMA hosts more than 150 events and meetings each year, both in-person and virtually.” Goad has been with the organization for more than 10 years. During her tenure, she has supported MEMA’s Overseas Automotive Council, provided leadership to MEMA’s Aftermarket Technology Council, and represented MEMA in planning AAPEX, among other responsibilities, MEMA says. “This is an exciting chapter in MEMA’s history,” said Goad. “I’m honored to be able to use what I’ve learned within the aftermarket division and transfer that to the broader organization.” Before joining MEMA, Goad spent several years in marketing and design for various companies. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communications.  Source: Aftermarket News

Alliance Promotes Justin Hebert

The Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance, Inc. announced it promoted Justin Hebert to director of Category Management & Commercial Vehicle and Heavy Duty. In this position, Hebert will lead the Alliance CVHD program while continuing to manage its underhood category. “Justin has been a key player for the Alliance category management team since he joined us in 2013,” said JC Washbish, vice president sales and marketing at the Alliance. “We have seen tremendous heavy duty growth this past year. Justin’s promotion is a testament to his hard work, and the Alliance’s commitment to success as we continue to add members to the Alliance CVHD program.” “I’m excited for this new opportunity within the Alliance and look forward to our continued growth in the medium, heavy duty aftermarket,” said Hebert. “This segment is enticing to be a part of, and in this new role I’ll be able to continue supporting Alliance distributor members, build industry partnerships, and take the program to new heights in 2023.” Hebert now leads a cadre of industry professionals including Pat Biermann and Tim Cahoon. Biermann was instrumental in the launching of the Alliance CVHD program in January 2022. Previously, Biermann was the founder of HDA and helped build industry relationships between distributors and suppliers. His experience within the heavy duty aftermarket and fleet industry has helped guide the direction of the Alliance CVHD program as a consultant. Cahoon, while still an employee of A-1 Truck Parts, a division of The Auto-Wares Group of Companies, has been spending much of his time assisting the Alliance CVHD program since he joined in December 2022 as the Alliance’s CVHD Expert. Cahoon provides a professional, consistent resource with parts and category management training, as well as technical assistance and hands-on product knowledge. His duties include the onboarding and training of Alliance CVHD members. “Bringing Tim Cahoon onboard is a great move by the Alliance,” said Biermann. “His role is to come in and be the subject matter expert in both selling and training. He has a lot to offer, and I know we are all excited to be a part of this program.” The Alliance Commercial Vehicle & Heavy Duty program launched in early 2022, and in the last year has grown in scope and membership. The focus of the Alliance CVHD program starts with unparalleled technology with a suite of IT tools related to inventory analysis, category management, distribution efficiencies and ecommerce. The Alliance is also pleased to officially announce Hahn Automotive Warehouse, Inc. based in Rochester, New York, and Arnold Motor Supply in Spencer, Iowa, joined the program in 2022. Hahn, Arnold Motor Supply, and all other Alliance CVHD members go to market as Auto Value Truck Parts, Bumper to Bumper Truck Parts or All-Pro Truck Parts. National Performance Warehouse was the first member to join in early 2022. The Alliance CVHD will participate in the HDAW event, Jan. 16-19, at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Justin Hebert, Tim Cahoon, Pat Biermann, as well as John R. Washbish and the rest of the Alliance CVHD team will be present to work the expo booth floor and will participate in more than 35 one-on-one meetings with industry partners. Hebert joined the Alliance in October of 2013 and as category manager. In his new role as director of Category Management & Commercial Vehicle and Heavy Duty, he will lead the Alliance CVHD efforts. Before joining the Alliance, Hebert was product manager at Gates Corporation and category manager at Parts Warehouse, Inc. Hebert holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Louisiana Monroe.  Source: Aftermarket News

CarParts.com Appoints New Chief Human Resources Officer

CarParts.com, an e-commerce provider of automotive parts and accessories, and a one-stop shop for vehicle repair and maintenance needs, has announced the promotion of Stephanie Urbach, current SVP of Human Resources, to chief human resources officer, effective Jan. 9, 2023. Over the past two and a half years, Urbach has implemented significant changes to the operational side of CarParts.com’s HR function. Leveraging her global leadership experience from companies like Avery Dennison and Guidance Software, she has been able to assess and prioritize the most important needs of CarParts.com, ultimately aligning human resources practices with the growth objectives of the business. In her new role, Urbach will further CarParts.com’s organizational transformation, with a focus on enhancing the overall employee experience. From a talent and recruitment perspective, she will be charged with building teams, developing essential skills and competencies that ensure productivity, and paying special attention to strategic reviews that will reward and support the career paths of existing and future talent.  Source: Aftermarket News

FullSpeed Automotive Appoints Kate Hyatt Chief People Officer

FullSpeed Automotive, a national franchisor and operator of automotive aftermarket repair facilities, home to flagship brands Grease Monkey, SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service, and Kwik Kar, announced that Kate Hyatt has joined the company as chief people officer, effective Jan. 9, 2023. Hyatt brings more than 30 years of human resources experience including senior leadership positions with Corporate Express, Staples, ProBuild, Healthgrades and Vantage Data Centers. As FullSpeed’s Chief People Officer (CPO), Hyatt’s data-driven approach will help FullSpeed accelerate business results through innovative people initiatives. Hyatt’s experience in mergers and acquisitions, with a successful track record leading due diligence, post-acquisition integration and cultural alignment will be vital in her role and helping seamlessly transition FullSpeed’s acquisitions into the company. “As we enter the new year, we are excited to capitalize on our growth momentum, and adding Kate Hyatt to our team is a huge step in the right direction,” said Rob Lynch, CEO of FullSpeed Automotive. “As a People-First organization, we are confident that Kate will help strengthen our company’s culture and help us continue to put our employees at the center of every business decision as we continue to grow.” In her previous role at Vantage, Hyatt built the first-ever global HR function and team, which served to enable the company’s high growth and business transformation. She is a sought-after conference speaker and has delivered multiple programs on employee engagement, culture, change management, effective compensation/benefit plans and collaborative workspaces. Vendor partners and technology startups recognize Hyatt as a thought partner and have recruited her to serve on various advisory boards. “It is nice to see how passionate the FullSpeed team is about creating a great environment for its employees,” said Hyatt. “I am thrilled to join the organization and look forward to bringing new and innovative ideas to the table as FullSpeed brands continue to grow.”  Source: Aftermarket News

Hyliion Appoints Jay Craig as New Chairman of the Board

Hyliion Holdings Corp., a provider of electrified powertrain solutions for Class 8 semi-trucks, has appointed Jeffrey A. (Jay) Craig as the new chairman of the board. Effective Dec. 12, 2022, Craig succeeds Ed Olkkola, who recently passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. A long-recognized leader in the commercial vehicle space, Craig joined Hyliion’s board of directors in February 2022 after serving as CEO at Meritor. During his time as a board member, the company says he has been instrumental in driving the execution of Hypertruck ERX development milestones. “I am honored to step into this role as Hyliion makes further advancements along its commercialization path and looks ahead at production later this year. Hyliion’s mission of transforming commercial trucking through innovative electrification solutions is both ambitious and necessary. I look forward to continuing to strategically support the company, its talented team, and its vision of a net-carbon-negative transportation industry in this new capacity,” said Craig. With Craig’s appointment, Hyliion has reduced its board size to nine members.  Source: Aftermarket News

O’Reilly Announces Executive Leadership Promotions

O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. has announced executive leadership promotions. Effective January 9, 2023, Brad Beckham, the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Brent Kirby, the company’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer, will each be promoted to co-presidents. Beckham and Kirby will continue to report to Greg Johnson, who currently serves as the company’s president and chief executive officer and will remain in his role as CEO but pass on the title and role of president to Beckham and Kirby. “O’Reilly’s promote from within philosophy is a pillar of our Culture and a key driver to our long-term success,” said Johnson. “We are very fortunate to have Brad and Brent’s outstanding executive leadership experience in our company, and I am extremely confident in their ability to successfully take on these new roles as Co-Presidents. During my time as CEO, Brad and Brent have both been critical members of the O’Reilly leadership team, with Brad leading our store operations and sales and Brent leading our supply chain and omnichannel initiatives. Their extensive experience and significant industry knowledge, combined with that of our long-tenured executive management team, position our company to drive continued profitable growth long into the future.” Beckham will be responsible for all domestic and international store operations and sales, real estate and expansion, human resources, legal, risk management, training, and finance. Kirby will be responsible for merchandise, distribution, logistics, inventory management, pricing, store design, advertising/marketing, electronic catalog, customer satisfaction, omnichannel, and information technology. Brad Beckham, age 44, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1996. Beckham’s O’Reilly career began as a parts specialist and progressed through the roles of store manager, district manager, regional manager, divisional vice president, vice president of Eastern Store operations and sales, senior vice president of Eastern Store operations and sales, senior vice president of Central Store operations and sales, and executive vice president of store operations and sales. Beckham has held the position of executive vice president and COO since January of 2022. Brent Kirby, age 54, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2018. Kirby began his 35 year retail career with Lowe’s companies, Inc. as a hardware associate and progressed through various positions at the store, district and, regional levels before being promoted to senior vice president of store opperations and later chief omnichannel officer. Prior to joining O’Reilly, Kirby held the position of chief supply chain officer for Lowe’s. In 2018, Kirby’s O’Reilly career began as senior vice president of omnichannel and progressed through the role of executive vice president of supply chain. Kirby has held the position of executive vice president and chief supply chain officer since January of 2022.  Source: Aftermarket News

Yokohama Tire Announces Organizational Changes

Yokohama Tire Corporation (YTC) announced three organizational changes within the company. Several executives have been promoted to new positions. Fardad Niknam has been promoted from senior director of consumer product planning and product marketing to vice president of OE Sales. Niknam joined YTC in 2014 and has had responsibility for product marketing, including product planning and motorsports for the past five years. According to Jeff Barna, YTC president and CEO, Niknam “will be responsible for guiding OE sales in the U.S. and establishing forward-looking strategies that are linked to YTC’s overall business goals in his new role.” Ray Polentz has been promoted from senior director of supply chain and logistics to vice president of supply chain and logistics. “Ray has led this team for the past year under unprecedented circumstances and never before seen challenges as the global supply chain continues its march toward recovery in a post-pandemic world,” said Barna. Pavan Desaneni has been promoted from vice president of information technology (IT) to chief information officer (CIO). “Pavan has led our digital transformation efforts and will continue to do so as Information Technology and the related systems become increasingly important to our business,” said Barna.  Source: Aftermarket News

CRC Industries Appoints Len Mazzanti as CEO

CRC Industries, a global manufacturer of specialty products and formulations for maintenance and repair professionals and do-it-yourselfers, has appointed Len Mazzanti as CEO. Mazzanti succeeds Perry Cozzone, who served as CEO of the company since 2018 and retired at the end of December 2022. Mazzanti has 30 years of experience developing and leading high-performing teams on a global scale with a proven track record in growing businesses, both domestically and globally. Most recently, Mazzanti was regional president of Sartomer Americas, a Global Specialty Business Unit of Arkema, with previous roles encompassing operations, supply chain and commercial business leadership in the chemical industry with companies including AmeriGas, General Electric and Rohm and Haas. “It is an honor to join CRC, an industry leader with technical and regulatory expertise that has brought flagship products like Brakleen, Power Lube / 5-56, SmartWasher, and most recently Evapo-Rust, along with a broad offering of food grade products to the market,” said Mazzanti. “I’m excited to work with the team to share our compelling programs and new sustainable initiatives with our customers and distribution partners.” “The last several years have been a unique opportunity to reshape the business and realign to better serve the needs of our customers across the globe,” said Cozzone. “Len’s experience will help CRC to continue building the capabilities to meet these goals.” Mazzanti will be focused on driving operational excellence and infrastructure capabilities to support CRC’s growth around core product lines, including their environmentally preferred products.  Source: Aftermarket News

Stryten Energy Announces Executive Leadership Appointments

Stryten Energy LLC, a U.S.-based energy storage solutions provider, has announced several executive leadership changes and appointments to support the company’s long-term strategy for growth. Tim Vargo, CEO, will transition to chairman of the board for Stryten Energy, before the end of the company’s fiscal year, March 31, 2023.   Mike Judd, president and chief operating officer, will be promoted to CEO and president, also effective before the end of the company’s fiscal year. Petar Oklobdzija joins the company as executive vice president and CFO, effective Feb. 1, 2023. Oklobdzija will lead the company’s Finance, Accounting, Treasury, Information Technology and Strategic Sourcing functions. Dan Autey joined the company as executive vice president, Commercial, on Jan. 3, 2023. Autey is responsible for leading commercial strategies across the Stryten Energy business. “Mike’s appointment to CEO is the culmination of a succession plan the Stryten Energy board and I have developed over the last several years,” said Tim Vargo, chief executive officer of Stryten Energy. “I am confident Mike is the right leader to take the reins of the business and achieve the company’s strategy for increased profitability and growth. I look forward to ensuring a smooth transition while supporting Stryten’s vision to solve our customer’s energy challenges from my new position as chairman of the board.” “I am proud to take on the CEO role and am excited to welcome two seasoned leaders, Petar and Dan, to our senior management team,” said Mike Judd, president and chief operating officer. “These two industry veterans will further solidify our strong leadership team with the additional talent needed to meet the increased demand for sustainable, clean energy storage solutions. Dan’s automotive and industrial battery expertise will help strengthen our ability to serve our customers’ evolving energy needs, and Petar’s tenure in operations and finance in the automotive and battery industries will help us accelerate our growth strategy into new and existing energy storage markets.” The past year marks a significant period of transformation for Stryten Energy with the integration of three strategic acquisitions that added advanced lithium-ion and vanadium redox flow battery technologies to its energy storage chemistry portfolio and a vertically integrated supply chain for engineered energy components to answer the growing capacity needs of the market. These acquisitions combined with ongoing capital investments in its manufacturing plants well positions the company to meet increased demand for domestically produced, clean and sustainable energy storage solutions.  Source: Aftermarket News

BBB Industries Announces Key Executive Leadership Changes

BBB Industries, a sustainable manufacturer of automotive aftermarket parts, has announced key executive leadership changes to support growth and drive accelerated productivity. John Amyot, president of BBB’s OES, Commercial Vehicle, Industrial and Collision/Electronics (OCI) business unit, has been promoted to chief operating officer. Amyot is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket. In his new role, Amyot will be responsible for BBB’s North American internal combustion engine (ICE)-driven business, the Independent Aftermarket Sales & Service team, and the Strategic Operations team. Maria Caballero, BBB’s senior director of OES programs, has been promoted to president of BBB’s OCI business unit. Caballero is a 25-year veteran of the automotive industry. In her new role, Caballero is responsible for the continued growth of BBB’s OCI business unit. Duygu Seker recently joined BBB as president of the Company’s European division. She has 20 years of multi-industry and multicultural global experience. In her role, Seker is responsible for all facets of the Company’s European business. Steve Mesarick, BBB’s general counsel, has been promoted to chief legal officer and executive vice president – global transactions. Mesarick joined BBB in 2017 and has successfully led a series of legal, compliance and M&A initiatives. In addition to his current risk management and business advisory responsibilities, Mesarick will be responsible for originating, structuring, and completing all mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and divestitures globally. Mark Nugent, who recently returned to BBB, is the Company’s executive vice president and chief sustainability officer. In his new role, Nugent will lead BBB’s global strategy efforts and continue to enhance BBB’s industry-leading sustainability program. Nugent replaces Tim Roth who has elected to retire. “Tim has been a tremendous partner and played a pivotal role our Company’s transformation. I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement,” said Duncan Gillis, BBB’s CEO. “Promoting proven leaders like John, Maria, and Steve, welcoming back a great leader in Mark, and adding a high caliber, global leader in Duygu, puts BBB in a strong position to capitalize on the opportunities ahead of us.”  Source: Aftermarket News

Standard Motor Products Announces Director Changes

Standard Motor Products (SMP) has announced changes in the composition of its board of directors. Effective at the end of their current terms, in May of 2023, Lawrence I. Sills, chairman of the board, and William H. Turner, presiding independent director, will each assume the role of director emeritus. Concurrently, Eric P. Sills, CEO and president, will succeed Lawrence I. Sills as chairman of the board, Alisa C. Norris, currently chair of the compensation and management development committee, will succeed Turner as presiding independent director. In addition, Pamela S. Puryear, PhD, will succeed Norris as chair of that committee. To accommodate these changes, the board of directors has voted to temporarily increase the size of the board from nine to 10, effective Dec. 15, 2022, and to reduce it from 10 to eight in May 2023 upon the move of Sills and Turner to directors emeritus. At that point, the board will consist of six independent and two non-independent directors. Lawrence Sills stated, “We are very pleased to announce these changes which will result in a smooth and seamless succession. The new board will be as strong as any I have experienced in my many years with the company—young, diverse, energetic and bringing a wide range of talent and experience. “Eric has served as a director and our CEO since March 2016, as our president since February 2015 and in various senior leadership positions across our company over the course of his 30-plus year career. “Alisa joined our board in October 2012, and has served as chair of the compensation and management development committee since May 2021.  Over the course of her tenure, she has proven to be a strong, independent voice, and we look forward to her ongoing leadership, providing independent oversight of management and ensuring effective corporate governance. “Jim Burke has extensive experience both with SMP and with the industry as a whole for over 43 years. Jim has been with SMP since 1986, during which he served as CFO between 1999 and 2019, and chief operating officer since 2019.  Jim is extremely well respected inside our company, throughout our industry, and within the financial community. “Bill Turner and I have worked together for over 30 years. During that time, we have seen SMP grow from a relatively small company, to a multi-national organization, with a broad range of products, and locations all around the world. We are proud of what the company has accomplished during our tenure, and are confident that this new board, led by Eric and Alisa, will achieve similar success.”  Source: Aftermarket News

Creative Liquid Coatings Acquires CK Technologies

Angle Advisors has announced that Creative Liquid Coatings Inc. (CLC) has acquired the assets of CK Technologies (CKT) from Cascade Engineering. Angle Advisors acted as the exclusive investment banking advisor to Cascade and CKT in completing this transaction. CKT is one of few suppliers in North America for very-large, injection molded plastic panels and parts for commercial trucks and buses. Operating facilities in Ohio, North Carolina, and Texas, CKT provides vertically integrated services utilizing 16 injection molding presses, automated paint finishing lines, and advanced assembly capabilities. According to the company, rising inflation costs and labor shortages resulted in unrecovered costs that challenged CKT’s ability to continue operating under the status quo. The buyer, CLC, is already a vertically integrated supplier of injection molded parts. CLC also serves the commercial vehicle and automotive industries and had previously provided outsource/overflow production as a supplier to CKT. CKT is CLC’s second significant acquisition, since 2021, and secures new investment in CKT to sustain the business. Stephen Geist, president and CEO of CLC, said, “What was really attractive for us was the customer relationships and strategic infrastructure designed to support those customers. It is rare to find such a large concentration of large-tonnage injection molding capabilities in place.” For Cascade, the sale of CKT represents a planned exit from the commercial vehicle components market. “We appreciate the guidance and expertise from Angle Advisors throughout this process,” said Christina Keller, CEO of Cascade Engineering Family of Companies. “Angle’s experience with companies in CKT’s delicate situation enabled us to get a deal done on an expedited basis with an optimal buyer for CKT and to look after our customers.”  Source: Aftermarket News

AP Emissions Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Holdings

AP Emissions Technologies (AP) has been acquired by Marmon Holdings Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, effective Jan. 1, 2023. A leading innovator of emissions control products serving the North American automotive aftermarket, AP joins Marmon after working closely together on this strategic acquisition. Founded in 1927, AP is known for high-quality emissions products and is a vertically integrated manufacturing operation headquartered in Goldsboro, North Carolina. With plants in Hobart, Indiana, and Langhorne, Pennsylvania, the company employs more than 750 people. Marmon Holdings comprises more than 100 businesses serving diverse industries and markets worldwide, with more than 25,000 employees and annual revenues exceeding $10 billion. “Marmon was the right buyer for our employees, our customers and our suppliers to take AP to the next level and carry on the company mission,” said previous owner Vange Proimos. “AP and Marmon have the same principles: investing in its most valuable asset, its people, while remaining focused on developing category leading innovations for the customer.” The AP management team will continue to lead the business under the leadership of Rich Biel, president and longtime Marmon executive. “I am excited to work with Gary Nix and the whole AP team as we begin this new chapter of an outstanding company,” said Biel. “As part of Marmon, AP will accelerate investments in innovation and automation to make our products even better and grow in value to our customers.”  Source: Aftermarket News

MEMA Names New DEI Head, Renews DEI Focus

MEMA, The Vehicle Suppliers Association, announced it named April Buford its Executive Director of DEI, in a move that reinforces MEMA’s focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Buford’s focus on DEI will help MEMA members and staff to engage in meaningful dialogue and share best practices to develop a culture of inclusion within the vehicle supplier industry, the association says. “As the need for greater diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging becomes more evident, our members consistently tell us DEI is a priority for their business planning and HR practices,” says Buford. “Through new member programming, we will provide forums and resources for sharing best practices, fostering courageous conversations and gaining relevant insight to support members on their DEI journey.” Many of MEMA’s more than 1,000 member organizations are small- to mid-size firms and may not have the internal resources to execute a comprehensive DEI program. In this new role, Buford will help provide a roadmap to help members to engage in their own DEI journey, MEMA says. These programs include: hosting “Courageous Conversations:” Quarterly gatherings on diverse topics for employees and the industry; providing access to subject matter experts through the MEMA-wide DEI Council, DEI events and other programming; and creating Diversity Matchmaker Events for suppliers and OEMs. Buford is certified DEI professional through the Center for Automotive Diversity, Incision, and Advancement (CADIA) and Cornell University’s eCornell program. Starting in 2020, Buford has led the All Together Team, MEMA’s internal DEI taskforce, and co-leads MEMA’s DEI Council which serves MEMA member companies and the supplier community.  Source: Aftermarket News

Shell unit to acquire EV charging firm Volta for about $169 million

Volta Inc. said on Wednesday that a Shell Plc subsidiary would take over the electric vehicle charging network operator in an all-cash deal valued at about $169 million. Shell USA Inc will acquire all outstanding shares of Class A common stock of Volta for 86 cents apiece in cash in a deal that is expected to close in the first half of the year, Volta said. Shell and other companies such as France’s EDF and Norway’s Statkraft have been investing in EV charging infrastructure to cash in on the growing demand for electric vehicles. As part of the deal, Shell USA will also provide loans to Volta to help the company through the closing of the deal.  Source: Automotive News

Volvo creates U.S. and Canada division; Gustafsson will step down

Volvo Cars is restructuring its Americas business and spinning the U.S. and Canada markets into a separate unit. Anders Gustafsson, 54, head of Volvo Cars Americas and CEO of Volvo Car USA, will give up his responsibilities March 1, three people briefed on the matter told Automotive News. Michael Cottone, a 21-year Volvo veteran and Western Region vice president, will take over the top job in the U.S. and Canada. Cottone, 43, will report to a Volvo Cars commercial executive, not to CEO Jim Rowan. It’s unclear if Gustafsson plans to continue with Volvo or return to Sweden. Volvo Car USA confirmed the reorganization to Automotive News. “To support and ensure a strong focus on Volvo Cars’ ambitious goals for growth, full electrification and an omnichannel customer experience, the Americas region structure will evolve, creating a dedicated organization for the USA & Canada,” a spokesman said in an email. Gustafsson’s exit surprised Volvo’s retailers, who appreciated the executive’s straight-shooter approach.  Source: Automotive News

NuVinAir Promotes Marty Schoenthaler to President

NuVinAir, which offers a of proprietary products to safely and effectively create clean and healthy vehicle interiors, has named Marty Schoenthaler as president, while maintaining his current role of CFO. Reporting to Chief Executive Officer and founding partner Kyle Bailey since October 2021, he will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations, while Bailey will focus on company strategy and product development. “Since joining the company two years ago, Marty has developed a unique relationship with our franchisee family, one that has been built on a deep level of commitment and mutual respect,” said Bailey. “As we swiftly scale nationwide, I am proud and confident that with Marty at the helm as President, he will continue to deepen these partnerships and set them up for achieving ever greater success.” With a career spanning three decades, Schoenthaler offers leadership in maximizing organizational capability, strategy development, business transformation, and customer success. He joined NuVinAir from Tate Boys Tire & Service, one of the largest independent tire dealers in Oklahoma, where he served as CEO. Earlier in his career, Marty served as chief information officer at Archer Daniels Midland Company, as well as general manager of Corporate Information Technology at ConocoPhillips. After earning an MBA from the University of Arkansas, he began his career at IBM Corp. “From my very first day with NuVinAir, I have been focused on developing operational improvements and franchisee relations. Collaborating with our leadership team and franchise network alike to effectively deliver on those strategies, is a huge source of pride for me,” said Schoenthaler. “As President, I’ll lead and carry out my new responsibilities through the lens of NuVinAir’s vision, mission, and overall direction in order to ensure optimal efficiency and success.” Under Schoenthaler’s leadership is Cole Willford, who joins NuVinAir as vice president of business development. In his new role, he is responsible for developing business opportunities with the company’s nationwide franchisees to drive profitability while supporting the company’s overall growth. With a career in technology and manufacturing spanning 20 years, Willford previously worked at Bridgestone Americas, where he served as regional manager, directing 10-14 multi-unit leaders, 6 regional staff members, and 1,200 employees. Earlier in his career, he served as territory services manager at Best Buy for more than 13 years, focusing on transformational change and profitability growth. He is also currently pursuing an MBA from the University of Arizona. Also reporting to Schoenthaler is Matthew Golimowski, who has been promoted to vice president of franchise operations. Since joining the company in October 2019, he has been responsible for developing and implementing strategies that support the company’s franchisee business and financial objectives. An automotive-industry veteran, Golimowski joined NuVinAir from AutoNation, where he served as general manager. He launched his career at CarMax, where he worked for 17 years, ultimately climbing the ranks to general manager and spearheading operations for a CarMax Auto Superstore.  Source: Aftermarket News

MEMA Names CVCO & COO for OE group

Collin Shaw has been named MEMA’s new chief commercial vehicle officer (CCVO) and chief operating officer (COO) for the MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers membership group. Most recently, he served as president and chief operating officer of MEMA’s former heavy duty manufacturers division. As MEMA’s CCVO, Shaw will drive the strategic direction in support of commercial vehicle suppliers, across both OE and Aftermarket membership groups.  In his new role as COO of MEMA Original Equipment suppliers, Shaw will leverage his extensive industry experience with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers through programming, events, research and government relations. Before joining MEMA in 2022, Shaw was responsible for North American business strategy at ZF Group. He has more than 15 years of experience in the mobility industry within the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. He has worked for several global companies and brands, with roles in marketing, communications, strategy, digital solutions, and business development. At FCA (now Stellantis), Shaw served as Jeep’s global brand manager and in Chrysler’s Leadership Development Program. While at WABCO, he partnered with heavy-duty OEMs to develop advanced technology roadmaps. “Commercial vehicle suppliers play a vital role in transportation and the US economy and I am honored to serve in this new role to champion and advance the business interests of commercial vehicle suppliers,” said Shaw.  Source: Aftermarket News

VW to promote Hein Schafer, Rachael Zaluzec into sales, marketing roles

Volkswagen of America will promote two longtime executives into sales and marketing roles and has parted ways with a former Honda sales executive. Hein Schafer, 43, currently senior vice president of product marketing and strategy, will become senior vice president of sales operations for the German brand’s North American region. Schafer — a 2020 Automotive News Rising Star — is a native of South Africa who’s been with VW since 2006, including a stint in Brazil, where he worked from 2015 to 2018 alongside current VW of America CEO Pablo Di Si. In his current role, Schafer manages the brand’s product planning in the region. He will succeed Ray Mikiciuk, a 30-year veteran of American Honda who joined VW in October 2020. He has left the company, VW said. Rachael Zaluzec, 42, will be promoted to a newly created position of senior vice president of customer experience and brand marketing. Currently, Zaluzec, who has been with VW since 2008, is vice president of customer experience and digital strategy. Zaluzec will be responsible for the brand’s customer-facing teams, VW said. The promotions are effective Feb. 1. Schafer and Zaluzec will report to Andrew Savvas, VW’s chief sales and marketing officer. In a statement, Savvas said the internal promotions were intended to give the brand “the kind of long-term stability and know-how that will allow us to continue to grow the brand and achieve our ambitious future targets in this market.”  Source: Automotive News

Navistar Names Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer

Tobias Glitterstam has been named senior vice president, chief strategy and transformation officer at Navistar. This new role will report to Mathias Carlbaum, president and CEO. As a member of Navistar’s executive leadership team, Glitterstam will be the steward for strategy implementation and he will accelerate sustainability efforts. He will lead corporate strategy, communications and government relations, as well as a newly established team for mobility solutions. Mobility solutions will capture market opportunities in the future of zero-emissions transportation, with an immediate priority on charging solutions. The team will emphasize Navistar’s position within the transportation value chain, as well as define the company’s role in the autonomous ecosystem. “Tobias has led market expansion and strategic business growth initiatives with companies across North America. His background in green energy, sustainable commercial transportation and logistics solutions makes him well-suited to guide the Navistar team in implementing our strategy and furthering our progress on our journey to accelerate the impact of sustainable mobility,” said Carlbaum. Most recently, Glitterstam served as vice president and head of the Americas Region for Business Sweden and the Swedish Trade Commissioner to the U.S. He consulted enterprises on new markets and segments, strategic innovation, market partnerships and mergers and acquisitions. In addition, he steered government affairs, investment programs and business promotion efforts, in areas such as Smart Cities, Industry 4.0, future transportation and sustainability. Prior to Business Sweden, Glitterstam spent 16 years at the global consulting firm Accenture. During this time, he served in many roles including as managing director, management consulting with a focus on the communications and technology industry. He has a track record of leading complex transformation programs and improvement efforts in several disciplines, including go-to-market, product management, sales, supply chain and aftersales. “I am inspired by and aligned with Navistar’s sustainability vision and can see that the team is well-positioned to accelerate change,” said Glitterstam. “I’m looking forward to playing an important role in the transformation of the historic International brand and nearly 200-year-old company.” Glitterstam holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Lund School of Economics and Management, Lund University, Sweden.  Source: Aftermarket News

Velocity Modern Classics Names Chief Revenue Officer

Velocity Modern Classics, custom car restoration and parts manufacturer, announced that Tom Maxwell has joined the Velocity team as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Maxwell has an extensive background in the industry, with over seven years of experience as an executive in the custom vehicle space. He brings with him a deep knowledge of British and European vehicles, complimenting Velocity’s plans to diversify into new product lines, the company says. “I am thrilled to be joining the team at Velocity Modern Classics,” said Maxwell. “When I first stepped through the doors at Velocity HQ it was immediately clear that the company is on a different level to other players in the space. Velocity’s proven ability to meet build timelines and quality standards is a cut above the norm. I am excited to be a part of the executive team at Velocity as we continue to push the envelope in this exciting and rapidly growing industry.” In his new position, Maxwell will oversee both sales and marketing efforts to explore new opportunities for Velocity, drawing on his years of experience and relationships in the restomod industry.  Source: Aftermarket News

MEMA Names Megan Gardner Executive Director of Marketing & Communications

MEMA, the Vehicle Suppliers Association, has named Megan Gardner as executive director of Marketing and Communications. Gardner’s appointment is part of a major realignment and rebranding MEMA recently announced. Read more about that here. In this new role, Gardner leads all MEMA Marketing and Communications functions, including strategy and execution for MEMA’s digital platforms, branding, advertising, event marketing, and media relations. Prior to MEMA’s recent reorganization, Marketing and Communication responsibilities were siloed across MEMA’s four divisions. Gardner was most recently senior director of Marketing, Membership, and Sponsorship for MEMA’s former aftermarket division. “Megan has proven herself as a dynamic marketer and collaborative leader,” said MEMA President and CEO Bill Long. “She is very member-focused and has the experience we need to support our short- and long-term goals.” Since joining MEMA in January 2019, Gardner has created a robust aftermarket marketing program and improved member outreach. Under her leadership, MEMA’s former aftermarket division’s membership, event attendance and sponsorships significantly increased. In the last six months, Gardner worked with MEMA’s leadership team and other external partners to successfully drive MEMA’s rebrand. “It’s an exciting time at MEMA, and I’m honored to be working with such a talented and dedicated team,” said Gardner, who leads the seven-member Marketing and Communications team. “The team will support MEMA and its two membership groups: MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, as well as MEMA’s Government Affairs and MEMA’s Center for Sustainability. It’s a privilege to serve MEMA in a capacity that honors both its rich history and helps to drive its bright future.” In 2022, aftermarketNews named Gardner in its 2022 “Women at the Wheel” class, a tribute to women making a difference in the automotive aftermarket. That same year, she earned an Aftermarket Automotive Professional (AAP) designation in 2022 from Northwood University. Gardner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Villanova University and a master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Before MEMA, Gardner was director of client services at TurnKey Marketing and vice president of accounts for 3 Birds Marketing.  Source: Aftermarket News

American Honda’s Gardner to retire after 34 years

Dave Gardner, American Honda Motor Co.’s executive vice president of national operations, will retire after a 34-year run with the Japanese automaker. Gardner, 62, spent the bulk of his career in management roles at Honda Canada Inc. before his move to the U.S. in 2020. Mamadou Diallo, vice president of auto sales over Honda and Acura, will step into the position of senior vice president of auto sales and assume a portion of Gardner’s responsibilities. The balance of responsibilities will be divvied up among other executives. No other details were provided. His new role will include full oversight of sales for Honda and Acura, sales planning, logistics and sales strategy as well as a new product communication division. The changes are effective April 1.  Source: Automotive News

Clarios Names New Group VP and GM, Original Equipment

Clarios, a global provider of advanced, low-voltage transportation batteries, has appointed Federico Morales-Zimmermann as group vice president and general manager, Original Equipment, leading global OEM customers, products, engineering and technology teams. Morales-Zimmermann joins Clarios from BorgWarner, where he served as both vice president, product engineering and vice president, global sales and business development for the fuel systems business unit. In this dual role, he had responsibility for leading more than 1,600 engineers across global tech centers, while also managing $2.3 billion in sales revenue. In 2020, Morales-Zimmermann was a key player in the acquisition and integration of Delphi Technologies. Prior to BorgWarner, he worked in numerous senior positions at Vertiv, Continental and Siemens. “Federico is an accomplished leader with extensive global experience leading teams in engineering, operations and commercial business,” said Mark Wallace, Clarios CEO. “His expertise in product and technology development, including software and system integration, and his commitment to understanding global customer needs will be instrumental in supporting Clarios’ long-term profitable growth.” In his new role at Clarios, Morales-Zimmermann will oversee Clarios’ continued focus on developing new products and technologies to support the increased low-voltage demands of electric and autonomous vehicles. His organization includes more than 400 engineers and technology experts around the world who develop products in partnership with aftermarket and OE customers. This includes the company’s smart AGM and lithium-ion offerings and respective battery management architectures and systems. Morales-Zimmermann is a multi-dimensional leader with depth leading teams in engineering, operations and commercial activities across varying cultures, companies and product sets. He is a tri-lingual (Spanish, German and English) executive and trained electrical engineer with a Master’s from the University of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, Germany.  Source: Aftermarket News

Toyota taps Lexus head Koji Sato as new CEO; Akio Toyoda becomes chairman

Toyota Motor Corp. has tapped Koji Sato, the head of Lexus and the Gazoo Racing unit, to be the Japanese automaker’s next president and CEO, as Akio Toyoda, grandson of the company’s founder, steps up to be the company’s new chairman. The changes take effect April 1. As part of the shuffle, current Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, known as the father of the Prius for his work in developing the popular hybrid vehicle, will step aside as chairman but retain a seat on the board. The reorganization answers a long-standing question about succession for Toyoda, who became CEO in 2009 and presided over a tumultuous period of challenges and expansion, including the 2009 financial crisis, a global recall scandal and the 2011 Japan earthquake. Under Toyoda’s watch, the company overcame these challenges to achieve record sales and earnings and solidify its title as the world’s largest automaker. “I believe that over the past 13 years, I have built a solid foundation for passing the baton,” Toyoda said at an online briefing shortly after the announcement. The new management team, Toyoda said, “has a mission to transform Toyota into a mobility company.” Toyoda, 66, has worked closely with Sato, 53, in Sato’s roles as head of the Lexus premium brand and as leader of Gazoo Racing, a pet favorite of the outgoing president. Toyoda said Sato was tapped partly because “he loves cars” and because of “his youth.” Toyoda said someone younger needs to complete Toyota’s transition into a new era. “I’m a carmaker through and through, and that’s how I’ve transformed Toyota,” Toyoda said. “But a carmaker is all that I am. That is my limit. The new team under President Sato has the mission to transform Toyota into a mobility company.” Among Sato’s challenges is navigating an industry being transformed by electrification, autonomous driving and connectivity. Sato takes the helm at a time when Toyota is being criticized for falling behind in the global electric vehicle race. He is committed to breaking the old Toyota mold by developing fun-to-drive cars that are stylish and cool.  Source: Automotive News

Driven Brands Names Chief Operating Officer

Driven Brands Holdings Inc has announced the appointment of Danny Rivera to the newly created role of chief operating officer effective February 20, 2023, reporting to chief executive officer Jonathan Fitzpatrick. Driven Brands is also pleased to welcome back Mo Khalid, who will succeed Rivera in the role of executive vice president & group president, maintenance, leading both Take 5 Quick Lube and Meineke. “Danny has been a trusted and invaluable partner over the past decade as we built our unique, holistic automotive services platform. As chief operating officer, he will play a critical role in integrating the operations across our offerings and driving our share of wallet strategy to fully unlock the power of our data ecosystem with more than 29 million unique customers,” said Fitzpatrick. “Under his leadership, Take 5 Oil Change, our fast, friendly and simple quick lube model, has grown to over 800 locations with a pipeline to more than double in the coming years. “We are also thrilled to welcome Mo back to the Driven family. With his strong background in operations and field leadership, I am confident he will continue to build on the momentum Danny has developed in our growing Maintenance segment,” continued Fitzpatrick. Rivera has more than 20 years of experience in the consumer and retail category, most recently serving as executive vice president & group president, maintenance, and earlier in a number of executive positions, including serving as the company’s chief information officer and president of Meineke. Prior to joining Driven Brands in 2012, he served in a variety of leadership roles at AutoNation, Burger King, General Electric, and Motorola. Rivera holds two degrees from Florida International University – a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering and a Juris Doctorate. “I am humbled to be appointed to this newly created chief operating officer role. Building on the incredible foundation that our team has created, I am committed to further differentiating our value proposition across our growing platform by more deeply integrating our offerings to meet our customers’ car care needs,” said Rivera.  “It is a privilege to work with our segment teams that are leading these iconic brands and I have never been more excited about the potential to drive more value for our customers and ultimately our shareholders.” Khalid is joining Driven Brands from his most recent role as senior vice president, field operations, at Great Wolf Resorts. Previously, he served as the vice president and chief operating officer of Meineke at Driven Brands. Earlier, he served in a variety of leadership roles at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Burger King, Deutsche Bank and J.P. Morgan Chase. He received a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Rutgers University. Khalid said, “I’m excited to return to this incredible, innovative business and for the opportunity to lead such a talented team. Leveraging our proven playbook for growth and differentiated brand, we have never been better positioned to expand our position as a category leader.”  Source: Aftermarket News

Canoo Appoints Ken Manget Chief Financial Officer

Canoo, a high-tech advanced mobility company, has named Ken Manget, chief financial officer (CFO). Reporting directly to Canoo Chairman and CEO, Tony Aquila, Manget will be responsible for Capital Markets, Investor Relations, Accounting & Financial Reporting. Ramesh Murthy, who served as interim CFO, will continue in his role as senior vice president, finance and chief accounting officer. “We are pleased to appoint Ken to Canoo’s executive management team. We have worked together for many years, starting at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan including as a consultant to AFV Partners,” said Tony Aquila, chairman and CEO at Canoo. “I’d like to thank Ramesh for his hard work in the interim CFO role. As we now move to the go-to-market phase, he will focus his attention on his SVP and chief accounting officer duties.” Manget has many years of financial industry experience on the buy and sell side, including running a multi-billion global equity investment strategy at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and having originated and closed several billion of equity, debt and structured finance transactions while at BMO Capital Markets.  Source: Automotive News

Lucas Oil Promotes, Adds Key Staff to Leadership Team

Lucas Oil Products has announced three new additions to its leadership team, hiring Jason Bonikowske as general counsel and promoting Nicole York to vice president of finance and Megan Burakiewicz to vice president of human resources. Prior to joining Lucas Oil, Bonikowske spent 16 years at CSM Sport and Entertainment (formerly JMI), where he oversaw the legal operations, developed internal governance policies, advised executives on risk mitigation, and routinely negotiated high-quality sport and entertainment agreements. In York’s new role as vice president of finance, she will serve as a financial adviser to the executive team, supervising activities including tax preparation, gathering and analyzing financial data, and preparing financial reports. According to Lucas Oil, she has proven herself an extremely capable, knowledgeable and dedicated Accounting Specialist, and is very deserving of her appointment to the leadership team. In 2021, York was recognized by the Indiana CPA Society by receiving their Emerging Leader Award, which is given to up-and-coming CPA professionals who made significant contributions to the overall success of their employer. Building on her previous role as director of people operations, Burakiewicz will continue to foster a flourishing company culture and growth opportunities as vice president of human resources. In addition to her human resources background, Burakiewicz is adept at business operations and change leadership, aptitudes that amplify her understanding of executive team needs and objectives.  Source: Aftermarket News

Dayco Recruits Craig Frohock as its New Aftermarket/Belt CEO

Dayco has announced that Craig Frohock accepted the opportunity to join Dayco Aftermarket and Belts as its new CEO, effective January 16, 2023. Reporting directly to the Board of Dayco, Craig is responsible for the business unit’s global operational performance and strategic direction. For the past six years, Frohock has held several senior leadership roles with Tenneco. Most recently he was the group vice president and general manager of the company’s OE ride control business and prior to that he served as the group vice president and general manager of its integrated supply chain operations within the global aftermarket business. He also served as group vice president and general manager of the company’s aftermarket chassis business and the sealing, engine and under hood services business. Prior to joining Tenneco, his career included 19 years at Meritor, Inc. where he held positions of increasing responsibilities, including leading the aftermarket business. Frohock earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from Oakland University. “I am incredibly excited to join Dayco, a company with a rich history, a great brand and a strong market presence,” said Frohock. “I’m truly humbled by the opportunity to lead such a capable team as the company enters its next chapter.”  Source: Aftermarket News

Mullen Announces Key Hires Across EV Programs

Emerging electric vehicle manufacturer Mullen Automotive, Inc. announced a number of new hires who have joined the company across its commercial van and truck program and Mullen FIVE EV Crossover programs in support of aggressive EV portfolio growth plans. Mullen Automotive says the new hires will be working across Mullen’s different facilities, including the Commercial Vehicle Team in Troy, Michigan; the Consumer Vehicle Team in Irvine, California; the Powertrain and Battery Group in Monrovia, California; the Manufacturing Plant in Tunica, Mississippi; and the Mishawka, Indiana factory. “It’s exciting to see the growth across our different teams and locations in California, Michigan, Indiana and Mississippi,” said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive. “Strategically, we have been adding very strong expertise coming from tier 1 suppliers, traditional OEMs and other EV start-ups. It’s very encouraging to see so many strong candidates reach out to us, looking to join the Mullen team.” Mullen says its new team members come from a variety of automotive brands, including, VW, Joyson, GM, Hyundai, Isuzu, Nexteer, Mahindra, Ford, Stellantis, Hyliion and Electra Meccanica. These new hires are: In Product Development, Jerry Hu – President, Mullen Commercial Vehicles, formally VP of Key Safety Systems; Dave Adkins – Chief of Class 3 Commercial Vehicles, formally Chief Engineer of Izuzu; Raj Pai – Chief Engineer Commercial Vehicles, formally VP of Mahindra; Steve Ilenich – Director of Commercial Vehicles Quality; Dongyeol Kang – Director of Vehicle Program Purchasing; Mohamed Shaib – Director of ADAS; and Seungho Choi – Director of Program Management Commercial Vehicles. In Commercial Sales, Service and Parts, Paul Loewer – Senior Director, Product Planning and Product Marketing; Matt Gostek – Director, Service and Parts; Bob Sanseverino – Commercial Sales Director – West Region; Lance Buchanan – Commercial Sales Director – Southeast Region.  Source: Aftermarket News

Foxconn taps former Nissan, Nidec exec Seki for EV business

Taiwan’s Foxconn has hired former Nissan and Nidec executive Jun Seki as its chief strategy officer for electric vehicles, adding a high-profile auto executive to bolster its industry ambitions. Seki, once seen as a contender for the top job at Nissan, later went to motor maker Nidec, holding the role of CEO before having to resign to take responsibility for a deterioration in the company’s earnings. Seki had been recruited to Nidec from Nissan by Nidec’s founder, Shigenobu Nagamori, in 2020 to help Nidec become a major player in components for next-generation vehicles. Seki became CEO in June 2021 but was demoted less than a year later with Nagamori expressing dissatisfaction with the company’s performance and stock price. Nidec said he would resign in September last year. Seki spent three decades at Nissan, including a stint heading its China business. He was widely seen as a contender for CEO, but was passed over for the current chief, Makoto Uchida. Seki left Nissan for Nidec not long after being charged with leading the automaker’s turnaround plan.  Source: Automotive News

Vinay Mamidi Appointed Incoming Chair of IVC

The Import Vehicle Community (IVC), a community of the Auto Care Association, announced the appointment of Vinay Mamidi as its new chair. Mamidi is the vice president and general manager of CSF, Inc. “I would like to welcome Vinay Mamidi as the new incoming chairman of the Import Vehicle Community. I am confident that the community will continue to thrive under Vinay’s leadership and the contributions of the entire Executive Leadership Council,” said Steve Hughes, outgoing chair and president and CEO of HCS International. “As I embark on this journey, my goal is to foster an environment of open communication and collaboration so that we are better positioned to serve our members’ and industry’s needs,” said Mamidi. “Through active engagement with the community, I am committed to working with all of you to amplify the Import Vehicle Community’s mission, strengthen our relevancy and work toward advancing the import automotive aftermarket.” In related news, Fred Snow, DMA Industries, LLC has accepted the position of vice chair, according to the IVC.  Source: Aftermarket News