FORT
LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 22,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), the
most admired automotive retailer in America, is delighted to
announce the appointment of Jeff
Parent as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). With
extensive experience in senior executive roles spanning sales,
supply chain management, and business strategy, Mr. Parent brings a
wealth of expertise to lead the company's operational and strategic
initiatives. Mr. Parent's start date is expected to be October 16, 2023.
As COO, Jeff Parent will play a
pivotal role in AutoNation's continuous efforts to drive growth,
enhance operational efficiency, and provide exceptional customer
experiences across its extensive network of locations. His
appointment underscores the company's dedication to innovation and
excellence in the dynamic automotive industry.
"Jeff Parent is a proven leader
with an excellent track record of success across multiple aspects
of the automotive and personal transportation landscapes. His deep
understanding of sales, supply chain management, and business
strategy will be invaluable as we continue to expand our footprint
and enhance our customer offerings," said Mike Manley, CEO of AutoNation.
Mr. Parent's most recent role was as President and General
Manager at Gulf States Toyota, one of the world's largest
independent distributors of Toyota vehicles and parts. Before
joining Gulf States Toyota, he held senior executive positions at
Nissan Canada, serving as Vice President of Sales and Marketing,
responsible for both the Nissan and Infiniti Brands. Earlier in his career, he
worked at Volkswagen of America as Region VP for the Eastern
Region, overseeing Sales, Marketing, Parts, Service, and Customer
Satisfaction for the Volkswagen brand in the Northeastern United States. Jeff's extensive
experience spans both domestic and international markets, making
him well-equipped to continue to drive AutoNation's growth and
operational excellence.
"I am excited to join AutoNation, a company known for its
customer-centric approach and industry leadership. I look forward
to working as part of a talented AutoNation team to continue the
focus on strengthening the operations, developing more innovative
services, and providing the best possible experience for
customers," said Jeff. "The coming few years are going to
offer a unique opportunity for AutoNation with its great brand
portfolio and multichannel approach to progressively differentiate
itself in the industry and in the eyes of our customers."
In his new role, Mr. Parent will oversee AutoNation's day-to-day
operations, working closely with the other members of the
leadership team to execute the company's strategic vision and drive
operational efficiencies.
AutoNation also announces that Steve
Kwak, COO, Franchised Business, will be leaving the company
to pursue another opportunity. Steve's last day will be
September 30, 2023, and the company
wishes him success in his future endeavors.
About AutoNation, Inc.
AutoNation, a provider of personalized transportation services, is
driven by innovation and transformation. As one of America's most
admired companies, AutoNation delivers a peerless Customer
experience recognized by data-driven consumer insight leaders,
Reputation, and J.D. Power. Through its bold leadership and brand
affinity, the AutoNation Brand is synonymous with "DRVPNK" and
"What Drives You, Drives Us." AutoNation has a singular focus on
personalized transportation services that are easy, transparent,
and Customer-centric.
Please visit www.autonation.com, investors.autonation.com, and
www.twitter.com/AutoNation, where AutoNation discloses additional
information about the Company, its business, and its results of
operations. Please also visit www.autonationdrive.com, AutoNation's
automotive blog, for information regarding the AutoNation
community, the automotive industry, and current automotive news and
trends.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may
be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Words such as
"anticipates," "expects," "intends," "goals," "targets,"
"projects," "plans," "believes," "continues," "may," "will,"
"could," and variations of such words and similar expressions are
intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Statements
regarding our strategic initiatives, partnerships, and investments,
including the planned expansion of our AutoNation USA pre-owned vehicle stores and our
investments in digital and online capabilities and mobility
solutions, statements regarding our expectations for the future
performance of our business and the automotive retail industry, and
other statements that describe our objectives, goals, or plans, are
forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements reflect
our current expectations concerning future results and events, and
they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other
factors that are difficult to predict and may cause our actual
results, performance, or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, performance, and achievements expressed or
implied by these statements. These risks, uncertainties, and other
factors include, among others: our ability to implement
successfully our strategic acquisitions, initiatives, partnerships,
and investments, including the planned expansion of our AutoNation
USA stores and our investments in
digital and online capabilities and mobility solutions; our ability
to identify, acquire, and build out suitable locations in a timely
manner; our ability to maintain and enhance our retail brands and
reputation and to attract consumers to our own digital channels;
our ability to acquire and integrate successfully new franchises;
restrictions imposed by vehicle manufacturers and our ability to
obtain manufacturer approval for acquisitions; economic conditions,
including changes in unemployment, interest, and/or inflation
rates, consumer demand, fuel prices, and tariffs; supply chain
disruptions and inventory availability; new and used vehicle
margins; our ability to attain planned sales volumes within our
expected time frames; our ability to successfully implement and
maintain expense controls; the success and financial viability and
the incentive and marketing programs of vehicle manufacturers and
distributors with which we hold franchises; the economic impacts of
the COVID-19 pandemic; natural disasters and other adverse weather
events; the resolution of legal and administrative proceedings;
regulatory factors affecting our business, including fuel economy
requirements; the announcement of safety recalls; factors affecting
our goodwill and other intangible asset impairment testing; and
other factors described in our news releases and filings made under
the securities laws, including, among others, our Annual Reports on
Form 10-K, our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current
Reports on Form 8-K. Forward-looking statements contained in this
news release speak only as of the date of this news release, and we
undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements
to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
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SOURCE AutoNation, Inc.