Best Startup
At Best Startup US we track over 1,000,000 US startups and over 3 million people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United States based VP’ operating in the Automotive space. If you think a VP’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.us.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
David Holland
VP, Risk & Reinsurance of Ally Financial
David Holland is the Vice President of Risk and Reinsurance at Ally Financial.
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About Ally Financial: Ally Financial Inc. is a automotive financial services company powered by a top direct banking franchise.
Chuck Stevens
Executive Vice President and CFO of General Motors
Chuck Stevens was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of General Motors effective Jan. 15, 2014. Stevens is responsible for leading the company’s financial and accounting operations on a global basis. Stevens was previously CFO of GM North America since January 2010. He led GM’s financial operations for U.S. Sales, Service and Marketing, GM Canada, GM de Mexico, North America Manufacturing, Customer Care and Aftersales, and OnStar. He was also interim CFO of GM South America from December 2011 to January 2013.
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About General Motors: General Motors manufactures, markets, and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts.
Tony Cervone
Senior Vice President, Global Communications of General Motors
Tony Cervone was named senior vice president, Global Communications, in May 2014. As GM’s top communications executive, he is responsible for the company’s overall global communications strategy. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and a senior advisor to CEO Mary Barra. Prior to his current position, Cervone served since 2011 as executive vice president of Group Communications for Volkswagen Group of America in Herndon, Va., where he revamped the company’s communications activities for its VW and Audi brands. From 2009 to 2011, Cervone was senior vice president and chief communications officer for United Airlines in Chicago, where he helped manage the company’s eventual merger with Continental Airlines. From 1999 to 2009, Cervone worked at GM in several senior communications positions of increasing responsibility. From 1999 to 2000, Cervone was executive director of Corporate Communications, responsible for media relations, issues management and labor and employee communications. From 2001 to 2003, he served as executive director of Executive and Financial Communications; from 2003 to 2006, vice president of GM Europe Communications; from 2006 to 2007, vice president of GM North America Communications; and from 2007 to 2009, vice president of Global Communications Strategy and Operations. In 2000, Cervone served for a short period as vice president of Chrysler Group Communications for DaimlerChrysler AG in Auburn Hills, Mich. From 1985 to 1999, Cervone worked at Chrysler Corp. – which became DaimlerChrysler AG – in virtually every aspect of auto industry communications, from product and technology to supplier and crisis communications. He managed pre- and post-merger communications related to the merger of Chrysler and Daimler-Benz. Cervone has a bachelor’s degree in Fine and Applied Arts from Central Michigan University where he majored in Journalism, with Business Administration and Advertising minors. He completed the General Motors Senior Executive Program in 2003. Cervone is a member of the Arthur Page Society, the Public Relations Society of America and The Seminar. He is a board member of Detroit Public Television (DPTV), The LaGrant Foundation and serves on the Advisory Council for the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston. He is a former trustee of The Institute for Public Relations, and former board member of the Automotive Press Association and the Ad Council. Cervone was also named one of the 2014 Automotive News All-Stars.
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About General Motors: General Motors manufactures, markets, and distributes vehicles and vehicle parts.
Clara Kridler
VP of People of Root Insurance
Clara Kridler is VP of People at Root Insurance.
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About Root Insurance: Root Insurance is a property casualty insurtech that offers personalized, affordable coverage in an app.
Cynthia Powell
Sr Executive Vice President of External Affairs of Root Insurance
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About Root Insurance: Root Insurance is a property casualty insurtech that offers personalized, affordable coverage in an app.
John Downey
Vice President, Information Security of Root Insurance
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About Root Insurance: Root Insurance is a property casualty insurtech that offers personalized, affordable coverage in an app.
Rob MacKethan
VP of Insurance of Zendrive
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About Zendrive: Zendrive leverages mobile sensor data to provide actionable insights that improve safety for passengers and drivers worldwide.
Frederiek Toney
Vice President and President, Global Ford Customer Service Division of Ford Motor
Mr. Frederiek Toney serves as Vice President of Ford Motor Co., and serves as President of its Global Ford Customer Service Division. Mr. Toney served as Vice President of Ford Customer Service Division at Ford Motor Co., since September 1, 2009 and served as its Corporate Officer. Mr. Toney joined Ford in 2000 after a career at Caterpillar and Honda. He served as Director, North American logistics, FCSD; director, North American operations, Material Planning and Logistics; and Director, global parts supply and logistics, FCSD. He served as Executive Director, Material Planning and Logistics since November 2005.
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About Ford Motor: Ford Motor is an automotive company that develops, manufactures, and distributes vehicles, parts, and accessories.
Ken Washington
Vice President, Research & Advanced Engineering & CTO of Ford Motor
Dr. Ken Washington is Vice President of Research and Advanced Engineering and Chief Technology Officer, Ford Motor Company, effective June 1, 2017. In this role, Washington will continue to lead Ford’s worldwide research organization, overseeing the development and implementation of the company’s technology strategy and plans, and playing a key role in the company’s expansion into emerging mobility opportunities. He reports to Jim Farley, president, New Businesses, Technology & Strategy, Ford Motor Company. Prior to joining Ford, he was vice president of the Advanced Technology Center at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. In this role, Washington was responsible for leading a team of scientists and engineers in performing research and development in space science and related R&D. Previously, he served as Lockheed Martin Corporation’s first chief privacy officer, a role in which he built the company’s privacy program, set the privacy strategy direction and established a team of privacy professionals to execute the strategy. Washington also previously served as the vice president and chief technology officer for the Lockheed Martin internal IT organization, where he was responsible for shaping the future of the corporation’s information technology enterprise. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin in February 2007, Washington served as chief information officer for Sandia National Laboratories, where he also previously served in a variety of technical, management, and program leadership positions. He has a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree in Nuclear Engineering from Texas A&M University and is a fellow of the MIT Seminar XXI program on International Relations.
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About Ford Motor: Ford Motor is an automotive company that develops, manufactures, and distributes vehicles, parts, and accessories.
Samyak Pandya
Vice President, Business Operations and Finance of Ridecell
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About Ridecell: Ridecell provides car-sharing, ride-sharing, short-term leases, and autonomous vehicle fleet services for car rental companies.
Mark Thomas
VP Marketing and Strategic Alliances of Ridecell
Mark Thomas is the VP of Marketing and Strategic Alliances at Ridecell and is responsible for marketing Ridecell, the world’s leading platform to launch, operate and scale new car and ride sharing mobility services. Prior to joining Ridecell, Thomas headed the connected car marketing team at Cisco Jasper, where he developed the product and go-to-market strategies for automotive OEMs. Prior to Cisco, Mark led product marketing at HERE, a leading automotive maps company. In addition, Mark served in marketing, strategy, and business development roles at Apple and Nokia. Mark holds a B.A. from University of California, Berkeley, and an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.
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About Ridecell: Ridecell provides car-sharing, ride-sharing, short-term leases, and autonomous vehicle fleet services for car rental companies.
Mark Johnson
VP Global Sales of Bosch
Mark Johnson is Vice President of Sales at Robert Bosch GmBH.
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About Bosch: The Bosch Group is a global supplier of technology and services.
Charlie Ackerman
Senior Vice President Human Resources of Bosch
Charlie Ackerman is a senior vice president of Human Resources, North America, for Bosch in July 2009. In this assignment, Ackerman focuses on preparing, shaping and managing the people strategies to achieve Bosch North America’s growth plans. Ackerman is located in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Since joining Bosch in 1995, Ackerman has held a number of assignments in the human resources function, including leadership positions in Charleston, South Carolina, and Stuttgart, Germany. His most recent position, beginning in 2005, was as vice president of human resources, North America for Bosch’s powertrain business. Prior to joining Bosch, Ackerman held human resources and manufacturing positions with Asten Inc. and International Paper. Ackerman serves on Bosch’s global Human Resources Council and is a board member of Bosch in Canada. Ackerman earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University.
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About Bosch: The Bosch Group is a global supplier of technology and services.
Eric Chaniot
Chief Digital Officer & Senior Vice President of Michelin
Eric Chaniot is a dynamic and seasoned innovator, who has been in the technology business for over 20 years. He began his career at Apple Inc. in the mid 90’s, and was responsible for the first wireless notebook. He then left to build on his expertise at another technology power player, Hewlett-Packard Company, where he created many products and product lines and ran businesses in networking, personal computing, software and printing. With many successful product lines, he helped generate hundreds of millions of dollars for the company. After Eric left HP, he created an Internet start-up in Europe called Internet Word of Mouth, iWoM. The premise of this start-up was to make Internet ratings and reviews more reliable, by using proprietary technology. After growing his entrepreneurial expertise and learning how to develop and run a start-up company, he moved to the United States and created Tire Intelligence, a data and software start-up. This company enabled tire manufacturers, tire distributors and tire dealers to manage their businesses more efficiently and to drastically improve their presence on the Internet.
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About Michelin: Michelin is a tire company dedicated to sustainably improve the mobility of goods and people by manufacturing and marketing.
Eric Frantz
Vice President Operations, Home & Personal Care North America of CCL Industries
Eric Frantz is a Vice President Operations, Home & Personal Care North America at CCL Industries.
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About Aerobal, CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Mark McClendon
Vice President and General Counsel of CCL Industries
Mark McClendon joined CCL as General Counsel USA in 2013 from Avery Dennison Corporation, where he was Group Counsel and NA Corporate Ethics Officer, with worldwide compliance, environmental and litigation responsibilities, since 2007. Prior to that, McClendon was with BASF and its affiliates from 1998 to 2007. McClendon earned a J.D. from Marquette University and is a member of the Wisconsin and Ohio State Bar Associations. He has served on the Board of Directors for the American Corporation Counsel Association for North East Ohio since 2006, including as President from 2011 to 2012, and on the Board of Governors for the Ohio State Bar Association – Litigation Section since 2007. McClendon was promoted to his current position in 2014 and is now responsible for all legal matters globally for the Company.
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About CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Bill Goldsmith
Vice President and General Manager, CCL Design USA of CCL Industries
Bill Goldsmith is a Vice President and General Manager, CCL Design USA at CCL Industries.
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About CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Andy Iseli
Vice President and General Manager, CCL Tube of CCL Industries
Andy Iseli is a Vice President and General Manager, CCL Tube at CCL Industries.
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About CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Allison Phillips
Vice President and General Manager, Avery North America Printable Media of CCL Industries
Allison Phillips is a Vice President and General Manager, Avery North America Printable Media at CCL Industries.
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About Avery Dennison, CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Al Green
Vice President of Technology Development of CCL Industries
Al Green is a Vice President of Technology Development at CCL Industries.
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About CCL Industries: CCL is the largest label company in the world and provides innovative solutions.
Karen Folwell
VP of Human Experience of Local Motors
Karen Folwell is the Vice President of Human Experience at Local Motors.
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About Local Motors: Local Motors is an American motor vehicle company that creates and delivers safe and accessible mobility solutions for local communities.
Jamie Bonini
Vice President, TSSC of Toyota Motor
James “Jamie” Bonini is vice president of TSSC at Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TEMA), located near Cincinnati in Erlanger, Kentucky. TEMA supports Toyota’s engineering and manufacturing operations in North America. TSSC is a not-for-profit corporation affiliated with TEMA which shares Toyota Production System (TPS) know-how with North American organizations that have a true desire to learn and adopt TPS; as a way to strengthen their production system. Bonini began his career with Toyota in 2002, as assistant general manager for TSSC, responsible for planning and leading shop floor improvement activities. He later joined Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky’s powertrain group as assistant general manager responsible for V6 and four cylinder engines as well as axle production, quality and safety.
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About Toyota Motor: Toyota is an automotive company that manufactures and markets vehicles to over 170 countries and regions.
Oskar Levander
VP of Innovation for Engineering & Technology of Rolls-Royce
Oskar Levander joined Rolls-Royce in 2012 as VP Innovation, Engineering&Technology, Marine. Before this, he has worked most of his career in Wärtsilä where he held various roles, such as Director, Concept Design, Marine Lifecycle Solutions. He graduated with honours from Helsinki University of Technology in 2000, with a MSc in Naval Architecture. Oskar has been working mostly with the development of new ship designs, machinery and propulsion concepts for various ship types and emerging marine technologies. He has been deeply involved in the development of more energy efficient ships and he has been an active force in promoting the marine use of LNG. He is also driving the development of ship intelligence and the introduction of remote controlled unmanned ships. In 2011 he was included in “Lloyd’s List 2011 One Hundred Most Influencial People in the Shipping Industry”.
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About Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce is an industrial technology company that provides integrated power and propulsion solutions.
Jack Reismiller
EVP Quality & Continuous Improvement of Rolls-Royce
Jack joined Rolls-Royce as Quality & Improvement Director, Turbines & Compressors, for the Indianapolis IN Business Operations in 2011 where in 2003, successfully piloted the 1st six sigma deployment strategy to address critical customer issues. Since then, he has held broader Quality & Improvement roles in the Operations, Helicopter Customer Facing Business Unit and Defence Sector business and his current Corporate HQ role as Head of Process Excellence & Business Improvement. He has professional accountability for the Master/Black/Green belts across the Group as well as developing and implementing strategies, processes, and methods to help enable the businesses to deliver their business commitments. Additionally, Jack is accountable for the Group’s Quality and Continuous Improvement information systems and key strategic programmes.
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About Rolls-Royce, Rolls-Royce: Rolls-Royce is an industrial technology company that provides integrated power and propulsion solutions.
Patrick Jermain
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Plexus Corporation
Patrick Jermain is our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Patrick joined Plexus in 2010 as Corporate Controller and progressed quickly to our Treasurer and Vice President of Finance. He was promoted to his current role in May 2014 and is responsible for finance, tax and treasury functions and maintaining internal controls, external reporting, and investor relations. Prior to joining Plexus, Patrick was the Corporate Controller, Assistant Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer at Appleton Papers Inc., currently known as Appvion, Inc. Mr. Jermain also held the positions of Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Secretary while at Appleton Papers. Prior to Appleton Papers, Mr. Jermain served as Vice President – Finance and Corporate Controller at Banta Corporation, acquired by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, and was a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Patrick earned an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management, a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wake Forest University, and is a certified public accountant.
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About Plexus Corporation: Plexus uses unique Product Realization service model to transform your concepts into branded products and deliver to your target markets.
Albert Lilly
VP of Marketing of Sibros
Albert Lilly is a Vice President of Marketing at Sibros.
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About Sibros: Sibros offers automotive cloud solutions including OTA software updates, data logging, fleet management, and vehicle analytics.
Steve Schwinke
Vice President Customer Engagement of Sibros
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About Sibros: Sibros offers automotive cloud solutions including OTA software updates, data logging, fleet management, and vehicle analytics.
Abdallah Shanti
Executive Vice President of Volkswagen Group
Abdallah Shanti is Executive Vice President and Group Chief Information Officer for IT Region Americas. In this role, Shanti leads IT strategy, direction, and operations for all of the countries within the Americas Region, which includes the US, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa. Shanti reports directly to Hinrich J. Woebcken, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. Shanti also coordinates globally to increase focus on Volkswagen’s technology infrastructure to ensure systems and processes are in place to meet business targets, reporting directly to Dr. Martin Hofmann, Group Chief Information Officer, Volkswagen AG. Shanti joined Volkswagen with nearly 27 years of IT and engineering experience within the automotive industry. Prior to Volkswagen, Shanti served as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer with ANX. Prior to ANX, Shanti held several leadership roles at American Axle & Manufacturing Inc., where he was Vice President of IT and Chief Information Officer; there his responsibilities also included electronic engineering and global purchasing. Shanti was also General Director of Global System Engineering and Application development at General Motors. Shanti earned a master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Oakland University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Illinois State University.
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About Volkswagen Group, Volkswagen Group: Volkswagen Group is a multinational automotive company that manufactures variety of vehicles.
Nick Cobb
VP of Engineering of Kyte
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About Kyte: Kyte is the best way to get a car. Kyte offers cars delivered to people’s doorsteps. Their vision is to provide better access to fewer cars.
Chen Tian
VP of Technology and Engineering of Inceptio Technology
Chen Tian is the VP of Technology and Engineering at Inceptio Technology.
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About Inceptio Technology: Inceptio Technology is a company that develops autonomous trucks and their logistic networks.
Percy Vaughn
Vice President, Eastern Sales Operations of Kia Motors America
Percy Vaughn is the Vice President, Eastern Sales Operations at Kia Motors America (KMA). Vaughn joined KMA in 1995, opening the company’s Southern Region office. He oversees KMA’s Southern and Eastern Region sales functions. With nearly 30 years of experience, Vaughn has held multiple positions with Hyundai Motor America and Ford Motor Company. Vaughn holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and an MBA from Atlanta University. Vaughn and his wife Audree have two children. He enjoys spoiling his grandchildren and giving back to his community.
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About Kia Motors America, Kia Motors America: Kia Motors America designs, markets, and sells automobiles.
Orth Hedrick
Vice President of Product Planning of Kia Motors America
Orth Hedrick is the Vice President of Product Planning at Kia Motors America (KMA). Hedrick joined KMA in October of 2009 as the Director of Product Planning. He oversees both current and future Product portfolio’s at Kia Motors America. Hedrick brings more than 28 years of automotive experience to KMA. He comes to us from Nissan North America, where he served as the Senior Manager of Product Planning. While at Nissan he led successive assignments in both Marketing and Product Planning; covering Pickup/SUV’s, commercial vehicles, Electric Vehicles, Sporty Cars and Small Cars. Hedrick is originally from Gallup, New Mexico. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering at the University of New Mexico’s Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, NM. Hedrick’s career in the automotive industry stems from his passion for automobiles. He is a proud member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Hedrick currently resides in Orange County, where he enjoys spending his spare time at the beach and with his friends and family.
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About Kia Motors America: Kia Motors America designs, markets, and sells automobiles.
John Yoon
Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Kia Motors America
John Yoon is Executive Vice President, HR/Administration/Diversity Relations & General Counsel of Kia Motors America (KMA). He joined KMA in March, 2000. Yoon, a 12-year veteran of the automotive industry, previously served as Managing Corporate Counsel at KMA. His current responsibilities include overall supervision and management of KMA’s Legal, Human Resources, and Administration Departments. Prior to joining KMA, Yoon served as a partner at Lee & Hong in Los Angeles, where he provided executive legal advice to international corporate and automotive firms. Prior to that, he was an associate attorney at the Los Angeles office of Lewis Bisgaard Brisbois and Smith, where he practiced in the areas of corporate law and commercial litigation. Yoon received his J.D. degree from UCLA Law School, and his B.A. in Literature from Harvard College. A Los Angeles native and resident, Yoon’s personal interests include literature, contemporary art and classical music.
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About Kia Motors America: Kia Motors America designs, markets, and sells automobiles.
Tim Chaney
Vice President, Marketing Communications of Kia Motors America
Tim Chaney is the Vice President, Marketing Communications, at Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA). He oversees all national and regional advertising as well as experiential marketing, digital marketing, CRM, and sports and other sponsorships. Chaney joined KMA in April of 2001 as the National Advertising Manager. With more than 28 years of automotive industry experience, Chaney came to KMA from Nissan North America, where he led successive assignments on both regional and national levels in Parts & Service, Remarketing, E-Business and Advertising. Chaney earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing at San Diego State University. He currently resides in Aliso Viejo, Calif., with his family and enjoys spending his free time playing sports, traveling, and reading up on history.
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About Kia Motors America: Kia Motors America designs, markets, and sells automobiles.
Keith Jun
Vice President, Finance of Kia Motors America
Keith Jun is Vice President, Finance of Kia Motors America (KMA). He joined KMA in April 1993. Jun is primarily responsible for overseeing Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Procurement, Corporate Taxes and Imports, Budget, Cash Management and Retail Financing Liaison. A 13-year automotive veteran, he came to KMA from KPMG, an international accounting firm. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UCLA. Born in Seoul, Korea and raised in Southern California, Jun now resides in Cerritos, Calif. with his wife Aeyun (Ann) and two children, Matthew and Elizabeth. In his spare time he enjoys golfing.
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About Kia Motors America: Kia Motors America designs, markets, and sells automobiles.
Abdellah Cherkaoui
Senior Vice President – Government, Automotive & Utilities of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Anne Lukanc
Vice President Sales of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Ross Hatamiya
Vice President of Media Sales of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Mike Schott
Senior Vice President, Sales of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Quentin Archibeck
VP of Media Sales, Western Region of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Lisa (Gulan) Brickson
VP of Media Sales of Volta Charging
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About Volta Charging: Volta Charging designs, installs, and maintains a network of electric vehicle charging stations.
Erica Krauss
SR VP Media & Public Relations of Project Overlord
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About Project Overlord: Project Overlord, specializing in the creation & design of Technology designed to eliminate wheel theft on various vehicle types globally
Kevin Gray
SR VP Sales of Project Overlord
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About Project Overlord: Project Overlord, specializing in the creation & design of Technology designed to eliminate wheel theft on various vehicle types globally
James Hunt Jr III
SR VP Legal of Project Overlord
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About Project Overlord: Project Overlord, specializing in the creation & design of Technology designed to eliminate wheel theft on various vehicle types globally
Linda Peterson
SR VP Customer Relations of Project Overlord
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About Project Overlord: Project Overlord, specializing in the creation & design of Technology designed to eliminate wheel theft on various vehicle types globally
James Gouin
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tower International
James Gouin has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since November 1, 2007. Prior to joining us, Mr. Gouin served in 2007 as a senior managing director of the corporate financial practice of FTI Consulting, Inc., a business advisory firm. Prior to joining FTI, Mr. Gouin spent 28 years at Ford Motor Company in a variety of senior positions, including as the Vice President, Finance and Global Corporate Controller from 2003 to 2006 and as the Vice President of Finance, Strategy and Business Development of Ford Motor Company’s International Operations from 2006 to 2007.
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About Tower International: Tower International is a leading integrated global manufacturer of engineered structural metal components and assemblies.
Jeff Shaw
Executive Vice President of Store Operations & Sales of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Jeff Shaw, Executive Vice President of Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1990. Jeff’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations, Sales, Real Estate, Human Resources, Training, Jobber Sales, and Acquisitions. Jeff’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Vice President of the Southern Division, Vice President of Sales and Operations, and Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations. Jeff has held the position of Executive Vice President of Store Operations and Sales since 2013.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Jeffrey Groves
Senior Vice President of Legal & General Counsel of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Jeffrey Groves, Senior Vice President of Legal and General Counsel, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2005. Jeffrey’s primary areas of responsibility are Corporate Governance, Regulatory Matters, Internal Audit, Uninsured Litigation, Labor and Employment, and Real Estate and Intellectual Property. Jeffrey’s O’Reilly career began as Director of Legal and Claim Services and progressed through the roles of Director of Legal and Claim Services and General Counsel, and Vice President of Legal and Claim Services and General Counsel. Prior to joining O’Reilly, Jeffrey worked in a private civil defense trial practice. Jeffrey has held the position of Senior Vice President of Legal and General Counsel since 2016.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Larry Ellis
Senior Vice President of Distribution of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Larry Ellis, Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2008 when the company purchased CSK Auto Corporation. Larry began his career on the shipping docks with Fleenor’s Auto in Indiana. At O’Reilly, Larry’s primary areas of responsibility are Distribution Operations and Logistics. Larry’s career began as a distribution center team member and progressed through the roles of Distribution Center Supervisor, Distribution Center Manager, Director of Distribution Operations, Vice President of Logistics, Senior Vice President of Distribution and Logistics with CSK, Vice President of Western Division Distribution Operations, and Vice President of Distribution Operations with O’Reilly. Larry has held the position of Senior Vice President of Distribution Operations since 2014.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Jeff Lauro
Senior Vice President of Information Systems of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Jeff Lauro, Senior Vice President of Information Systems, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2015 and has held his position as Senior Vice President of Information Systems since that time. Jeff’s primary area of responsibility is Information Systems. Prior to joining O’Reilly, Jeff held the position of Chief Information Officer for Payless ShoeSource, with direct responsibility for Solution Delivery, Infrastructure and Operations, and Enterprise Architecture. Prior to joining Payless, Jeff was the Vice President, Global Information Technology Service Delivery Director for The TJX Companies, Inc., with direct responsibility for Global Information Technology Service Management, Operations, Implementation and Disaster Recovery.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Brad Beckham
Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations & Sales of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Brad Beckham, Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1996. Brad’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly’s Central Operations. Brad’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Vice President, and Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales. Brad has held the position of Senior Vice President of Central Store Operations and Sales since 2014.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Scott Kraus
Senior Vice President of Real Estate & Expansion of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Scott Kraus, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Expansion, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1999. Scott’s primary areas of responsibility are Real Estate Expansion and Acquisitions. Scott’s O’Reilly career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Field Sales Manager, Regional Manager, Divisional Vice President, and Vice President of Real Estate. Scott has held the position of Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Expansion since 2016.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Keith Childers
Senior Vice President of Western Store Operations & Sales of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Keith Childers, Senior Vice President of Western Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2000 when the company purchased KarPro. Keith’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly’s Western Operations. Keith’s career began as a Parts Specialist and progressed through the roles of Store Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Vice President of CSK Store Operations Integration, and Vice President of Western Store Operations and Sales. Keith has held the position of Senior Vice President of Western Store Operations and Sales since 2014.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Robert Dumas
Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations & Sales of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Robert Dumas, Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2001 when the company purchased Mid-State. Robert’s primary areas of responsibility are Store Operations and Sales for O’Reilly’s Eastern Operations. Robert’s career started as a parts specialist and progressed to assistant store manager, installer service specialist, night manager, associate manager, store manager, district manager, regional manager, and divisional vice president. Robert has held the position of Senior Vice President of Eastern Store Operations and Sales since 2016.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
David Wilbanks
Senior Vice President of Merchandise of O’Reilly Auto Parts
David Wilbanks, Senior Vice President of Merchandise, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 2012. David’s primary areas of responsibility are Merchandise and Pricing. David has been in the auto parts industry since 1989. Prior to O’Reilly, David worked at AutoZone for 13 years in a variety of Merchandise roles, most recently as Director of Merchandise. He began his O’Reilly career as Vice President of Merchandise for hard parts. David has held the position of Senior Vice President of Merchandise since 2016.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Randy Johnson
Senior Vice President of Inventory Management of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Randy Johnson, Senior Vice President of Inventory Management has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1973. Randy’s primary areas of responsibility are Inventory Management, Purchasing, Logistics, and Store Design. Randy’s O’Reilly career began as a distribution center team member and progressed through the roles of Customer Service Manager, Inventory Control Manager, Director of Store Inventory Management, and Vice President of Store Inventory Management. Randy has held the position of Senior Vice President of Inventory Management since 2010.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Tony Bartholomew
Senior Vice President of Professional Sales of O’Reilly Auto Parts
Tony Bartholomew, Senior Vice President of Professional Sales, has been an O’Reilly Team Member since 1982. Tony’s primary area of responsibility is Professional Sales. Tony’s O’Reilly career began as a Delivery Specialist and progressed through the roles of Parts Specialist, Assistant Manager, Night Manager, Merchandising Set Up Crew Supervisor, Equipment Sales Manager, Regional Field Sales Manager, Director of Southern Division Sales, and Vice President of Professional Sales. Tony has held the position of Senior Vice President of Professional Sales since 2013.
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About O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Automotive, Inc. is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories.
Scott Frank
Vice President of Marketing of Airbiquity
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About Airbiquity: Airbiquity designs, operates and manages telematics connectivity infrastructure.
Rainer Jueckstock
Executive Vice President Tenneco and President Federal Mogul Powertrain. of Federal Mogul
Rainer Jueckstock is Co-Chairman of the Board and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Federal-Mogul LLC, and Chief Executive Officer, Federal-Mogul Powertrain. Jueckstock has more than two decades in leadership positions with Federal-Mogul’s global operations. Prior to assuming his current position, Jueckstock was Senior Vice President, Powertrain Energy, a member of the Strategy Board and an officer of Federal-Mogul Corporation. Jueckstock joined Federal-Mogul in 1990 and has held several operations, sales and finance leadership roles within the Company, including Senior Vice President, Global Powertrain Operations, where he was responsible for all manufacturing locations and related activities worldwide. He was also Senior Vice President, Pistons, Rings and Liners; Vice President, Rings and Liners; Operations Director, Piston Rings, Europe; and Managing Director of the company’s operations in Friedberg, Germany. Previously, Jueckstock was Sales Director for Rings and Liners, Europe; Finance Controller in Rings, Europe; and Finance Manager in Dresden, Germany. Prior to joining Federal-Mogul, Jueckstock was a member of the German Military. He earned a degree in engineering from the Military College at Zittau, Germany. Jueckstock has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Plexus since 2013.
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About Federal Mogul: Federal-Mogul is an developer, manufacturer and supplier of powertrain components and vehicle safety products.
Mark Spain
VP Automotive of Vinli
For the past 20+ years, Mark has lead marketing, product and business teams at Microsoft, Verizon, Visteon and now Vinli. Over this time, his business cards have included titles such as Managing Director, Sr. Director of Business Groups, Technology Director and Chief of Staff. Mark’s unique complement of software, mobile network and automotive industry expertise combine as an industry leader advancing the fast growing automotive in-vehicle connected car, IoT and infotainment opportunities.
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About Vinli: Vinli is a universal car-to-cloud data computing platform that turns any car into a connected car.
Greg Aker
VP of Technology of Vinli
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About Vinli: Vinli is a universal car-to-cloud data computing platform that turns any car into a connected car.
Randy Reibel
Vice President LIDAR of Aurora
Randy Reibel is the Vice President LIDAR of Aurora.
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About Aurora: Aurora is a self-driving vehicle company providing a platform that brings software and data services to operate passenger vehicles.
Jinnah Hosein
Vice President of Software Engineering of Aurora
Jinnah Hosein leads his own software engineering team in a VP role. Bringing on Hosein is a huge move for Aurora, which will now have some additional senior leadership taken to help direct and organize its growing engineering team, according to Aurora co-founder Chris Urmson . Hosein’s background includes his time as VP of Software Engineering at SpaceX, where he spent the past four years and oversaw projects including the recent successful Falcon Heavy launch. Before that, he was Director of Software Engineering at Google working on Google Cloud, site reliability and other software projects.
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About Aurora: Aurora is a self-driving vehicle company providing a platform that brings software and data services to operate passenger vehicles.
Vicky Sagehorn
VP of Finance & Operations of LISNR
Vicky Sagehorn is the VP of Finance & Operations at LISNR.
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About LISNR: LISNR enables secure and seamless data transmission using the most advanced ultrasonic data technology
Jake Engwerda
SVP Global Sales & Partnerships of LISNR
Jacob Engwerda is the SVP Global Sales & Partnerships at LISNR.
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About LISNR: LISNR enables secure and seamless data transmission using the most advanced ultrasonic data technology
Craig Clayton
Vice President of Information Technology of Acertus
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About Acertus: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
Jeremy Cope
Executive Vice President of Logistics Operations & Strategy of Acertus
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About Acertus, Acertus: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
David R. Larson
Executive Vice President of Business Development & Sales Partner of Acertus
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About Acertus, JMN Logistics & Transportation: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
Melissa Trautman
Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Integration of Acertus
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About Acertus: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
Bob Brinson
Vice President of Finance of Acertus
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About Acertus: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
Adam Laura
VP & Director of Business Development of Acertus
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About Acertus: Acertus operates as an automotive logistics company, providing unparalleled service and visibility into the transportation process.
James R. Druzbik
Vice President, Information Systems of Group 1 Automotive
James R. Druzbik has served as Group 1’s Vice President of Information Systems since November 2006. Since joining the Company in September 1999, he held the positions of Director of Information Systems from November 2002 – November 2006 and e-Commerce Manager from September 1999 – November 2002. Prior to joining Group 1, Druzbik served in various management , sales, operating and information systems roles with both Dealer Solutions and an automotive dealership. He earned a bachelors degree from the University of Houston.
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About Group 1 Automotive: Group 1 Automotive owns and operates about 130 franchises at approximately 100 dealerships, as well as about 25 collision service centers
Peter C. DeLongchamps
Senior Vice President of Group 1 Automotive
Peter C. DeLongchamps has served as Group 1’s Vice President, Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public Affairs since January 2012. He previously served as Group 1’s Vice President, Manufacturer Relations and Public Affairs from January 2006 through December 2011, and as Vice President, Manufacturer Relations from July 2004 through December 2005. Mr. DeLongchamps began his automotive retailing career in 1980, having served as District Manager for General Motors Corporation and Regional Operations Manager for BMW of North America, as well as various other management positions in the automotive industry. Immediately prior to joining Group 1 in 2004, he was President of Advantage BMW, a Houston-based automotive retailer. Mr. DeLongchamps also serves on the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas.
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About Group 1 Automotive: Group 1 Automotive owns and operates about 130 franchises at approximately 100 dealerships, as well as about 25 collision service centers
John C. Rickel
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Group 1 Automotive
John C. Rickel was appointed Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in December 2005. From 1984 until joining Group 1, Mr. Rickel held a number of executive and managerial positions of increasing responsibility with Ford Motor Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of cars, trucks and automotive parts. He most recently served as Controller, Ford Americas, where he was responsible for the financial management of Ford’s western hemisphere automotive operations. Immediately prior to that, he was Chief Financial Officer of Ford Europe, where he oversaw all accounting, financial planning, information services, tax and investor relations activities. From 2002 to 2004, Mr. Rickel was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Russia, and a member of the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of Ford Otosan, a publicly traded automotive company located in Turkey and owned 41% by Ford.
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About Group 1 Automotive: Group 1 Automotive owns and operates about 130 franchises at approximately 100 dealerships, as well as about 25 collision service centers
Frank Grese Jr.
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Training, and Operations Support of Group 1 Automotive
Frank Grese Jr. was appointed the Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Training, and Operations Support in February 2016. Previously, he served as a Regional Vice President since January 2006 and served as the Platform President of Group 1 Atlanta from December 2004 – December 2005. After graduating from the University of Georgia, he began his automotive career in the Ford Management Training Program in 1974. Following Ford, he joined Nissan where he ultimately held the position of National Dealer Advertising Manager. In 1986, Grese left the manufacturer side of the business and began working in various executive positions, including chief operating officer and district president, with large public and private dealer groups. He last served as Director of Dealership Operations, working extensively with underperforming stores, for a large private dealer group
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About Group 1 Automotive: Group 1 Automotive owns and operates about 130 franchises at approximately 100 dealerships, as well as about 25 collision service centers
Ronald W. Barnhill
Vice President – Taxes of Group 1 Automotive
Ronald W. Barnhill has served as Group 1’s Vice President – Taxes since January 2011. He previously held the position of Director of Taxation from March 2005 – January 2011. Prior to joining Group 1, Barnhill served as Director of Tax Reporting and Compliance for Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation. He previously worked for 13 years with the Tax Department of the public accounting firm KPMG, LLC. He is a Certified Public Accountant.
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About Group 1 Automotive: Group 1 Automotive owns and operates about 130 franchises at approximately 100 dealerships, as well as about 25 collision service centers
Russell Bradley
Executive VP of Sales of Metaldyne Performance Group
Russell Bradley was named our Executive Vice President of Sales at Metaldyne Performance Group (MPG) in December 2015. He previously held the Executive Vice President of Sales position for HHI Holdings. Russell Bradley brings more than 25 years of sales and executive management experience to MPG. He began his career at Jernberg Industries in 1989 as a Sales Engineer, joining HHI Holdings during its acquisition of Jernberg Industries in 2005. As a member of the HHI executive team, Russ was deeply involved in building quality long-term relationships and driving both acquisitions and organic growth strategies that grew the company to the leading manufacturer of highly engineered, safety-critical forged components in North America. Russell Bradley is a highly accomplished sales professional who has led all five of HHI’s divisions through turnarounds, integration and growth modes. Russell Bradley holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Elmhurst College.
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About Metaldyne Performance Group: Metaldyne Performance Group provides diverse metal-forming and advanced machining and assembly
David Gann
Vice President of Investor Relations and Communications of Metaldyne Performance Group
David Gann was named our Vice President of Investor Relations and Communications in April 2016. He previously held the Director of Finance position for Metaldyne with responsibility for leading all finance and accounting activities. David Gann has been with the company and predecessor companies for over 14 years assisting the organization with their strategic growth and corporate development initiatives. He has held various financial positions focusing on cost reductions and cash flow improvements. He has also executed numerous assignments connected to the company’s growth strategy, investment opportunities, acquisitions, divestitures, turn-around restructuring and recapitalization activities. Prior to joining Metaldyne he worked for Arthur Andersen, LLP. David Gann holds a B.S. degree in Accounting from Michigan State University.
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About Metaldyne Performance Group, United Road Services: Metaldyne Performance Group provides diverse metal-forming and advanced machining and assembly
Mike Welch
Co-Founded Senior Vice President & Executive Officer of Texas Direct Auto
Earned Degree in Computer Science from Stephen F. Austin State University. Started career in 1994 as a Programmer with American General writing applications for the insurance industry. In 1996, joined Exxon-Mobile’s litigation department developing software used in multi-billion dollar litigation. Went on to co-found Medianet, a software company that specialized in writing billing engines for deregulated energy markets. In 2002, co-founded Texas Direct Auto, taking it from a small 2 person start-up to the largest independent dealership in the nation with over $3 Billion in total revenues.
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About Texas Direct Auto: With over $500M in annual sales, Texas Direct is the largest independent dealership in the nation and is the largest online Dealership.
Junli Gu
Vice President of Autonomous Driving of Xpeng Motors
Dr. Junli Gu is VP of Autonomous Driving at XMotors.ai, where she leads the efforts to build the self-driving solution on XMotors’ own massive production of electric cars. Before she joined Xmotors, Dr. Gu was lead for machine learning at Tesla Motors and developed key components of Tesla’s Autopilot 2.0.
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About Xpeng Motors: Xiaopeng Motors is an electric vehicle and technology company that designs and manufactures smart cars.
William T. Giles
CFO and Executive VP – Finance, Information Technology and ALLDATA, Customer Satisfaction of AutoZone
William T. Giles was named Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President – Finance, Information Technology and ALLDATA during October 2012. Prior to that, he was Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President – Finance, Information Technology and Store Development from fiscal 2007 to October 2012, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from June 2006 to December 2006, and Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer since May 2006. From 1991 to May 2006, he held several positions with Linens N’ Things, Inc., most recently as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to 1991, he was with Melville, Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
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About AutoZone: AutoZone retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories.
Chris McNamara
VP of Marketing of Renovo Auto
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About Renovo Auto: Renovo builds AWare the software platform for autonomous vehicles
Hak Cheol Shin
Vice Chair & Excutive Vice President , R&D, Supply Chain, BT & IT, Business Development of 3M
Hak Cheol Shin is the Chief Executive Officer at LG Chem.
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About 3M, LG Chem: 3M operates as a diversified technology company, manufacturing more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, laminates, and many more.
Ivan K. Fong
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of 3M
Mr. Ivan K. Fong has been Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel at 3M Company since October 15, 2012. Mr. Fong served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he was responsible for advising DHS’s senior leadership on all significant legal, policy, and operational issues and leading over 1,800 lawyers. Prior to joining DHS in 2009, Mr. Fong served as the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Cardinal Health, Inc. from November 1, 2005 to May 2009 and served as its Executive Vice President since November 1, 2005. Previously, Mr. Fong served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for General Electric’s Vendor Financial Services business, where he managed a wide range of litigation, compliance and public policy matters. Prior to joining GE in 2000, Mr. Fong served as deputy associate attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University and was a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling. Mr. Fong also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Sandra Day O’Connor of the U.S. Supreme Court. He served as President of the Stanford Law Review. Mr. Fong was a Fulbright Scholar at Oxford University, earned his Law degree from Stanford University and holds S.B. in chemical engineering and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was editorial chairman of MIT’s student newspaper.
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About 3M, 3M New Ventures: 3M operates as a diversified technology company, manufacturing more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, laminates, and many more.
Karen Carroll
Vice President and General Auditor of 3M
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About 3M: 3M operates as a diversified technology company, manufacturing more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, laminates, and many more.
Sarah Grauze
Vice President – Corporate Treasurer of 3M
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About 3M: 3M operates as a diversified technology company, manufacturing more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, laminates, and many more.
John Banovetz
Senior Vice President for Innovation and Stewardship and Chief Technology Officer of 3M
As chief technology officer and senior vice president of research and development, Dr. John Banovetz leads more than 8,000 scientists who connect 3M’s 46 technology platforms to solve the real-world needs of customers around the world. In this role, he leverages his many years of experience as both a technology and business leader. John came to 3M in 1995 as a research chemist in the corporate R&D organization, working primarily on acrylic adhesives and tapes. In 2003 he joined McKinsey and Company, and in 2007 rejoined 3M and assumed responsibility for the overall planning and implementation of corporate strategic initiatives. He served in that role until 2012, when he became global business director for 3M’s Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division. Three years later, he was tapped to lead 3M’s corporate research lab. In 2016, John moved to West Europe to serve as Managing Director of 3M’s D-A-CH region, which represents the company’s combined operations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He was appointed 3M’s chief technology officer and senior vice president of research and development in July 2017. In his current position, John remains focused on driving change, challenging the status quo and helping develop the 3M leaders of tomorrow. “Leadership is about serving more than yourself,” he says. “It’s about creating an environment that unlocks the full potential of teams and individuals and, as a result, achieves even higher performance and more engaged employees.” John has a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Stanford University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Hamline University. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and still lives in the same neighborhood he grew up in. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, as well as a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, biking and fishing.
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About 3M: 3M operates as a diversified technology company, manufacturing more than 55,000 products, including adhesives, laminates, and many more.
Roberta Gamble
Partner and VP of Frost & Sullivan
Roberta Gamble has over 17 years expertise consulting Global 1000 companies on market entry and expansion strategy, brand and demand, geographical expansion strategies and new market entry. She oversees a team of analysts and consultants with expertise across the energy and environment value chain, including oil & gas, power generation, power grids, energy storage, buildings, and water infrastructure. Her own research and expertise has focused on: •Thee convergence of IT and OT across oil & gas and power •Digital transformation of power grid and manufacturing •Smarter cities Roberta has headlined numerous key industry events and has been quoted and interviewed in national publications including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and NPR. She is a Partner and Vice President at Frost & Sullivan, and Global Business Unit Leader for the Energy and Environment team, which has over 100 analysts and consultants worldwide covering global energy, environment and infrastructure markets.
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About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.
Alpa Shah
Global VP, ICT Research of Frost & Sullivan
Alpa Shah has been managing research and consulting projects at Frost & Sullivan for over six years. She oversees the development process of several market service teams – including areas such as Conferencing, Contact Center/CRM & Communications Infrastructure – to ensure timely delivery of high-quality materials. As a manager of these teams, Ms. Shah is also responsible for ensuring the success of projects undertaken. Ms. Shah is also involved in annual and quarterly business planning, from which goals and strategies are designed for the growth of all three teams. Throughout the years, Ms. Shah has been involved in various consulting projects involving unified messaging, conferencing, premises wiring, speech recognition and contact center products. These projects have been strategic in nature as the primary focus was to help clients successfully meet their business goals. Prior to joining Frost and Sullivan, Ms. Shah worked for Smith Barney for 5 years in its accounting division handling incentive compensation plans. In this position she was responsible for the capital accumulation and deferred compensation plans of top management and account executives. Thereafter, she worked as an account executive at Edward Jones. In these positions, Ms. Shah learned much about the operations of a financial company, financial instruments, and sales techniques. Ms. Shah received an MBA in Marketing from Hofstra University and a BS in Accounting from New York University.
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About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.
Kiran Unni
Vice President, Business Unit Leader of Frost & Sullivan
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About Frost & Sullivan, Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.
Melanie Turek
Vice President, Research of Frost & Sullivan
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About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.
Melanie Turek
Vice President, Research of Frost & Sullivan
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About Frost & Sullivan: Frost and Sullivan is a business growth consultation company focused on increasing brand demand.
Joseph Audette
VP, Product of RepairPal
“If everything seems under control, you’re not going fast enough.” – Mario Andretti
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About RepairPal: RepairPal helps car owners find peace-of-mind with free, custom repair estimates, cars overviews, and recommendations to local, fair shops.
Kathleen Long
Vice President / General Manager, Networks (Biz Dev, Marketing, Relationships, Success & Operations) of RepairPal
For the last 16 years, Kathleen Long has provided thousands of practical business, payroll, and accounting solutions to small and medium sized businesses. She delights in helping entrepreneurs and accountants grow their businesses and achieve success, by helping them to streamline, automate and reduce manual work and paper. Kathleen joined Bill.com in July of 2010. Prior to that, Kathleen worked at Intuit and PayCycle, helping to grow and develop what ultimately became the largest online payroll service in the US! In each case, Kathleen built and developed world class, award-winning customer support teams and strategies. Kathleen has also been up close and personal with small businesses and their accountants, working as a business advisor to push her customers’ businesses to the second stage of growth and help them acquire business financing and lines of credit. This work has helped her really develop and absorb the mindset of the businesses she serves. Kathleen has a degree in General Studies and Philosophy from the University of Nevada Reno. She delights in music, theater, movies, reading, writing, laughing (too loud), talking (a lot) and being a kid all over again with her teenage son.
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About RepairPal: RepairPal helps car owners find peace-of-mind with free, custom repair estimates, cars overviews, and recommendations to local, fair shops.
Benjamin Hoffman
VP Strategic Accounts of Aptiv
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About Aptiv: Aptiv is a global technology company that develops safer, greener, and more connected solutions, which enable the future of mobility.
Majdi B. Abulaban
SVP, Group President, Global Electrical & Electronic Architecture Segment of Aptiv
Majdi Abulaban is senior vice president of Delphi and president of Delphi Electrical/Electronic Architecture (E/EA), a position he has held since February 2012. Additionally, as Delphi’s Asia Pacific president, he oversees Asia operations that include Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Australia. Based in Shanghai, Mr. Abulaban began his Delphi career in 1985 as a manufacturing engineer at Delphi’s Warren, Ohio operations. Since then, he has held several assignments within the company, including finance manager, Delphi E/EA China; director, Asia Pacific Operations for the Thermal Systems division and even a North America position as business line executive for cockpits. In July 2002, Mr. Abulaban earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University. He is vice chairman of the Shanghai Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (SAEFI) and a member of the Corporate Advisory Board of Case Western Reserve University’s Institute for Management and Engineering.
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About Aptiv, Superior Industries International, Inc.: Aptiv is a global technology company that develops safer, greener, and more connected solutions, which enable the future of mobility.
Jada Tapley
VP – Advanced Engineering & External Relations of Aptiv
Jada Tapley is vice president – advanced engineering & external relations at Aptiv (formerly Delphi Automotive). Jada is responsible for driving Aptiv’s advanced engineering roadmap in addition to her role in promoting Aptiv’s technology with external stakeholders. Previously, Ms. Tapley was Global Director – Software EOS and Tools at Delphi’s Electronics & Safety (E&S) division. She began her automotive career in 2004 as a software engineer at E&S and following several progressive engineering and managerial roles in infotainment and corporate engineering, was named to her current role in July, 2017. Named one of Automotive News 2017 “Rising Stars”, Ms. Tapley is also charged with leading Aptiv’s Agile transformation, a journey focused on improving quality and efficiency. Ms. Tapley holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University.
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About Aptiv: Aptiv is a global technology company that develops safer, greener, and more connected solutions, which enable the future of mobility.
Henry Li
Vice President of Lucid Motors
Henry Li joined Lucid in 2008, shortly after the company was founded. As Vice President of Business Development, Henry is responsible for business development, funding, and investor relations. Before joining Lucid, Henry was Vice President of HiSoft, a leading software and service company in China, where he was responsible for sales and business development for major accounts customers. Prior to HiSoft, Henry was the General Manager of IP Dynamics, a Silicon Valley security software company, where he built up the Chinese operations from scratch. Henry was also a manager at China Posts and Telecommunication Industry Corporation, where he was responsible for joint ventures and strategic alliances. Henry holds an LL.M. from American University, an LL.B. from China University of Politics and Law, and a B.E. in Engineering Management from the Beijing Institute of Technology.
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About Lucid Motors: Lucid Motors is an automotive company that specializes in electric cars.
Derek Jenkins
Vice President of Design of Lucid Motors
Derek Jenkins is the VP of Design at Lucid. In this role, Derek oversees all design developments, including exterior and interior design, user experience, color and material, accessories, and the overall design strategy. Derek also spearheads Lucid’s brand creative and brand strategy. Before joining Lucid, Derek was the Director of Design at Mazda North America Operations where he oversaw all design developments locally and globally. He was the lead or contributing designer to the 2016 MX-5 Miata, Shinari Concept, CX-5, Mazda6, Mazda3, and the 2017 CX-9. Prior to his tenure with Mazda, Derek spent nine years as the Chief Designer for Volkswagen North America, credited with the Scirocco concept, Ragster, Microbus concept, Concept T, and more. Prior to Volkswagen, Derek spent eight years with Audi, serving first as Lead Exterior Designer, followed by Assistant Chief Designer for Audi Design. He was the principal exterior designer of the A2 concept and production cars, as well as the 2002 Audi A8. Derek holds a B.S. from the Art Center College of Design in Transportation Design.
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About Lucid Motors: Lucid Motors is an automotive company that specializes in electric cars.
Gene Welsh
Senior Vice President of Holman Automotive
Gene has been with ARI for 28 years and most recently held the position of Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. During his tenure, he has also held various positions in sales management, operations, customer service, and finance. Gene has been instrumental in building strong and long lasting relationships with our clients and business partners and has had a direct impact on ARI’s growth and success.
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About Holman Automotive: Holman Automotive is an automotive services company.
Frank Cardile
Vice President of Holman Automotive
Frank joined ARI in 1983 and held management positions in sales until 1989 before being promoted to director fleet management services. He advanced to vice president of operations in 1999 and then to senior vice president of operations and client relations in 2004. Frank began oversight of Auto Truck operations in 2010 while still serving as ARI senior vice president of operations. He transitioned to his current dedicated role with Auto Truck in 2013. Mr. Cardile attended Trenton State College.
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About Holman Automotive: Holman Automotive is an automotive services company.
