MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., March 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Holman Automotive Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has named Melinda "Mindy" K. Holman Chairman of the Board, with Carl A. Ortell to assume the role of CEO and Brian R. Bates to assume the role of COO and CFO of Holman Automotive. The organization's long-time Chairman, Joseph Holman, will assume the role of Chairman Emeritus, serving as a mentor and offering counsel to the Holman board and executive team, while Chris Conroy will take on the role of Executive Vice President, Holman and President of ARI and Bill Cariss will serve as Executive Vice President, Holman and President of Retail Operations.
"This is both very exciting and a very natural progression for the Holman organization, which has grown significantly since the company was founded by my grandfather Steward Holman more than 90 years ago," said Mindy Holman. "This change in leadership will allow us to leverage our talent, resources and knowledge across all of our lines of business which in turn will allow us to become an even more flexible and dynamic organization." She emphasized that the core principles upon which the business was founded – hiring and empowering the best, most talented individuals; providing exceptional customer service; and giving back to the communities that support Holman's success – continue to guide the business and its leadership.
"I am tremendously honored to be asked to serve as CEO of Holman Automotive," said Carl Ortell. "Holman is comprised of four unique automotive businesses, all of which provide critical, industry-leading products and services but which also complement each other incredibly well. We also have the best people – professionals who are incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated to providing our clients with exceptional customer service. We are well positioned to draw upon our strengths in order to pursue new opportunities and continue to grow and expand. Our future will be about building a one-business mindset that serves consumers, businesses, governments and other entities in various markets, industries, countries and regions."
A 29-year employee of Holman, Ortell has been the President of ARI since 2010. Ortell has led the company through turbulent economic times while continuing to grow the business, expanding to new global markets, and most notably, building on the culture of learning and employee development that put ARI on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list three years in a row.
Bates has held numerous leadership positions throughout the Holman organization during his 26-year tenure. Most recently as CFO for Holman and ARI, Bates has been the catalyst for consolidation and cooperation between several lines of business. In his new role as COO and CFO, he will expand this initiative and work closely with Ortell and the executive team to capitalize on opportunities that bring the greatest value to the entire Holman organization.
New appointments have been made across the organization as well. Chris Conroy has been appointed to serve as Executive Vice President, Holman and President of ARI and Bill Cariss has been appointed to serve as Executive Vice President, Holman and President of Retail Operations.
Conroy joined ARI in 1994. During his 21 years of service to Holman, he has held a number of leadership positions at ARI in Canada and the United States. Most recently, he was Executive Vice-President, Global Operations and oversaw ARI's successful expansion into Europe. Conroy also led ARI's most recent strategic planning initiative resulting in a focused approach to growth and service delivery through 2020.
After beginning his career at ARI in 1984, Cariss transitioned to the dealership side of the business in 1996 and became Vice President of Dealership Operations in 2000. He is the architect of the company's current dealership network, having led the diversification and growth strategy of Holman's retail operations. He also championed the expansion of Steward Financial Services, the organization's retail finance company. Today, due in large part to Cariss' leadership, Holman is recognized as an innovative and premier retail automotive organization.
Additionally, the following appointments have been made:
- Frank Cardile has been appointed to the newly created role of Group Vice President, Holman Automotive. Cardile will continue to be responsible for Holman's manufacturing business at Auto Truck Group. Cardile joined ARI in 1983, serving in a variety of leadership positions including Senior Vice President of Operations. In 2013, Cardile transitioned to his current leadership role with Auto Truck.
- Anne Williams has also been appointed to the role of Group Vice President, Holman Automotive and will continue to serve as President of RMP Powertrain Solutions. Since joining the organization in 1989, Williams has served at several different Holman retail locations in a variety management positions including General Manager of Holman Toyota-Scion. During her tenure there, the dealership was awarded the prestigious Toyota President's Award for outstanding achievement by Toyota Motor Sales. She became President of RMP in February of 2014.
- Bob White has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of ARI. White has been with ARI since 1989, serving in a variety of operational leadership roles. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, Fleet Management. Mr. White has been a key contributor to the development of in-house technologies, processes, and designs that have allowed ARI's operations to deliver superior service and client savings.
- Glenn Gardner has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer of Holman's Retail Operations. Gardner worked for Curtis Circulation and Amerigas Corporation prior to joining the company in 1983. During his tenure, Mr. Gardner has served as Assistant Controller, Controller, and General Manager at various Holman dealerships. He was promoted to the position of Vice President of Southern Dealership Operations in 2002.
About Holman Automotive Group, Inc.
Founded in 1924 by Steward Holman, the Holman Automotive Group, Inc. comprises more than 25 different operating companies, including dealerships serving Southern New Jersey, the Philadelphia metro region, and Southern Florida; a retail finance company; a parts distributorship; truck up-fitting operations; and, the largest privately-owned fleet leasing and management business in North America. Now into the third generation of family leadership, Holman Automotive remains committed to providing the industry's best automotive related services and to the ideals upon which the company was founded: provide exceptional customer service to our customers, support and develop our employees, and give back to the communities that support our success.
About ARI®
ARI, part of the Holman Automotive Group, is a global vehicle fleet management organization that delivers customized solutions that help streamline a company's operations and improve its bottom line. Our more than 2,800 industry-leading professionals combine strategic insight, optimal lifecycle analysis, sustainable fleet practices, best-in-class service and high-powered technology to drive efficiencies up and costs down, uncovering as much value as your fleet can deliver. With offices in North America, the UK, Europe and Hong Kong, ARI seeks to collaborate with its clients and understand their unique business needs in order to transform their fleets into key assets that spark growth and support a company's success. Founded in 1948, ARI is a recognized leader in the industry, managing more than one million vehicles in North America, the UK and Europe, and together with its strategic partners more than two million vehicles worldwide. ARI was recognized in 2013, 2014 and 2015 as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune magazine and is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Learn more at www.arifleet.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.