KAR Auction Services, Inc. disclosed that Don Gottwald will fill the newly created position of KAR chief operating officer.
The creation of this new role will enable KAR to achieve even greater collaboration across its core business units and align the company in order to best serve the needs of its customers.
Gottwald has served as chief executive officer of Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC), a subsidiary of KAR Auction Services, since 2009.
As COO, Gottwald will have responsibility for all KAR business units and related subsidiaries, including ADESA, Insurance Auto Auctions and AFC. He will also oversee all support functions, such as human resources, corporate development, enterprise optimization and client services.
KAR chief executive officer James Hallett will focus on and influence the future of KAR and the automotive remarketing industry. In addition, he will enhance relationships with customers from all of KAR’s business segments. Hallett will also identify and lead the company’s strategic growth and innovation initiatives.
Gottwald will direct the strategic and operational leadership of these businesses as well as long-term alignment and integration enterprise wide. He will continue to report to Hallett.
Hammer was promoted to AFC chief executive officer and president.
Following a well-executed succession plan, John Hammer will assume the role of chief executive officer and president of AFC. He was promoted to AFC president and chief operating officer in 2013 and first joined the company in 2009 as chief operating officer. Hammer will continue to report to Gottwald.
Prior to AFC, Hammer held senior management roles for more than a decade at various subsidiaries of GMAC Financial Services. He has also served as a general manager at AutoNation and held a management role at Mercedes Benz Credit Corp. Hammer has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry.
Published in the May 2014 Edition of American Recycler News
