Personnel Roundup: Cox Automotive, Guidepoint Systems, IntelliShift, & Merchants Fleet

Various companies in the commercial fleet space are making personnel moves. Automotive Fleet has a roundup of recent hiring and promotion announcements, including:

• Alan Lang Named SVP of Physical Services & Auctions at Cox Automotive
• Jimmy Thompson Named SVP of Sales at Guidepoint Systems
• Kerynn Holtzman Appointed Chief Experience Officer at IntelliShift
• Adam Rowell Named Regional Sales Manager for Merchants Fleet’s Northeastern Region Truck Rental Division

Alan Lang Named SVP of Physical Services & Auctions at Cox Automotive

Cox Automotive has named Alan Lang senior vice president of Physical Services and Auctions at Inventory Solutions. He will be responsible for guiding the reimagination of auction operations, processes and vehicle services.

Lang replaces Patrick Brennan who moved to Cox Automotive Mobility Solutions last year.

“Alan brings nearly two decades of experience to this position with deep knowledge in operations, finance, relationship building and creating high performance teams,” said Grace Huang, president, Inventory Solutions at Cox Automotive. “Alan’s ability to deliver on company and client goals will position Cox Automotive, Inventory Solutions and Manheim to continue leading our industry.”

Lang joined Cox Automotive in 2016 as Manheim divisional vice president. He was responsible for leading the development and execution of strategies to increase market share, revenue and client satisfaction for Manheim’s physical and digital marketplaces.

Prior to this role, he served as senior vice president, operations and business development at NextGear Capital (formerly Dealer Services Corporation) where he oversaw the daily operations of a $1.9 billion portfolio.

Key areas that present the greatest opportunities for Cox Automotive and its clients include making the digital buying experience as good as seeing it in person; providing real-time, actionable data to help clients make more informed buying and selling decisions; and maintaining core services while preparing for EV growth.

Lang will lead Manheim employees and cross functional leaders with a focus on these opportunities and delivering high-quality vehicle services, operational excellence and greater efficiencies that benefit clients. 

Jimmy Thompson Named SVP of Sales at Guidepoint Systems

Guidepoint Systems announced it has hired Jimmy Thompson as its new Senior Vice President of Sales.

Thompson previously worked as a sales executive with Guidepoint for seven years. He specializes in key account management, leading national sales teams, and growing revenue with a customer-centric approach. 

“I’m thrilled to rejoin Guidepoint Systems and I look forward to helping the company grow its market share through innovative products and outstanding client service,” Thompson said. “The demand for automotive telematics is ever-growing and Guidepoint is uniquely positioned to deliver the data services OEMs, dealers, fleet managers, and rental car companies desire. It’s great to be part of Guidepoint during this time of transition in the automotive data industry.”

In his role, Thompson will predominantly drive sales effectiveness across North America as well as support the go to market strategy for new and used car dealerships.

He will also oversee the launch of new maintenance and service retention-driven products for dealerships, while growing relationships with auto manufacturers.

“We’re pleased to welcome Jimmy back to the Guidepoint family,” said Samuel Spencer, President and CEO of Guidepoint. “His experience in sales, strategy and business leadership will complement our strong sales team and help us deliver world-class service to our most important customers, automotive dealers.”

Kerynn Holtzman Appointed Chief Experience Officer at IntelliShift

IntelliShift recently announced the appointment of Kerynn Holtzman as its new Chief Experience Officer (CXO), effective immediately. As a part of the executive leadership team, Holtzman is focusing her efforts on providing IntelliShift customers a positive experience. 

Holtzman will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the customer experience at IntelliShift. This includes developing and implementing strategies to improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. 

“Delivering an exceptional customer experience is at the heart of what we do at IntelliShift and we are thrilled to welcome Kerynn to our leadership team,” IntelliShift CEO Henry Popplewell said. “The new CXO role, combined with Kerynn’s extensive experience and commitment to customer success make her a perfect fit for this opportunity. IntelliShift offers an industry-leading customer journey and will continue to invest in customer satisfaction under Kerynn’s leadership.”

Holtzman brings over two decades of experience in the telematics, transportation and logistics sectors, having worked with companies like EROAD and SkyBitz. 

“I am beyond delighted to be joining a company and leadership team that not only delivers the best-of-breed and next evolution of solutions for our customers and the markets we serve, but also deeply understands that our success is measured by the successful partnerships we build and foster with our customers,” Holtzman said. “The IntelliShift culture is centered on driving value for our customers, and I look forward to continuing to partner across the organization and customers to evolve the ecosystem that has been well established.”

Adam Rowell Named Regional Sales Manager for Merchants Fleet’s Northeastern Region Truck Rental Division

Merchants Fleet has announced the hire of Adam Rowell as Regional Sales Manager for the Northeastern region of the company’s Truck Rental Division.

“Truck rentals are an important solution for many of our clients who continue to deal with supply chain challenges,” Merchants Fleet VP of Regional Sales Mike Gavio said. “We are thrilled to announce the addition of Adam Rowell to our truck rental team, where his wealth of industry knowledge will provide substantial value to our clients throughout the Northeast region. We look forward to leveraging his expertise to further enhance our truck rental services and drive growth for our clients.”

Prior to joining Merchants, Rowell held numerous sales and business development management roles for Ryder Systems, where he worked to educate clients in leasing solutions and rental strategies.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me to exercise my commitment to excellence with a company renowned for its commitment to service and innovation,” Rowell said. “I look forward to collaborating with our clients to leverage truck rentals as a key component of their smart fleet management strategies.”

Rowell holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Brockport and currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina.