AutoNation Hires Richard Lennox as New CMO

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05/01/2023 - 08:00 AM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), America's most admired automotive retailer, announced Richard Lennox as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective May 15, 2023. In his new role, Mr. Lennox will drive the brand's growth to meet the transportation needs of its 11 million Customers and their households. He will report to CEO Mike Manley and serve as a member of the leadership team, overseeing brand, marketing, and creative.

"Rich is an inspiring leader and accomplished marketer with proven experience guiding brands through transformation. He leads transformational change to build sophisticated smart data-driven marketing models, increasing the productivity of marketing investment," said CEO Mike Manley. "With our goal of becoming the nation's most comprehensive transportation solutions provider Rich's expertise will help extend our brand and leverage our scale as we grow to meet the transportation need of our existing 11 million Customers and their households and new Customers that join the AutoNation family."

Mr. Lennox most recently served as Chief Customer & Brand Officer at Macy's. He oversaw consumer franchise and marketing strategies to drive growth and transformation. Prior to Macy's, Mr. Lennox served as Chief Marketing Officer at Toys R Us and Zales. He is an award-winning brand and marketing expert with 30 years of experience and a track record of successful business turnarounds and increased shareholder value. He drives growth, leads transformational change, and develops consumer-led strategies that build innovative solutions to complex business challenges.

"As a car enthusiast, I am excited to join AutoNation, a company that has built a brand and reputation as one of America's most admired companies," said Mr. Lennox. "I'm inspired by the Company's consumer-centric and innovative approach to personalized transportation solutions now and in the future."

Marc Cannon will transition into a new role focused on corporate responsibility, encompassing AutoNation's DRVPNK activities, and will retire at the end of the year.

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.