Building America's Largest Automotive Retailer

AutoNation's roots trace back to 1996, when entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizenga invested in a waste management company that later became Ft. Lauderdale, FL.-based Republic Industries, Inc.  Republic Industries would go on to acquire more than 300 new vehicle franchises, becoming the first nationwide auto dealer in the U.S. and the first to go public.  In April 1999, Republic changed its name to "AutoNation, Inc." AutoNation parted with its past as a diversified conglomerate when in September 1999, it hired Mike Jackson as its new Chief Executive Officer.  Today, the Company is the largest, pure-play automotive retail company in America  Together with President and Chief Operating Officer Michael E. Maroone, Chief Financial Officer Michael J. Short and General Counsel Jonathan P. Ferrando, Jackson has created a specialty retail company with a Driven to Be the Best vision for automotive retail.