Press Release Details

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN) today announced the appointment of James D. Evans Jr., 39, as Senior Vice President, Industry Relations, reporting to Michael E. Maroone, President and Chief Operating Officer of AutoNation.

Mr. Evans' appointment is effective immediately. He will direct the Company's relations with its automotive manufacturer partners. Mr. Evans joined AutoNation in 1998, when the Miami-based L.P. Evans Companies -- Mercedes-Benz of Miami; L.P. Evans Motors, Nissan and Fort Lauderdale Nissan, Inc. -- were sold to AutoNation.

Mr. Evans has since served as President of all three dealerships and as Vice President of AutoNation's Automotive Retail Group. In that role, he has worked closely with the Company's Corporate Development and e-Commerce groups. He succeeds John Rizzo, who left AutoNation to pursue other professional interests.

"Jim is a seasoned, third-generation automotive retailer, whom I know well from my days as CEO and President of Mercedes-Benz USA," explained Michael J. Jackson, AutoNation's Chief Executive Officer. "I have always found him to be extremely knowledgeable about the business. He will serve as an excellent liaison for our manufacturer partners."

Mr. Maroone added, "Jim has made important contributions to AutoNation's Automotive Retail Group in the management and planning of our retail network and in the development of our rapidly growing e-Commerce business. His appointment to head-up Industry Relations now gives him even greater opportunity to put his expertise to work for the Company."

Mr. Evans is a previous Board member of the South Florida Auto Dealer Association (SFADA) and serves on the South Florida International Auto Show Committee. He is also a director of the Florida Automobile Dealer Association, serves on the Board of the American International Automobile Dealer Association and is President of the South Florida Mercedes-Benz Dealers, Inc. Advertising Cooperative.

AutoNation, Inc. is America's largest automotive retailer, on and off the web, with more than 400 new vehicle franchises and $20 billion in annual revenue. Led by AutoNationDirect.com, the Company sold more than $1 billion worth of automobiles via the Internet in 1999.