FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc.
(NYSE: AN) today announced the appointment of John M. Zimmerman, 53, as Senior
Vice President, Investor Relations, reporting to Michael J. Jackson, Chief
Executive Officer of AutoNation.
In his new position, Mr. Zimmerman will have full responsibility for all
strategic aspects of the Investor Relations program, including contact with
shareholders, buy and sell-side analysts and institutional investors. John
will serve as a member of the Company's Management Committee, which oversees
policy, management and strategy for all areas of the Company.
Prior to joining AutoNation, Mr. Zimmerman served as Senior Vice
President, Investor Relations for Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE: BBI), where he
participated in the planning and execution of that company's successful IPO in
1999.
Over the course of his career, he has also served as Vice President,
Planning and Investor Relations for Union Texas Petroleum and Controller of
both International Oil & Gas and Hydrocarbon Products Group. He has also
worked as Senior Audit Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers and was a founding
partner in Loewer Zimmerman Sykes, CPAs.
Mr. Zimmerman has a Bachelor's degree in accounting from Indiana
University and is a member of the Senior Roundtable of the National Investor
Relations Institute (NIRI) and the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants.
Mr. Jackson said, "We are very fortunate to have someone with John
Zimmerman's depth of experience and the degree of respect he enjoys from the
financial community. I am sure that our shareholders will welcome him."
AutoNation, Inc. is America's largest automotive retailer, with 408
franchises in 19 states 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. AutoNation is also a Fortune 100 (#63)
company.
SOURCE AutoNation, Inc.