Management

H. Wayne Huizenga, founder of AutoNation retired from the company to focus on his private entrepreneurial activities on May 12, 2004.

Mr. Huizenga and his vision provided the driving force behind the formation and rapid growth of his company. Moreover, it was his recognition that consumers expected and deserved better from automotive retailers that allowed us to set the standard of excellence for the industry. We will always value his guidance and insight.

We are dedicated to continuing his commitment to transform our industry, providing our customers and shareholders the performance they expect from the industry leader.

Michael Manley has served as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors since November 2021. Prior to joining AutoNation, Mr. Manley served as Head of Americas and as a member of the Group Executive Council for Stellantis N.V., one of the largest automotive original equipment manufacturers in the world, from January 2021 until October 2021. From July 2018 until January 2021, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (“FCA”), a predecessor to Stellantis N.V. Mr. Manley joined DaimlerChrysler (a predecessor to FCA) in 2000 and, prior to becoming FCA’s Chief Executive Officer, served in a number of management-level roles with increasing responsibility overseeing various aspects of FCA’s operations, including as Executive Vice President - International Sales & Marketing, Business Development and Global Product Planning Operations, Chief Executive Officer of Jeep, Chief Executive Officer of Ram, Chief Operating Officer for the Asia Pacific region, and FCA Global Executive Council member.

Mr. Manley holds a Master of Business Administration from Ashridge Management College (Ashridge, England) and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Southbank University (London).

Jeffrey W. Butler Jr. has been President of AutoNation Finance since 2022. 

Most recently, Mr. Butler served as President of CIG Financial. Prior to being promoted to President, he opened the East Coast markets in Florida and Georgia and became Vice President of Originations, where he directed day-to-day operations in all areas of production.

Mr. Butler has over 25 years of financial services experience in consumer lending and dealer operations.  Throughout his career, Mr. Butler has worked for both public and private companies varying in size and stages of development. 

Previously Mr. Butler was Central Financial Director, Florida Region at AutoNation. He has also held several positions at Long Beach Acceptance/AmeriCredit as AVP, Regional Sales Manager & AVP, Regional Credit Manager, in addition to working at Cars Unimited Finance.

Mr. Butler also served in the U.S. Navy, holding a special security clearance while working at the National Security Agency.  Mr. Butler has a B.A. in Business Administration.

Gianluca Camplone, has been Chief Operating Officer Precision Parts Business, and Executive Vice President, Head of Mobility, Business Strategy, and Development since March 2022. Mr. Camplone is responsible for overseeing the Company's business strategy, corporate development, and Precision Parts teams.

Mr. Camplone joined AutoNation from McKinsey & Company, where he most recently served as a Senior Partner and leader of the Advanced Industries global practice and the Private Equity Industrial practice in North America. Mr. Camplone orchestrated a company-wide $1 billion digital business building program and has spearheaded a global team on a $200 billion merger in the automotive sector. He has led a major dealer performance transformation at a leading North American commercial vehicle manufacturer. Additionally, Mr. Camplone redesigned the multi-billion dollar used car business and multichannel environment for a global auto manufacturer.

Mr. Camplone holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Bologna – Bologna Business School and a Master's degree in Engineering from the University of Bologna.

Coleman Edmunds has served as our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since April 2017. Mr. Edmunds serves as the Chairman of the company’s Employee Benefits Committee and is a member of the company’s Business Ethics Committee and Risk Review Committee. From October 2007 to March 2017, Mr. Edmunds served as our Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary. Prior to joining AutoNation, Mr. Edmunds was in private practice with the international law firm of Baker McKenzie.

As chief legal advisor for the company, Mr. Edmunds oversees all aspects of AutoNation's legal affairs, including securities law, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, litigation, compliance, manufacturer relations and government relations. He also serves as the Corporate Secretary of the company and the chief legal advisor to the Board of Directors. Mr. Edmunds joined AutoNation in November 1996.

Mr. Edmunds holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia, a law degree from the University of Richmond, and a masters of law degree (taxation) from the University of Miami. Mr. Edmunds currently serves, or has served, on various industry, civic and charitable boards and committees, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the National Automobile Dealers Association, Florida Automobile Dealers Association, the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, and the Orange Bowl Committee.

Lisa Esparza has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer since September 2022. Ms. Esparza is an accomplished global human resources executive with expertise in business partnerships, talent management, organizational effectiveness, diversity, and inclusion, integration and transformation. Most recently, as Chief Human Resources Officer of Essilor North America, Ms. Esparza led all activities for human resources, diversity & inclusion, as well as facilities, and environmental, health & safety.

Prior to that, Ms. Esparza was Chief Human Resources Officer at Par Pacific Holdings, Inc., an oil & gas company with refinery operations, logistics, and retail convenience stores. She was responsible for driving critical HR processes throughout the organization and leveraging HR to accomplish key business objectives, integrate new acquisitions, and implement cultural and organizational change. In addition, Ms. Esparza has held HR leadership roles at Celanese, Flowserve, Ingersoll-Rand and Eaton with global responsibilities.

Ms. Esparza holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Law from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dave Koehler has been Chief Operating Officer, Non-Franchised Business since 2022, overseeing AutoNation USA, AutoNation Auto Auctions, and the AutoNation Collision business. Previously, Mr. Koehler was the Eastern Region President for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Virginia. Prior to being promoted to Region President in 2019, Mr. Koehler held several key positions within AutoNation, including General Manager, Market President and Senior Vice President of Sales. With over 30 years of automotive retail experience, Mr. Koehler has a strong foundation in the automotive business. He has created a culture of engaged Teammates, driven to provide Customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Mr. Koehler is an avid boater and enjoys volunteering at many of the AutoNation cancer-related events from coast-to-coast.

Rich Lennox has been Chief Marketing Officer since May 2023. Mr. Lennox is responsible for overseeing the company’s brand, marketing, and creative.

Rich leads transformational change to build sophisticated smart, data-driven marketing models, increasing the productivity of marketing investment. Most recently, as Chief Customer & Brand Officer at Macy’s, he oversaw consumer franchise and marketing strategies to drive growth and transformation. Rich previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at Toys R Us, Zales, and De Beers.

Rich is an inspiring leader with over 30 years of experience building brands. He is known for his innovation-driven, collaborative style. As a relationship-driven marketing and consumer strategist, he nurtures and develops his teams to deliver results while mentoring the next generation of talent with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  With experience managing marketing budgets of $2B+ and high-performing teams of 1,250 or more, his expertise spans global and international roles in E-commerce, retailing, luxury goods, and consumer-packaged goods.

Rich has cultivated strong partnerships with NBC, Disney, iHeart Media, Hearst, Conde Nast, Google and Facebook. Driving Customer loyalty and offering a rewarding Customer journey, he has delighted consumers through meaningful and engaging experiences, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, for which his team has received four Emmy nominations.

Jeff Parent has been Chief Operating Officer since October 2023. In his role, Jeff oversees AutoNation's day-to-day operations and works as part of the leadership team to execute the company's strategic vision and drive operational excellence.

Previously, Mr. Parent served as President and General Manager at Gulf States Toyota and held senior executive positions at Nissan Canada and Volkswagen of America. Mr. Parent's extensive experience, deep understanding of the automotive industry, and record of innovation and results spans domestic and international markets. He is a proven leader with a track record of success in multiple aspects of automotive business operations.

Mr. Parent serves as Chairman of the Epilepsy Foundation. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from St. Michael's College.

Tom Szlosek has been Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) since August 2023. Mr. Szlosek is responsible for overseeing Accounting, Treasury, Tax, Audit, Business Analysis and Planning, Investor Relations, Finance Operations, Procurement, Risk Management and Real Estate Services.

With more than 30 years of finance leadership experience, Mr. Szlosek served as Chief Financial Officer of two Fortune 500 companies and has experience in many different industries, including medical, technology, and manufacturing. Mr. Szlosek served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Avantor Inc. from 2018 until August 2023. Avantor is involved in providing products and services to biopharma, healthcare, education and government, and advanced technologies and applied materials industries. Mr. Szlosek oversaw Accounting, Business Support, Financial Planning and Analysis, Treasury, M&A, Investor Relations, Internal Audit, and Tax Functions at Avantor. Prior to Avantor, Mr. Szlosek served at Honeywell International in several financial leadership roles, including five years as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, where he helped execute $8 billion in acquisitions.

Mr. Szlosek is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of State University of New York at Geneseo.

Christian Treiber has served as President, After-Sales since January 2023. Mr. Treiber is responsible for overseeing the corporate After-Sales teams and integrating strategic initiatives that align with Company’s After-Sales growth plan.

Mr. Treiber is a seasoned automotive executive with 30 years of experience across varying segments of the automotive industry, including at Mercedes-Benz and Daimler, as well as in a startup environment at Canoo. Mr. Treiber has managed teams of up to 800 employees, multi-billion-dollar budgets, and revenue responsibility while also having first-hand responsibility for building an After-Sales department and the entire digital customer journey from scratch.

Mr. Treiber’s extensive experience in Customer service and operational excellence, combined with a data-driven mindset and focus on people, processes, and communication, has enabled him to develop a track record of success in different roles with increasing responsibility.

Mr. Treiber is driven by the ability to drive change and have a measurable impact. Mr. Treiber holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing and Economics from Verwaltungs- & Wirtschaftsakademie in Essen, Germany.