WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — BMW Group Financial Services has appointed Wayne Orchowski as vice president of North America operations and chief operating officer, effective Sept. 1, 2010. His responsibilities include overseeing funding, credit reviews/applications, customer service and relations, commercial financing and collection.

Orchowski will gain leadership of the BMW Group Financial Services Regional Service Center in Hilliard, Ohio. He will report directly to Ed Robinson, president and CEO America’s region for BMW Group Financial Services.

Orchowski has held instrumental roles within the BMW North American organization since 1985. Throughout his 25-year tenure with the company, he has held leadership positions within BMW North America’s headquarters in N.J., as well as within the Central, Eastern and Southern regions.

During his current assignment as head of BMW of North America’s Eastern Region, he diligently led the regional team through the last recession with the most resilient and consistent sales results in the company’s four regions. Orchowski’s increasing managerial responsibilities over the past decade have grown to include the areas of sales, marketing, dealer development and field operations.

“Wayne has been a very successful sales manager in the U.S. with an excellent reputation within the company and our dealer network,” said Robinson. “We look forward to working even closer with him in the future and benefitting from his sales knowledge to continuously improve our customer orientation and dealer satisfaction.”

The Hilliard, Ohio service center is BMW Group Financial Services largest facility in the U.S., with more than 600 employees.