The Cobalt Group, Inc., a provider of e-business products and services to the automotive industry, has announced that Jeff Danford has joined the company as vice president and general manager of MotorPlace Auto Exchange, Cobalt's wholesale used-vehicle exchange.

"Cobalt is pleased to welcome Jeff Danford to its management team," said John Holt, president and CEO of The Cobalt Group. "Jeff is a highly experienced executive with deep domain knowledge of the auto finance business, having worked for a number of auto companies during the past 15 years. Jeff is also an experienced entrepreneur, having served in an executive capacity at two successful start-ups. Cobalt is proud to have Jeff at the helm of one of our most important strategic e-business initiatives."

MotorPlace Auto Exchange, available at MotorPlace.com, is an online marketplace operated by Cobalt that allows auto leasing companies to market and sell wholesale used vehicles to automotive dealers before they are shipped to auction. MotorPlace Auto Exchange helps auto manufacturers and lease holders efficiently manage their used-car inventory, and gives dealers a compelling way to save time and money by providing them with an alternate buying channel for wholesale vehicles, according to Holt.

Prior to joining Cobalt, Danford served as senior vice president of auto lending at E-LOAN, Inc., where he managed the auto loan business and achieved record quarterly customer volumes and revenue. Prior to E-LOAN, Danford founded and led giggo.com, a direct-to-consumer online lending division of DaimlerChrysler, where he served as managing director until January 2000. He also held management positions at American Honda Finance Corp. and Ford Motor Credit Company. Danford holds a B.A. degree from National University and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University.

About The Cobalt Group

The Cobalt Group(TM), headquartered in Seattle, Wash., is a provider of e-business products and services designed to help automotive dealers and manufacturers effectively manage their businesses online.

Cobalt's suite of e-business solutions includes Web services, Web site hosting, e-commerce applications, Internet-based customer relationship management applications, data management, and best practices training and consulting.

Cobalt operates MotorPlace.com (www.motorplace.com), an online business management and industry information resource for auto dealers. At MotorPlace.com, dealers access Cobalt tools to manage their Web sites, buy wholesale used vehicles, locate and market OEM parts, and access industry information, news, events, and stock quotes.

For more information, visit www.cobaltgroup.com or call 1-800-909-8244.