LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y. — Software provider DealerTrack Inc. named Bridget Townsend as senior director and general manager of the DealerTrack Inventory Optimization suite of solutions.

She will be responsible for product strategy and development as well as the unit's financial performance.

Townsend, 36, joined DealerTrack's Chrome Systems subsidiary in 2000, and progressed through a variety of leadership roles. Most recently, she was senior director of engineering, product and client services at Chrome. Over the years, she has led the design, delivery and positioning of Chrome's Internet marketing and remarketing solutions for manufacturers, dealer service providers, advertising channels, and financial institutions. She played an integral role in taking Chrome's services platform from inception to over 1 million transactions-a-day business. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree from Cornell University.

"We are pleased to announce that Bridget Townsend will head DealerTrack Inventory Optimization, which we expect to play a significant role in the growth and further development of our performance suite," said Raj Sundaram, senior vice president, solutions and services group at DealerTrack. "With her track record of success in driving customers' business results and overall satisfaction at Chrome, Bridget brings a fresh perspective — and clearly a strong background in automotive marketing — to the leadership of our inventory solutions business."

Mark O'Neil, chairman and chief executive officer of DealerTrack, added, "Inventory Optimization is a key component of our comprehensive solutions suite for dealers, and a primary focus of DealerTrack's longer-term growth strategy. Based on her exceptional performance at Chrome, I am highly confident that Bridget Townsend is the right person to lead our inventory solutions business to the next level."