SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Six automotive dealers from around the U.S. were added to the TrueCar Dealer Council, a 20-member advisory group comprised of automotive retailing experts. The TrueCar Dealer Council provides feedback and insights to the automotive information site.
The new dealers joining the panel include: Bill Green, president and general manager of Automotive Avenues, Denver; Dani Hart, Internet sales and marketing director of Pohanka Auto Group, Washington, D.C.; Dave Simpson, president of Simpson Buick GMC and Simpson Chevrolet in Orange County, Calif.; Earl Stewart, owner of Earl Stewart Toyota in Lake Park, Fla.; Jeff Gerald, partner at the Gerald Automotive Group of greater Chicago; and Kevin Reilly, owner and president of Alexandria Hyundai of Alexandria, Va.
“The TrueCar Dealer Council has been instrumental in helping our company improve the car buying experience for consumers and dealers,” said Stewart Easterby, TrueCar’s executive vice president of operations. “TrueCar’s leadership team discusses major product and policy changes with the council, which serves as the voice for our 6,000 dealer-partners nationwide.”
The council is led by independent chairperson Gary Marcotte, a 30-year automotive industry veteran who was formerly senior vice president of marketing and e-commerce at AutoNation Inc. It consists of 20 members who operate 276 franchises in 19 states.
“The collective expertise on this council represents more than 300 years of experience in automotive retailing,” said Marcotte. “(TrueCar CEO) Scott Painter and his team have been responsive to our input and concerns, and their company, its customers and dealers are all benefiting as a result.”
The council was launched in April 2012. It meets with TrueCar senior management six times per year and the company has taken many actions based on the group’s feedback, including providing more training to participating dealers, accelerating TrueCar’s mobile experience for both consumers and dealers, and shaping TrueCar’s television advertising campaign.
