The most recent personnel moves within the business fleet space include (from top left) Andrew Wrobel at NTEA, Will Mitchell at OPENLANE, Jerry Zielinski at Nissan, Suzannah Hicks at Merchants Fleet, Jeff Kommor at Stellantis, and Makela Owens at Frito-Lay.
Photo: NTEA/OPENLANE/Nissan/Merchants Fleet/Stellantis/Makela Owens
Firms across the business fleet industry are making personnel moves. Automotive Fleet has a roundup of among the recent personnel-related announcements in fleet, including:
- Makela Owens named Sr. Fleet Resource for Frito-Lay’s northern California market
- Merchants Fleet hires Suzannah Hicks as AI Strategist
- Nissan’s Jerry Zielinski promoted to Senior Manager of Fleet & Industrial Sales
- NTEA appoints Andrew Wrobel as Industrial Vehicle Insight Strategist
- OPENLANE promotes COO Will Mitchell to guide AFC
- Stellantis appoints Jeff Kommor Senior VP of Industrial Sales
Makela Owens Named Sr. Fleet Resource for PepsiCo’s Northern California Market
Makela Owens has been hired by PepsiCo as a Senior Fleet Resource for the Northern California market. She serves because the fleet manager for fleet sites within the region.
Most recently, Owens served as fleet manager for the town of Stockton, California.
In her recent role, Owens oversees 29 shop locations. Her coverage area is the whole lot north of Bakersfield and the Reno, Nevada, area.
“I’m very enthusiastic about this recent opportunity and hope to bring the fleet knowledge and skills I actually have learned to this organization and keep them to successful,” Owens said.
Merchants Fleet Hires Suzannah Hicks as AI Strategist
Merchants Fleet has hired Suzannah Hicks to guide its first company-wide artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. Hicks will work closely with cross-functional teams to develop and implement AI-driven solutions that optimize operations, enhance efficiency, and drive cost savings for the corporate and its clients throughout North America, in line with a news release.
“Because the fleet management landscape continues to evolve, it’s imperative that we stay ahead of the curve and leverage the most recent technologies to drive value for our clients,” Merchants Fleet Vice President of Enterprise Solutions & Architecture Ben McIntyre said. “Adding an AI expert of Suzannah’s caliber reflects our dedication to innovation and underscores our commitment to delivering unparalleled fleet solutions.”
Prior to Merchants, Hicks served in roles including data strategist and scientist on the International Association of Privacy Professionals, data scientist consultant at Martin’s Point Health Care, and lead data scientist consultant on the University of Recent Hampshire Institute on Disability.
She is a frequent speaker on the large data conference circuit and serves as an Ambassador with the Enterprise Big Data Framework Alliance.
Hicks also authors the “Data is All the things and All the things is Data” blog which focuses on data and AI topics including the advantages and challenges of adopting an organizational data culture, AI strategy, and compliance.
“I’m thrilled to affix the Merchants Fleet team, an organization that’s renowned for its commitment to innovation,” Hicks said. “That is an exciting opportunity to leverage the transformative potential of AI to push the boundaries of fleet management and redefine industry standards.”
Nissan’s Jerry Zielinski Promoted to Senior Manager of Fleet & Industrial Sales
Jerry Zielinski, National Sales Manager – Fleetail, for Nissan, has been promoted to Senior Manager of Fleet & Industrial Sales.
Zielinski will report back to Rob Warren – Director, Fleet Sales & RV. He joined Nissan in 2015 and has held several positions with increasing responsibility in fleet in addition to the sunshine business vehicle department.
Read more about Zielinski here.
NTEA Appoints Andrew Wrobel as Industrial Vehicle Insight Strategist
NTEA – The Work Truck Association, has appointed Andrew Wrobel as business vehicle insight strategist. Wrobel was chosen for this position based on his business vehicle industry knowledge and experience.
“The most beneficial resource NTEA can provide its members is practical, actionable insight,” NTEA Managing Director Kevin Koester said. “Andrew brings a wealth of data and understanding of the business vehicle market to the Association, and his experience will further our mission of serving our members.”
Wrobel has a spread of experience and has held previous positions at Escalent, Rhein Associates, Eaton Corporation and IHS Automotive (now S&P Global Mobility), in line with a news release.
“Enabling member corporations to realize a good greater understanding of labor truck industry data will significantly contribute to their success moving forward,” Wrobel said. “By leveraging existing and recent data, my goal is to assist the Association proceed to supply the most beneficial insights, evaluation and resources for the business vehicle community far into the long run.”
OPENLANE Promotes COO Will Mitchell to Lead AFC
OPENLANE promoted Will Mitchell to president of Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC), the digital auction company’s auto finance arm, effective April 1.
Mitchell has served as chief operating officer for OPENLANE since April 2021.
In his expanded role, Mitchell will oversee the vision, strategy, and all operations for AFC, including business development, sales, field, and business operations. Mitchell will even develop into a member of OPENLANE’s executive leadership team and report back to OPENLANE CEO Peter Kelly.
Since joining the corporate in 2015, Mitchell has held roles of progressive leadership and responsibility, culminating most recently along with his promotion to COO in 2021.
Read more about Mitchell’s promotion, plus his industry experience here.
Stellantis Appoints Jeff Kommor Senior VP of Industrial Sales
Jeff Kommor has been appointed Senior Vice President of Industrial Sales for Stellantis North America.
Effective March 1, Kommor is liable for fleet, government, and other growing B2B sales opportunities. Kommor was prevoiusly head of U.S. sales and has served in various roles with increasing responsibility within the U.S. sales organization since joining the organization.
Kommor’s recent role got here as a part of an announcement by Stellantis a few recent sales organization structure bringing a renewed focus to the 2 primary sales channels – B2B and B2C – while streamlining responsibilities as the corporate continues its transformation.
You’ll be able to read more in regards to the restructuring here.
This Article First Appeared At www.automotive-fleet.com
