AutoCanada Inc. has promoted to top positions two executives who joined the company last year from U.S. dealership group AutoNation.
The Edmonton-based company announced on September 25 that Jeff Thorpe will expand its portfolio to become president of the group’s North American business, while Brian Feldman has been appointed chief operating officer of AutoCanada.
Both Thorpe and Feldman joined the dealership group, which owns 83 franchise stores across Canada and the United States, in April 2022.
Paul Antony, AutoCanada’s chief executive, said the two executives “were instrumental” in driving the company’s “strong performance” last year “through their focus on operational initiatives in Canada.”
Thorpe, who previously served as president of the company’s Canadian operations, will add oversight of AutoCanada’s 13 U.S. dealerships to his portfolio. Feldman, who joined the company as senior vice president of Canadian operations and disruptive technologies, will assume the new position of COO.
AutoCanada has also named Drew Forret as the company’s chief administrative and transformation officer and Michael Fera as vice president of financial planning and analysis. Forret was previously COO and CFO at CarProof, a vehicle history reporting company, while Fera was most recently chief financial officer for Tim Hortons’ Canadian operations.
Forret and Fera will take office in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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