William "Bill" Berman Named President of AutoNation

- Marc Cannon and Donna Parlapiano promoted to Executive Vice Presidents

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Feb 01, 2017, 13:30 ET

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), America's largest automotive retailer, today announced that William "Bill" Berman, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer, effective February 1, 2017. Mike Jackson will continue as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AutoNation.

Mr. Berman has 30 years of retail automotive experience, including vast experience with used vehicle and parts and service businesses. Mr. Berman has served as EVP and COO of the company since 2015. Prior to becoming EVP and COO, Mr. Berman led the company's successful west coast region with over 75 stores and over $6 billion in revenue. During his tenure as region president, Mr. Berman developed several key processes for used vehicle sales and Customer Care that were implemented from coast-to-coast in every AutoNation store. He is also the engineer on all of AutoNation's brand extension strategy, implementation and expansion. Mr. Berman is also a former California New Car Dealer Association board member.

Mike Jackson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer commented, "Bill is an outstanding and exceptional leader, whose proven track record and ingenuity are vital for the next phase in AutoNation's history. He will continue to lead all operational functions, including the recently announced AutoNation brand extension strategy."

The Company also announced that Marc Cannon and Donna Parlapiano have both been promoted to Executive Vice Presidents, effective February 1, 2017. Mr. Cannon is currently Senior Vice President, Communications, Public Policy and Chief Marketing Officer. Ms. Parlapiano is currently Senior Vice President, Franchise Operations and Corporate Real Estate.

Mr. Cannon has over 30 years of automotive retail experience and is a graduate of the University of Miami. He is responsible for the company's marketing, advertising, communications and corporate affairs departments. He has overseen several successful initiatives for AutoNation, including the branding of all of its Domestic and Import stores under the AutoNation name from coast-to-coast and the development of AutoNation Express. Mr. Cannon was also responsible for the redesign of the company's logo and for introducing ROAD RUNNER as the company's wingman. Road Runner represents speed, expertise and ingenuity -- all attributes that AutoNation embodies, and can leverage to move the brand forward. Mr. Cannon was honored by Automotive News with the All Stars Award for Public Relations/ Communications, the only recipient from an automotive retailer to be granted this honor.

Ms. Parlapiano has over 30 years of automotive experience and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Denver. Ms. Parlapiano is responsible for managing the company's $3.3B real estate portfolio and strategic planning of AutoNation's franchise network, consisting of 35 brands and 260 stores across the US. Prior to joining AutoNation, Ms. Parlapiano held several finance, operational and strategic management positions with Ford Motor Company. Ms. Parlapiano has been named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Automotive Industry by Automotive News multiple times, and is an ardent advocate for underprivileged children.

Mr. Jackson went on to say, "Marc and Donna, along with Bill, are key to AutoNation's continued growth and the implementation of our strategic brand extension initiatives. With this expanded executive team, AutoNation is well positioned for a successful future."

About AutoNation, Inc.
AutoNation, America's largest automotive retailer, through its bold leadership, innovation and its comprehensive brand extensions, is transforming the automotive industry. As of December 31, 2016, AutoNation owned and operated 371 new vehicle franchises from coast to coast. AutoNation has sold over 10 million vehicles, the first automotive retailer to reach this milestone. AutoNation's success is driven by a commitment to delivering a peerless experience through customer-focused sales and service processes. Through its Drive Pink initiative, AutoNation is committed to drive out cancer, create awareness and support critical research. AutoNation continues to be a proud supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and other cancer-related charities.

Please visit investors.autonation.com, www.autonation.com, www.autonationdrive.com, www.twitter.com/autonation, www.twitter.com/CEOMikeJackson, www.facebook.com/autonation, and www.facebook.com/CEOMikeJackson, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations.

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