Carl Ortell Named CEO Of Holman Automotive

On Monday, March 9, Holman Automotive Group, Inc. announced that Melinda K. Holman has been appointed Chairman of the Board, with Carl A. Ortell moving from Executive Vice President and CFO of ARI to Chief Executive Officer of Holman, and Brian R. Bates to assume the role of COO and CFO of Holman Automotive.

Long-time Chairman, Joseph Holman, will assume the role of Chairman Emeritus, while Chris Conroy will take on the role of Executive Vice President, Holman and President of ARI, and Bill Cariss will serve as Executive Vice President, Holman and President of Retail Operations.

A 29-year employee of Holman, Ortell has been the President of ARI since 2010. Ortell has led the company through turbulent economic times while continuing to grow the business, expanding to new global markets, and most notably, building on the culture of learning and employee development that put ARI on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list three years in a row.

Bates has held numerous leadership positions throughout the Holman organization during his 26-year tenure. Most recently as CFO for Holman and ARI, Bates has been the catalyst for consolidation and cooperation between several lines of business. In his new role as COO and CFO, he will expand this initiative and work closely with Ortell and the executive team to capitalize on opportunities that bring the greatest value to the entire Holman organization.