CLEVELAND, OH—August 31, 2017— Dealer Tire LLC and Southeast Toyota Distributors have entered into an agreement to work together to develop an enhanced tire retailing program for Southeast Toyota.

The two companies are both family run businesses with nearly 150 combined years of experience in tire and automotive retailing, and both companies are dedicated to building lasting relationships by providing exceptional customer service.

In addition to managing Southeast Toyota’s tire program, Dealer Tire will provide training, tools and services designed to help Southeast increase customer satisfaction and retention.

The agreement between the two companies is effective December 1, 2017. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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About Dealer Tire

Dealer Tire is a family business that was founded in 1999 by the then owners of the former Mueller Tire & Brake, a Cleveland-based retail chain founded in 1918. Dealer Tire manages replacement tire and parts programs for 19 automotive OEMs. It serves more than 10,000 automotive dealerships from 39 distribution centers across the U.S. For more information about Dealer Tire, visit www.dealertire.com.

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 29, 2017 — DealerSocket, the leading provider of technology platforms for the automotive industry, announced today that Sejal Pietrzak has joined the company as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Jonathan Ord, who is the company’s co-founder and has been its CEO for the past 16 years, will remain a strategic investor and active on the company’s board of directors. Pietrzak has extensive experience leading teams across multiple functions within a successful software company throughout the past 12 years at ACTIVE Network, the premier global marketplace for activities and an industry-leading provider of intelligence solutions, where she was most recently its Chief Administrative Officer.

“I am particularly excited to support Sejal and DealerSocket’s leadership as a continuing investor and board member,” said outgoing CEO and DealerSocket founder Jonathan Ord, who will remain active on the company’s Board of Directors and continues as a significant investor. “My interactions with Sejal have made it abundantly clear to me that she is the right CEO moving forward, as DealerSocket continues to scale and innovate,” Ord said. “She has the skills, experience, and passion to continue to grow the company and serve our customers for years to come.”

Pietrzak is committed to applying her deep knowledge of software and her significant leadership experience to DealerSocket, where she plans to continue growth, operational excellence, and maintain the company’s commitment to more than 11,000 dealership customers. “I am very excited to be joining DealerSocket,” she said. “Jonathan and the DealerSocket team have built a strong foundation and tremendous company culture that values people, customers, and technology.  I look forward to continuing DealerSocket’s solid growth trajectory with its industry leading software to empower our dealership customers.”

Before joining ACTIVE Network, Pietrzak held leadership positions at Wells Fargo & Co. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and she was a strategy consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.  During her tenure at ACTIVE, Pietrzak worked across all aspects of the software company globally, leading high-functioning teams and driving deep understanding of and responsiveness to customers’ needs and experiences.

Pietrzak looks forward to continued growth at DealerSocket. “I begin my tenure with a company that is in a position of strength,” Pietrzak said. “By staying true to DealerSocket’s high standards and commitment to customer success, I’m confident we will continue to deliver significant value to our customers and win new opportunities in the market.”

About DealerSocket
DealerSocket is a leading automotive technology platform that helps dealerships in the United States, Canada and Australia improve profitability through a fully integrated suite of marketing, sales, service, customer experience, DMS, data mining, digital marketing, website, digital retailing, and inventory management solutions. Headquartered in San Clemente, California, DealerSocket employs more than 1,000 people and serves 11,000 dealerships and 300,000 active users in the United States, Canada and Australia. DealerSocket's advanced technology provides benchmarking data that paces the industry, and its insightful experts identify trends and develop strategic roadmaps that help dealers optimize processes and operate more profitably. Visit DealerSocket.com for more information.

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Aug. 25, 2017 — DealerSocket today announced the company has been approved as a certified digital vendor under the Mazda Digital Certified Program. Through the new program, Mazda dealerships can partner with OEM-authorized, best-in-class website and digital marketing solution providers to enhance their digital presence and provide a higher quality shopping experience for customers.

Beginning Aug. 25, franchise and independent dealerships can sign up for special DealerSocket packages for digital advertising and responsive websites powered by DealerFire™. The tiered packages, Campfire (basic), Bonfire (intermediate) and Wildfire (premium), offer various levels of digital support from SEM to dynamic advertising, credit solutions to inventory management, pricing and more.

With nearly 30% of leads coming from dealer websites, DealerSocket’s award-winning sites are uniquely designed for each dealership brand and offer tailored content and cross-platform compatibility to provide an engaging customer experience on mobile, tablet and desktop devices.

DealerFire websites are also fully integrated with dealership customer relationship management (CRM) platforms or dealer management systems (DMS) for a seamless web-to-store experience and information sharing. Through the Crossfire CRM integration tool, dealerships can identify when customers visit their websites, allowing them to track customer and prospect behavior more efficiently during website visits to find out what they’re most interested in.

In addition to creating an unrivalled online presence, DealerSocket helps build brand loyalty and drive more traffic and leads to dealership websites through integrated digital marketing services such as content marketing, paid search marketing and social media marketing.

 “DealerSocket offers the most comprehensive suite of digital services for dealerships in the industry. Our experience with building high-traffic, engaging websites and leveraging their success through customized digital strategies has already earned impressive results for many Mazda dealers across the country,” said Aaron Schinke, Director of Product, Digital, DealerSocket. “We continuously update and review our products to make sure we are staying two steps ahead of the digital marketing trends. For example, recent DealerFire upgrades make our websites faster than the industry average and provide an unmatched user experience for dealership customers.”

DealerSocket also offers a digital retailing tool, Precise Price™, which allows customers to begin a vehicle purchase online and finalize the transaction at the dealership. Precise Price is fully integrated with DealerSocket CRM so dealers can easily pick up where the customer left off at home when he or she arrives on the lot.

To learn more about DealerSocket websites, integrations like Precise Price and digital marketing solutions, visit DealerSocket.com/DealerFire.

Mazda Digital Certified packages, pricing and enrollment are available at MazdaDigitalCertified.com.

About DealerSocket

DealerSocket is a leading automotive technology platform that helps dealerships in the United States, Canada and Australia improve profitability through a fully integrated suite of marketing, sales, service, customer experience, DMS, data mining, digital marketing, website, digital retailing, and inventory management solutions. Headquartered in San Clemente, California, DealerSocket employs more than 1,000 people and serves 11,000 dealerships and 300,000 active users in the United States, Canada and Australia. DealerSocket's advanced technology provides benchmarking data that paces the industry, and its insightful experts identify trends and develop strategic roadmaps that help dealers optimize processes and operate more profitably. Visit DealerSocket.com for more information.

Integrations with DealerSocket, DealerVault and CDK boost dealerships’ customer engagement Matt Murray appointed SVP of Strategic Accounts, leveraging 10 years of automotive experience

Key points

• By integrating Podium’s technology into their existing Dealer Management Systems (DMS) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, CDK, DealerSocket and DealerVault can now automatically send out a review invitation immediately following a car purchase.

• Dealership owners can then view, respond and collect this valuable feedback via a single dashboard.

• This direct engagement allows dealers to capitalize on customer insights to make faster, better-informed decisions about their business.

• Increasing the number of reviews for their dealership can also impact local SEO, increasing visibility and reach to prospective customers.

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Lehi, Utah – August 24, 2017 – Podium, a platform that enables local businesses and consumers to more effectively and conveniently interact through messaging tools and online reviews, today announced two new partnerships with DealerSocket and DealerVault, and the hire of Matt Murray as Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts. Already strong in the automotive space – it joined CDK’s Third Party Partner Program in March this year – Podium has extended its coverage of the automotive industry even further. The company is now working with some of the industry’s biggest players to service a majority of the automotive market, and under the expert leadership of Murray expects to revolutionize customer interactions for both dealers and manufacturers.

Expanding Podium’s footprint, these new partnerships will allow thousands of DealerSocket and DealerVault customers to integrate Podium with their existing Dealer Management Systems (DMS) to automate the most common interactions like collecting reviews. The announcement follows news of Podium’s partnership with CDK, the largest global provider of integrated information technology and digital marketing solutions to the automotive retail industry, servicing over 27,000 retail locations.

“The relationship between businesses and consumers is critical for driving purchase decisions and generating ROI,” added Eric Rea, CEO and Co-founder of Podium. “We're delighted to now support a broad network of solutions providers in the automotive space, giving a significant number of dealerships a better way to interact with their customers throughout the entire customer journey, and foster valuable, long-lasting relationships.”

Founded in 2014, Podium makes it easy for local businesses to generate online reviews and customer feedback, while also powering everyday customer interactions through familiar channels, such as text message. These convenient and efficient ways to communicate with car buyers help dealerships increase visibility in local search, build stronger, longer-lasting relationships, and improve business operations.

DealerSocket’s technology makes it simple for automotive dealerships to manage all their solutions through one platform, whether Customer Relationship Management (CRM), website and digital marketing, sales, inventory, service, or DMS. DealerVault allows dealerships to have greater control over their transactional and consumer data when sharing it with approved third-party vendors and manufacturers, in exchange for insights to help manage their business more efficiently.

In addition to the partnerships, Podium has announced the hire of Matt Murray,  who will serve as Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Podium.  A recognized digital thought leader in the automotive industry, Murray brings 10 years of experience in the vertical, previously serving as Vice President of Strategic Growth and Retail Solutions at Cox Automotive Inc., Dealertrack Technologies and Dealer.com. His experience includes developing Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) endorsed programs to support the goals of both manufacturers and dealerships, liaising between the two entities, and promoting business development. In his new role at Podium, Murray will be leading the company’s cross-vertical strategic account strategy.

“I am excited to join the Podium team to oversee several new verticals. Within automotive, I intend to leverage my experience to help modernize the industry's approach to customer interactions,” said Matt Murray, Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts, Podium. “Historically, local dealers and manufacturers have relied heavily on time-and labor-intensive email or paper communications when interfacing with customers. In Podium, I see a clean, impactful solution for updating and streamlining these processes while bringing auto executives and their teams into the digital age. I’m looking forward to helping the industry more conveniently and efficiently interact with their customers, providing better service and generating valuable data insights to improve business decisions.”

Podium’s growth in this sector comes on the heels of a $32 million Series A funding round from investors including Accel, Summit Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Y Combinator, alongside rapid momentum for the company as a whole. In the past year, Podium saw revenue increase more than 600 percent while adding more than 2,000 customers, growing its core team by 100 new employees, and reaching more than 80,000 users on its platform. In June, the company pledged its commitment to Utah with plans to invest $10 million in a new Utah headquarters and expand its workforce by 400, over a move to the Bay Area. This massive growth and investment in the local economy will be supported through a post-performance Economic Development Tax Increment Finance (EDTIF) tax credit rebate from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).

About Podium

Podium helps businesses drive customer interaction in the form of online reviews to increase visibility, improve business operations, and drive purchase decisions. Podium serves 80,000+ users across nearly 10,000 businesses and is redefining the modern relationship between businesses and consumers. Headquartered in Lehi, Utah, and founded in 2014, Podium has received funding from Accel, Summit Partners, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Y Combinator. To learn more, visit www.podium.com or contact us at press@podium.com.

About DealerSocket

DealerSocket is a leading automotive technology platform that helps dealerships in the United States, Canada and Australia improve profitability through a fully integrated suite of marketing, sales, service, customer experience, DMS, data mining, digital marketing, website, and inventory management solutions. Headquartered in San Clemente, Calif., DealerSocket employs more than 1,000 people, serves more than 10,000 dealerships and 300,000 active users in the United States, Canada and Australia. DealerSocket’s advanced technology provides benchmarking data that paces the industry, and its insightful experts identify trends and develop strategic roadmaps that help dealers optimize processes and operate more profitably. Visit DealerSocket.com for more information.

About DealerVault

DealerVault is product of Authenticom, Inc. that supports over 7500 dealers and over 450 vendors in a secure cloud environment, which provides visibility into the data movement between dealers and vendors.  Authenticom is the leading source of dealer management system integration and enterprise-level data enhancement solutions for automotive marketing agencies, CRM systems, and third-party service providers. The company integrates with more than 75 dealer management systems and connects with over 23,000 automotive dealerships across North America. Authenticom is a privately- held corporation founded by Stephen Cottrell in 2002 and headquartered in La Crosse, Wisconsin. (www.authenticom.com).

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Aug. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the DieHard brand, Sears is opening two new DieHard Auto Centers – conversions of existing Sears Auto Centers – located in the Detroit suburbs of Troy and Roseville, Michigan. DieHard Auto Center is designed to meet the ever-changing needs of today's driver. The new stores, located at Oakland Mall and Macomb Mall, respectively, open today.

Both DieHard Auto Centers are 17,000 square feet and leverage interactive in-store merchandise displays and advanced diagnostic technology. Each offers a suite of services and amenities, including:

• Digital Tire Journey: A web app that relies on IBM Watson Natural Language Classifier service to help customers identify the appropriate tires to fit their driving preferences. Customers can also use touchscreens in store to access the Digital Tire Journey.
• Free Wi-Fi: Enabling customers to be productive or entertained while their vehicle is serviced.

"The new DieHard Auto Center Driven by Sears is another example of how we are unleashing the power of the DieHard brand," said Jon Otterberg, president of Sears Automotive. “This builds on the success of the DieHard Auto Center that we opened in San Antonio in February. It offers state-of-the-art technology and services in a contemporary, comfortable setting – that, combined with service from our experienced associates, can help today's drivers make the right choices for their vehicle's needs."

"DieHard is America's most trusted automotive battery brand," said Tom Park, president of Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard brands. "In 2016, we introduced DieHard tires, which have been well-received by our customers, and we have continued to see positive, strong sales since their introduction. As we have also expanded the brand into automotive consumer electronics accessories, it is a natural evolution to extend the brand to automotive service. Now, when you bring your vehicle to a DieHard Auto Center, you can have the same peace of mind you expect from DieHard products."

Operating hours for the new DieHard Auto Center Driven by Sears are Monday throughSaturday, from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information about the new Troy and Roseville DieHard Auto Centers Driven by Sears, visit www.searsauto.com.

Alexandria, VA (August 2) – The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) today released July's sales figures for the international nameplate automobile industry. Brands sold by America's 9,600 international nameplate franchises accounted for 58.6 percent of all new vehicles sold in the United States in July, up from 55.4 percent in June.

AutoData Corp. reports that the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) for July 2017 was 16.73 million, its third consecutive month below the 17 million unit mark. Sales of all brands, unadjusted for business days, were down 7 percent from last July. Industrywide, 1,415,139 light vehicles were sold in July, down from 1,474,360 in June and 1,519,249 a year ago. So far this year, international brands represented by AIADA have fared slightly better than their domestic counterparts, down just 1.2 percent in sales compared to a 4.9 percent drop by the domestics.

Auto sales are now on track for their first decline in volume since the 2008 recession. However, some brands found reason to celebrate in July. Subaru saw a 6.9 percent improvement and Toyota sales were up 3.6 percent. While Honda's sales were down 1.7 percent, its Acura brand improved 3.7 percent. Of international brands, Hyundai saw the greatest dip in July with a 30.1 percent drop in sales, in part due to a decision to cut fleet sales by 77 percent.

"Dealers anticipate customers will be drawn to their stores this fall by attractive new models and incentives," said AIADA President Cody Lusk. "We consider a market where consumers are purchasing 16 to 17 million new vehicles a year to be extremely healthy."

International auto sales in the U.S. totaled 828,772 in July, up from 816,332 vehicles in June but down from 848,268 units in May. Asian brands occupied 49.6 percent of July's market, up significantly from 46 percent in June and 47 percent in May, and well ahead of the domestic nameplates' 41.4 percent market share. Overall, Asian nameplate dealers sold 702,615 light vehicles last month, a 2.7 percent drop from a year ago.

European brands sold 126,157 units last month, down from 138,161 units in June and 135,995 units a year ago. Europeans brands occupied 8.9 percent of the U.S. market in July, down from 9.4 percent in June but equal to their market share one year ago. Their July sales were down 7.2 percent from July 2016.

To read AIADA's complete coverage of July's international nameplate auto sales, click here.

About AIADA: Established in 1970, AIADA is and continues to be the only association whose sole purpose is to represent America's international nameplate automobile franchises that sell and service the following brands: Acura, Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Genesis, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Maserati, Mazda, Mercedes, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Scion, Smart, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. These retailers have a positive economic impact both nationally and in the local communities they serve, providing more than 500,000 American jobs. Visit AIADA online at www.aiada.org.

Contact: Libby Newman 
NewmanL@aiada.org 
703-519-7800