One of the automotive industry’s most influential executives and perennial champion of the Dealer, Mr. Jim Press was formerly Senior Managing Director, Toyota Motor Corporation and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor North America, and, former Co-President and Vice Chairman of Daimler/Chrysler Corporation.
Mr. Press’ latest undertaking reflects his views of the rapidly changing expectations of consumers relative to the Dealership experience, powertrain changes including EV and automation, and, OEM and brand realities.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to make decisions that had the best interests of the consumer, the dealer as well as the manufacturer,” Press said. “In recent years, consumer behavior has changed dramatically, and car buying is out of sync with today’s empowered, on-demand consumer. This is reaching a friction point for consumers, dealers and the OEMs with winnowing floor-traffic and rising incentive costs; so, I wanted to find a way to add immediate value to the industry.
“One of the companies that caught my attention is Doppler Automotive. I’ve found that Doppler provides true, customer-first automotive retailing solutions that will provide consumers another option to experience a brand and their cars, trucks and SUVS which will benefit Dealers, customers and OEMs alike.”
Mr. Press has joined the board of the holding company which backed Doppler Automotive, AVC Capital Group, Inc., which was specifically created to address these seemingly intractable problems. “Further,” Press said, “what attracted me to AVC is that the principals are future tech, but also steeped in the realities of life as a dealer franchisee – it’s not theory but ready-for-market solutions that will take this industry from today’s retailing model to tomorrow’s — with dealers as a partner in the process. Doppler Automotive is only the first of their new platform solutions you’ll see shortly.”
“Adding an executive with the level of experience and breadth of both dealer and OEM knowledge as Jim Press ensures we are positioned to provide solutions that are fully attuned to the needs of the market,” said fellow AVC Capital Group Director, David Stokols. “At AVC, our team has not lost our love for cars or for the industry. And results show there is simply no better sales tool for automobiles ever invented than the automobile itself. Combine that with new-age approaches to connecting the product with consumers and the dealers win, the OEM wins, and the consumer wins.”
Beginning immediately, Mr. Press will provide guidance and consulting to Doppler Automotive and the other companies and acquisitions within AVC Capital Group.
