Oversight

The Board of Directors is committed to reviewing and adapting governance practices to meet changing needs and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

AutoCanada Inc. considers good governance to be central to ensuring effective and efficient operations.

The Board is responsible for establishing and maintaining a culture of integrity in the conduct of the affairs of the Company. The Board seeks to discharge this responsibility by satisfying itself as to the integrity of the senior Leadership Team of the Company,

and by overseeing and monitoring the Leadership Team to ensure a culture of integrity is maintained. Although Directors may be nominated or elected by shareholders to bring special expertise or a point of view to Board deliberations, they are not chosen to represent a particular constituency. The best interests of the Company and its shareholders must be paramount at all times.

Paul W. Antony
Paul W. Antony

Executive Chairman

Paul W. Antony
Paul W. Antony

Executive Chairman

Paul is Founder, President and Managing Partner at MAP Investco, a diversified investment management firm. MAP invests in market-leading and disruptive businesses which are looking for both capital and expertise to consolidate market leadership and accelerate growth. While MAP’s closely held status allows it to invest and consult broadly, it maintains a core focus on businesses in software and data/info services, frequently with a vertical focus on automotive and insurance globally. Paul and his team’s efforts over the last 20+ years have generated over $1.5 billion in value for investors and partners.

Prior to MAP, Paul was the Founder, Chairman & CEO at CARPROOF, a North American software and data company. Under Paul’s leadership, CARPROOF grew rapidly, earning a regular spot on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Fast 500 lists, as well as the distinction of being named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for 2011 through 2015. After over a decade of operations without any outside capital, Paul led the sale of a minority stake in CARPROOF to San Francisco-based private equity firm Hellman & Friedman in late 2013. This was followed by the ultimate sale of CARPROOF to IHS Markit in December 2015.

Paul is a native of London, Ontario and is from a family with a strong history in the automobile industry dating back to 1938.

Rhonda English
Rhonda English

Board Member

Rhonda English
Rhonda English

Board Member

Rhonda is currently Chief Marketing Officer of CAA Club Group, the largest independent automobile club in Canada and the owner of several companies in the Property & Casualty and Travel insurance businesses. Previously she held executive roles at CAA Insurance Company and Lombard Insurance Company. Throughout her extensive career, she has successfully driven company growth and profitability through thought leadership and strategic direction in the automotive and insurance industries. Rhonda served on the Board of the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation, retiring as Past Chair of the Foundation in 2019. Rhonda currently sits on the Markham Stouffville Hospital Board, chairing the Finance & Audit Committee. Rhonda is a CPA, and CMA and received her undergraduate degree and MBA from the Ivey Business School.

Stephen Green
Stephen Green

Board Member

Stephen Green
Stephen Green

Board Member

Prior to his retirement in 2017, Stephen was Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Secretary at IHS (now IHS Markit), a leading global, publicly-traded, Information Services company. In that role, Steve led a team of professionals worldwide delivering support to the company through the legal, compliance, risk management and insurance functions. Steve led the successful IPO of IHS in 2005 and multiple successful follow-on secondary offerings and public and private debt offerings. Steve was instrumental in implementing the company’s M&A strategy, completing over 70 transactions, including the roll up of companies to establish a market leading position in information and analytics in the energy and transportation industries, including automotive, and culminating in a transformational merger of equals between IHS and Markit.

Prior to IHS going public, Steve was general counsel to both IHS and the industrial companies that made up the remainder of the portfolio of TBG, a family-owned conglomerate that, in addition to IHS, included companies with leading positions in various manufacturing industries. Steve holds a BA from Yale University and received his JD from Columbia Law School.

Barry James
Barry James

Board Member

Barry James
Barry James

Board Member

Mr. James is a Board member and the Audit Committee Chair of Corus Entertainment. He is Chair of the Audit Committee and Vice-Chair of ATB Financial. He was the Audit Committee Chair of the Government of the Province of Alberta, a Senator and Board member of the University of Alberta, and a Trustee of the University Hospital Foundation. He is President of Barry L. James Advisory Services Ltd., a private consulting firm. Previously Mr. James was a partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta, has been recognized a Fellow of the Chartered Accountants by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta, and also holds the ICD.D designation.

Elias Olmeta
Elias Olmeta

Board Member

Elias Olmeta
Elias Olmeta

Board Member

Elias Olmeta Chief Financial Officer at Vistage International (a Providence Private Equity portfolio company). As CFO, he is responsible for all matters related to Finance, Accounting, Tax and Treasury. In his capacity as CFO, he works closely with the executive leadership team to ensure alignment and achievement of the Company’s financial, operational and strategic objectives.

In 2017, the San Diego Business Journal honored Elias by awarding him their CFO of the Year award which recognizes outstanding financial professionals in the San Diego area. Prior to joining the Vistage team, Elias served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Mitchell International (a KKR and subsequently Stone Point Capital portfolio company). Prior to Mitchell he worked as an executive consultant at CarProof, where he worked on strategy and operational initiatives. Prior to CarProof, Elias held positions at Solera Holdings; first as their Senior Vice President of Corporate Development where he was responsible for Mergers and Acquisitions on a worldwide basis, and subsequently as Chief Financial & Operating Officer of North America leading Finance, Sales, and HR. Earlier career experiences include positions at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Arthur D. Little International as a member of their Strategy and Organization Practice. Elias holds an MBA in Finance and a Bachelor of Arts, Economics from the University of Rochester.

Christopher Harris
Christopher Harris

Board Member

Christopher Harris
Christopher Harris

Board Member

Stephen Carlisle
Stephen Carlisle

Board Member

Stephen Carlisle
Stephen Carlisle

Board Member

Jeff Thorpe
Jeff Thorpe

President, North American Operations

Jeff Thorpe
Jeff Thorpe

President, North American Operations

Mr. Thorpe joined AutoCanada Inc. in the role of President, Canadian Operations in April 2022.

Previously, Mr. Thorpe was with AutoNation, the largest automotive retailer in North America for 24 years. He most recently held the position of Market President at AutoNation and was responsible for operations in multiple U.S. Markets and providing direct leadership over automotive dealership operations in Colorado, Minnesota, Chicago, Cleveland, Northern California, and Los Angeles. Mr. Thorpe has established himself as an effective leader that builds and mentors strong teams and people. Over his extensive tenure at AutoNation, Mr. Thorpe became well known in the industry for cultivating multiple dozen General Managers and senior leaders within the automotive ecosystem.

Brian Feldman
Brian Feldman

Chief Operating Officer

Brian Feldman
Brian Feldman

Chief Operating Officer

Mr. Feldman joined AutoCanada as Senior Vice President, Operations and Disruptive Technologies in April 2022.

Mr. Feldman has a proven track record of success over his 18 years of experience with AutoNation where he most recently held the position of Senior Director of Sales, overseeing national sales processes and pricing.

He previously held Senior Director roles at AutoNation responsible for Wholesale Parts Sales, Operations Strategy, and eCommerce Retail Operations. Over his time at AutoNation, Mr. Feldman developed subject matter expertise and revolutionized sales, marketing, training, and business development at a scale larger than can be found in the Canadian marketplace.

In his most recent role as the Senior Director of Sales, Mr. Feldman oversaw national sales processes, new inventory, and retail pricing. He managed all eCommerce, phone, and equity mining sales which represented over two million customer leads and 200,000 vehicle sales per year. Additionally, he created and facilitated national training curriculums including eCommerce Manager University, Introduction to eCommerce Sales and Advanced eCommerce Sale for sales consultants and managers.

Samuel Cochrane
Samuel Cochrane

Chief Financial Officer

Samuel Cochrane
Samuel Cochrane

Chief Financial Officer

Peter Hong
Peter Hong

Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel

Peter Hong
Peter Hong

Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel

Peter was previously a senior partner with Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and is one of Canada’s leading M&A and securities lawyers. He has over 20 years of experience dealing with some of Canada’s most complex M&A, securities and finance transactions, and advising public companies and their boards on strategic and governance matters.

Drew Forret
Drew Forret

Chief Administrative and Transformation Officer

Drew Forret
Drew Forret

Chief Administrative and Transformation Officer

Drew Forret joined AutoCanada Inc. as the Chief Administrative and Transformation Officer in October 2023. In this role, he is responsible for HR, IT, Information Management, Financial Planning and Analysis, and Real Estate operations.

Drew is a finance and operations executive with over 20 years of experience, including strategic planning, general management, HR, financial operations, and the execution of M&A processes. He is passionate about leading organizations toward achieving a high-performance culture.

Before joining AutoCanada, Drew served as the COO/CFO at Voices, the largest global online marketplace matching voice-over talent with clients. Prior to his tenure at Voices, Drew held the position of COO/CFO at CarProof Corporation (now known as Carfax Canada). CarProof revolutionized how used vehicles were bought and sold in Canada through the provision of key information. This information determined whether the vehicle had experienced a previous accident and, if so, it specified the extent of the incurred damage. Before his role at CarProof, Drew was the President of Activplant Corporation. As President, he was responsible for the development of strategy and its sound execution of it. A major focus was transitioning the company from a complex technology solution to a repeatable business intelligence application sale.

Drew obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1999 and his Corporate Finance designation in 2009. He attended the University of British Columbia, where he earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Casey Charleson
Casey Charleson

Vice President, Finance

Casey Charleson
Casey Charleson

Vice President, Finance

Casey Charleson joined AutoCanada Inc. in the role of Vice President, Finance in March 2021. Mr. Charleson is a leader in our Finance, Financial Reporting, and Corporate Accounting functions. Previously he was a Director in the assurance services group at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. Casey has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Capilano University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA).

Mr. Charleson resides in Edmonton with his wife and children.

Jonathan Parker
Jonathan Parker

Vice President of Special Finance

Jonathan Parker
Jonathan Parker

Vice President of Special Finance

Before joining AutoCanada in 2018 as Vice President, Special Finance, Jonathan already had 12 years of experience in the auto industry, starting his career in 2006 selling cars until the summer of 2010 where he transitioned his career to focus on special finance. Jonathan successfully built a special finance department that was one of the biggest in the country. Along with the success in sales he also helped build an entire brand and focus around special finance.

Jonathan’s leadership and knowledge has been instrumental in tripling growth in a three-year span and he is an expert in understanding how the banks operate and buy special finance paper. He also has very strong relationships with the banks and looks forward to graduating the special finance portfolio to prime customers for the AutoCanada dealer network.

Mikel Pestrak
Mikel Pestrak

Vice President, Finance & Insurance

Mikel Pestrak
Mikel Pestrak

Vice President, Finance & Insurance

  • CA, CPA designation
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honors from the University of Manitoba.

Mikel has 15 years’ of experience in the retail and insurance industries. Prior to joining AutoCanada in 2018 in the capacity of Vice President, Finance & Insurance, Mikel served as the Director of Finance & Risk Management of the F&I department of a large Canadian auto group. Mikel was successful in leading the growth of this department for five consecutive years.

In early 2017, Mikel transitioned into the Special Finance department of the same auto group, acting as Director of Finance and Risk Management where he was responsible for developing and administering the finance, accounting and lending policies, collections, and back-office systems. Mikel’s exceptional leadership and team work abilities helped the company triple it’s growth in just one year.

Prior to joining the automotive industry, Mikel articled with the international accounting firm Deloitte, where he earned his Chartered Accountant designation. During his time at Deloitte, Mikel specialized in the insurance and retail sectors of the firms’ audit practice, working on a number of high-profile public company audits, as well as serving private company clients in the retail automotive sector.

Oliver Lay
Oliver Lay

Vice President, Import West

Oliver Lay
Oliver Lay

Vice President, Import West

Oliver Lay brings over fifteen years of experience in the Canadian automotive industry, specializing in dealership operations. Currently responsible for the Import West dealership platform, he utilizes his extensive retail knowledge and outstanding OEM relations to support the development and success of the next generation of data-driven General Managers and automotive professionals.

Since joining the company in 2014, Mr. Lay has played a pivotal role in establishing AutoCanada as the leading automotive group in Canada. His contributions have been instrumental in driving the company’s success and growth.

Mr. Lay holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Northwood University. Prior to that, he pursued an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration with a dual major in Automotive Marketing and Management at Georgian College.

Mr. Lay resides in Calgary, Alberta, with his wife and two children.

Bryndon Davies
Bryndon Davies

Vice President, Import East

Bryndon Davies
Bryndon Davies

Vice President, Import East

Bryndon has over 40 years of automotive industry experience starting his career with General Motors, later working in a variety of retail leadership positions, and ultimately becoming the President and Managing Partner of two world-class Honda dealerships in the Greater Toronto Area. After successfully leading the buy-sell on his stores, Bryndon worked as a consultant, including overseeing several projects for AutoCanada before officially joining the organization in 2023.

Rob Medina
Rob Medina

Vice President, Domestic West

Rob Medina
Rob Medina

Vice President, Domestic West

Rob Medina joined at AutoCanada as a Platform Vice President on May 1, 2023. He is a highly experienced executive with nearly 30 years of retail automotive experience. He has held numerous leadership roles in the automotive industry, including working within a dealership, on a platform team, and managing multiple brands at scale with an emphasis in F&I.

Currently, Rob serves as Vice President of the Domestic West Platform at AutoCanada. Prior to joining AutoCanada, he spent the last 10 years with AutoNation where he served as the Western Region F&I Director and was responsible for the Finance & Insurance operations of over 120 dealerships.

Before AutoNation, Rob spent 8 years with Jim Moran and associates (JM&A Group) training and developing dealerships on the sales and finance operation. During his time in dealerships, he worked with various brands, including VW, Subaru, Nissan, Ford, and Stellantis.

Rob is passionate about innovation and driving growth, and he is committed to staying on top of industry trends and developments. He takes pride is growing and developing people.

Darren Brown
Darren Brown

Vice President, Domestic East

Darren Brown
Darren Brown

Vice President, Domestic East

Darren Brown joined AutoCanada in 2019 as a Dealer Partner. Demonstrating his capability and dedication, he earned a promotion to the executive team in August 2023.

Over the course of his 30-year career in the auto industry, Darren has established a strong foundation, initially beginning in the sales department. Based in Ottawa, Darren has held senior management positions within high-volume dealerships for the past 23 years, consistently emphasizing operational efficiency and effective leadership.

Blair Creed
Blair Creed

Vice President, International and Luxury

Blair Creed
Blair Creed

Vice President, International and Luxury

Blair Creed, an automotive industry professional, brings extensive Sales and After-Sales expertise from diverse retail and OEM backgrounds.

Before joining AutoCanada, Blair occupied key leadership roles at Mercedes-Benz, serving as Vice President of Corporate Retail and Vice President of Customer Services at Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. Additionally, Blair served as the General Manager of Sales Operations & Volume Planning at Mercedes-Benz USA and managed Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, the flagship company-owned dealership.

Blair attended McGill University in Montreal and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.

Arthur Crawford
Arthur Crawford

Vice President, Collision Centres

Arthur Crawford
Arthur Crawford

Vice President, Collision Centres

  • Lean six sigma black belt from York University – Schulich School of Business
  • Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bishop’s University
  • Marketing diploma from Mohawk College.

Arthur has 17 years experience combined in the car rental, MRO (maintenance, safety and operation supplies) distribution and collision industries.
Arthur began his career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car, last serving as an District Manager. During his tenure of nine years, he achieved the most profitable district in Canada. In the summer of 2010, Arthur transitioned to Acklands Grainger serving as a senior manager in the Manitoba region. There, he managed the team to record high sales.

Prior to joining AutoCanada, Arthur was with a large Canadian automotive retail group, operating as Director of Collision Centres. He managed the day-to-day operations and overall direction of each facility, which are recognized as a top revenue generating multi-store operation in Canada (Collision Repair Magazine). During his tenure, Arthur led a major modernization of the collision centre operations, successfully implementing industry best practices.

 

Patrycja Kujawa
Patrycja Kujawa

Vice President, Information Management

Patrycja Kujawa
Patrycja Kujawa

Vice President, Information Management

Patrycja Kujawa has spent over 20 years in multiple sectors mobilizing, analyzing and communicating information to support organizational growth. She is most passionate about unleashing the potential of team members to deliver business value through data and technology. Patrycja has been with AutoCanada since early 2020, initially as the Director of Business Intelligence and now as Vice President of Information Management.

Patrycja’s diverse portfolio of experience includes leading multi-disciplinary teams, working her trade as an economist through modeling, analysis and market research and conducting international business development. She has always strived for excellence and received awards and accolades in her capacity as a writer, researcher, editor and business development manager.

Patrycja has an MSc in Natural Resource Economics from the University of Alberta, a double BA from the University of Saskatchewan in Economics and Political Science, a Data Management and Business Intelligence certificate from NAIT and a journalism diploma from Grant MacEwan University.

David Pestrak
David Pestrak

Vice President, Acquisition Operations

David Pestrak
David Pestrak

Vice President, Acquisition Operations

CPA, CA Designation
Bachelor of Commerce Honors from the University of Manitoba

David joined AutoCanada in early 2017 as a Dealership Controller and shortly thereafter moved into the role of Chief Controller with the Domestic Brands Platform.

In 2021, David advanced into the role of Director, Acquisition Operations with the Acquisition & Integration team, which is responsible for the onboarding and full Operational transition of Dealership and Collision Center acquisition targets. In the first year in this capacity, he formed the team, developed the Acquisition Integration framework, and was responsible for the closing and integration of 15 Dealerships and Collision Centres. In 2022, David was promoted to Vice-President, Acquisition Operations.

Prior to joining the automotive industry, David articled with the international accounting firm Deloitte, where he earned his Chartered Accountant designation. During his time at Deloitte, David served clients in several different industries, including retail automotive within the private company sector, as well as high-profile public company clients where he worked on the audit of a few large acquisitions.

Andrew Gowan
Andrew Gowan

Vice President, Used Vehicle Strategy and Acquisition

Andrew Gowan
Andrew Gowan

Vice President, Used Vehicle Strategy and Acquisition

Andrew leads AutoCanada’s cross border used vehicle wholesale division, Gateway Leasing. Since 2018, he has assisted AutoCanada’s dealer network by providing market intelligence and buying strategy. This direction includes batch wholesale buying from large fleets, advice on wholesale purchasing at auction, and appraisal support for inventory at AutoCanada dealerships.

Prior to joining AutoCanada Andrew led a large automotive group’s used vehicle wholesale activity with involvement and coaching in used car inventory strategy, buying vehicles for the dealership network and disposing of the group’s wholesale vehicles.

Andrew has a B.Comm (Hons.) from the University of Manitoba and resides in Winnipeg, MB.

Darnelle Funk
Darnelle Funk

Vice President, Software Development

Darnelle Funk
Darnelle Funk

Vice President, Software Development

Darnelle has been leading software development teams for 8 years and building software applications for more than 13. After creating a one-of-a-kind F&I application for a large dealer group, he led his team through acquisition of the software by one of the largest Canadian insurance companies in 2017.

In 2018 Darnelle left the automotive sector to successfully build and take to market a digital retail insurance application before joining AutoCanada in 2022

Darnelle has a Diploma of Information Services Technology from Red River College Polytech.

Jennifer Lennox
Jennifer Lennox

Vice President, People and Culture

Jennifer Lennox
Jennifer Lennox

Vice President, People and Culture

Jennifer Lennox is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in people development, talent and executive recruitment, and leadership development across various industries including retail, finance, automotive, and start-ups. She has held senior leadership roles, including CHRO, and has expertise in learning and development, soft skill development, and multi-level leadership development.

Jennifer is a certified CHRE professional and has received certifications in Situational Leadership and MBTI. Her achievements include the CAWEOC 2015 award in partnership with The Humberview Group and the “CIBC Achievers” award from CIBC’s Vice-President in 2011.

Jennifer’s strategic recruitment expertise, budget management skills, and consulting experience have contributed to her success in cultivating an exceptional workforce. Her coaching skills have also helped leaders and employees alike achieve their goals and enhance their performance.

As the VP of People and Culture, Jennifer brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the organization. She is committed to creating a positive and inclusive work environment that enables employees to thrive, and to supporting the organization’s growth and success.

Cynthia Hill
Cynthia Hill

Vice President, Legal & Sustainability

Cynthia Hill
Cynthia Hill

Vice President, Legal & Sustainability

Prior to joining AutoCanada in 2020, Cynthia served as a lawyer and partner at Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg LLP. Her practice focused on corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (First Class Honours) from Queen’s University and a Juris Doctor degree (Dean’s Gold Key) from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School.

Michael Fera
Michael Fera

Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis

Michael Fera
Michael Fera

Vice President, Financial Planning and Analysis

Michael Fera is a seasoned finance professional with over 15 years of experience and a keen dedication to driving financial excellence, specializing in Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). His commitment to enhancing organizational performance and fostering a culture of fiscal responsibility has been consistently demonstrated throughout his career.

In the realms of Strategic Planning and Budgeting, Michael has played a crucial role in leading comprehensive processes, ensuring that financial objectives harmonize with the organization’s long-term goals and objectives. Additionally, his efforts in Financial Discipline have successfully cultivated a culture of fiscal responsibility, especially in managing discretionary spending, leading to improved financial efficiency and optimized resource allocation. Moreover, Michael has excelled in Capital Management, enhancing the effectiveness of invested capital by leveraging a data-driven approach to capital allocation.

Michael is a proud alumnus of the University of Windsor and holds a CPA designation.