Charlotte, N.C. — Sonic Automotive, Inc., one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers, has promoted Thomas “Tim” Keen to become the first chief operating officer of EchoPark Automotive, the company’s rapidly growing nationwide pre-owned vehicle segment.
Keen has spent nearly 30 years in the automotive industry and has been with Sonic Automotive for the past 15 years, holding a variety of regional leadership positions with the company’s franchised dealerships. In 2014, Keen was named divisional vice president of EchoPark Automotive, where he was instrumental in developing the EchoPark model and opening the first EchoPark locations in Denver. In 2018, Keen was promoted to executive vice president of operations for Sonic Automotive and EchoPark Automotive, with oversight of the company’s franchised and EchoPark dealerships.
The promotion of Keen to COO of EchoPark Automotive allows him to focus entirely on the nationwide expansion of EchoPark, which produced significant growth in 2021 and remains on track to reach 90% of the U.S. population and achieve its target of $14 billion in revenues by 2025. Keen will report to Jeff Dyke, president of Sonic Automotive, who remains responsible for oversight of the company’s franchised and EchoPark businesses.
“We are thrilled to promote Tim,” says David Smith, chief executive officer of Sonic Automotive and EchoPark Automotive. “Tim’s dedication to EchoPark since inception, combined with his track record of operational success, make him the perfect fit to lead the team and drive our expansion plans in 2022 and beyond.”
“I have tremendous respect for and trust in Tim, having worked with him for the past 30 years,” says Dyke. “We have big plans for EchoPark Automotive, and focusing Tim’s operational expertise, tenacity and commitment to teammate development solely on the growth of EchoPark will help us achieve our goals as we continue to invest in the long term success of the nationwide pre-owned vehicle segment.”
For more information, visit www.sonicautomotive.com.
EchoPark Automotive is one of the fastest growing and most comprehensive retailers of nearly new, pre-owned vehicles in America today. For more information, visit www.echopark.com.
SOURCE: Sonic Automotive, Inc.