Charlotte, N.C. — Sonic Automotive, Inc., one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers, has added two industry leaders to its growing e-commerce team. Steve Wittman has joined as the company’s first chief digital retail officer, and Stephen Conrad has joined as the new vice president of e-commerce. Additionally, Sonic has appointed Marti Eulberg as chief creative officer, previously the company’s director of brand management.
Wittman most recently served as vice president of global e-commerce at Hertz. He will report to Jeff Dyke, president of Sonic Automotive and EchoPark Automotive. As Sonic’s first chief digital retail officer, he will work closely with the executive leadership team, in addition to retail strategy, brand management, and business technology teammates, to drive the expansion of the company’s online retailing platform.
Conrad joins Sonic Automotive as vice president of e-commerce with a background in project and product management, user experience design, analytics and site optimization. Prior to joining Sonic, he served as director of e-commerce digital experience and site operations for Belk, Inc. Conrad will report to Wittman and work closely with the company’s operations and technology teams and vendor partners to execute on Sonic’s online retailing strategy.
Eulberg has been a key contributor to the Sonic Automotive and EchoPark businesses since 2012. She has led the brand management sector within EchoPark and has contributed to many franchise store facility development projects enabling the company’s compliance with manufacturer brand management requirements. Eulberg will report to Dyke, working in conjunction with Wittman, Conrad and the company’s chief marketing officer, Rachel Richards.
“It’s our pleasure to welcome Steve and Stephen to our team,” says Dyke. “We are creating a best-in-class online guest experience, just as we have done in-person at our dealerships. Our goal is to ensure car buyers can purchase a new or pre-owned vehicle in the way that suits them best — online, in-person or a hybrid of both. Steve and Stephen are both seasoned e-commerce executives who will contribute to our long term success. We are also especially pleased to welcome Marti to our leadership team as chief creative officer after 8 years of service to the organization. The impact of her contributions to Sonic Automotive and EchoPark Automotive have been felt across the entire company and especially by our customers.”
Earlier this year, Sonic announced it expects to more than double its total revenue to over $20 billion by 2025. The addition of its first chief creative officer, chief digital retail officer and a vice president of e-commerce to drive online retailing strategy are major steps toward achieving this goal.
Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers. For more information, visit www.sonicautomotive.com.
EchoPark Automotive is a growing operating segment within the company that specializes in pre-owned vehicle sales and provides a unique guest experience unlike traditional used car stores. For more information, visit www.echopark.com.
SOURCE: Sonic Automotive, Inc.