MT. ARLINGTON, VA – Stephen Houston, president of Tradewinds Remarketing, has been named the interim executive director for the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance (IARA), effective immediately. Houston is succeeding Matt Marks, the long-time executive director for the Alliance, who passed away Oct. 28 from a heart attack.

"I am saddened by Matt Marks passing. Matt has been a close and wonderful friend over many years," Houston remarked. "Matt has always been the firm, but guiding hand, that has kept IARA on point every day. I am honored to succeed Matt in this role and look forward to serving the Board of Directors, committee leadership and IARA members. We will all miss and remember Matt as we move forward."

Houston is the past president of the IARA, serving from 2004 to 2007. He also served as chairman from 2007 to 2009.

He joined WFS Financial in 2001, which later merged with Wachovia and then Wells Fargo. He left Wells Fargo to become the president of the auction industry consulting company, Tradewinds Remarketing. Prior to his 10-year tenure on the bank side of the business, he spent more than 20 years as a partner and owner of family owned, new-car dealerships. Houston is also a 2008 NAAA Hall of Fame recipient and 2007 Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) Consignor of the Year. 

Houston can be reached at stephen.houston@iaraonline.org.

More information on the IARA can be found at www.iaraonline.org. 

By Lauren Fletcher

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