CARMEL, Ind. — Vehicle remarketing and technology solutions provider KAR Auction Services Inc. announced that industry veteran Richard Howse has joined the company as chief commercial officer.

Howse brings more than 30 years of automotive industry leadership to the role, which will focus on developing customer solutions that integrate KAR’s capabilities and businesses. He will report to COO Don Gottwald.

“KAR is focused on simplifying used-vehicle transactions for our customers and using our unique data and capabilities to help them succeed,” Gottwald said. “Rich has led growth and change in a variety of customer settings, so he has firsthand experience designing and implementing solutions across diverse operating models. He’ll work closely with our existing sales leaders to help unlock and deliver the full force of the KAR platform.” 

Howse will implement new processes to enhance collaboration and coordination amongst the company’s whole car and salvage auction business units and KAR’s diverse ancillary and related services subsidiaries. Under his direction, cross-functional teams will focus on expanding communication channels and creating a direct conduit between customers and KAR’s innovation, data science and product development teams.

“KAR’s approach is to partner with our customers to completely understand their needs and address their individual challenges, issues and priorities,” Howse said. “I look forward to working with our trusted sales leaders to build on and empower those longstanding customer relationships. By convening experts from every corner of our organization and aligning resources, we’ll deliver more tailored, integrated products and services built on the strength of KAR’s end-to-end platform.”  

Prior to joining KAR, Howse served as senior vice president of marketing and business development at Volkswagen Credit, where he was previously the director of remarketing. He has also served in senior finance roles at GMAC and GE Capital and leadership positions with J.D. Power, Audi of America, Honda and General Motors.