CEO of AutoNation
Mike Jackson is widely recognized as one of our generation’s most influential and effective leaders in the automotive industry. Since joining AutoNation as CEO in 1999 and assuming the role of chairman in 2002, he has been responsible for literally transforming the automotive retail industry. Under his guidance, AutoNation not only reinforced its position as America’s largest automotive retailer, but the company also set milestones that stand as testimony to Jackson’s vision of the company as a standard bearer for a more customer-focused, transparent, and contemporary business model. Recently listed number 37 on Fortune Magazine’s list of top 50 business people of the year, Jackson has boosted AutoNation’s annual sales by 13 percent and profits by 15 percent, earning the conglomerate the title of the only retailer in history to have sold 8 million vehicles. A member of the S&P 500, AutoNation has been named America’s Most Admired Automotive Retailer by Fortune Magazine for 6 of the last 8 years, and is a member of the Fortune 500, ranking in the top 200 companies. The company sells approximately 400,000 vehicles and services more than 5 million each year, with annual revenue for 2010 reaching approximately $12 billion across 214 stores in 15 states. These are just a few reasons why approximately 20,000 associates choose rewarding careers with AutoNation. Before joining AutoNation, Jackson was already a revered figure in the automotive world, having served as president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, an $8 billion annual business that oversaw the German automaker’s U.S. sales operation and 311 franchised dealerships. In that role, he helped create the vision and direction that led to the luxury vehicle brand’s rejuvenation in the United States. Prior to joining Mercedes-Benz USA, Jackson served as the Managing Partner of Euro Motorcars of Bethesda, Maryland, an operator of 11 new vehicle franchises. He also has served as chairman of the Mercedes-Benz National Dealer Council. Fittingly, it was at a Mercedes-Benz dealership that he began his automotive career, starting as a technician for a dealership in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, when he was just out of college.
