CEO, KAR Auction Services – Carmel, Indiana
As Chief Executive Offer and Director of KAR Auction Services, Jim Hallett leads the strategic planning for the entire organization by directing its executive management team and identifying synergies across all business units to optimize future growth.
Mr. Hallett entered the retail automotive business in 1975 and later owned and managed a number of new car franchises. In 1990, he opened two automobile auctions, the Ottawa Dealers Exchange and The Greater Halifax Dealer Exchange.
Mr. Hallett joined the Automotive Dealer Exchange Services of America’s (ADESA) Canadian location in 1993 as president. In 1996, he relocated from his native Canada to Indianapolis to serve as president and CEO of the entire organization. During his tenure, the conglomerate grew from 16 to 53 whole-car auctions and expanded its Automotive Finance Corporation (AFC) to fully service the industry. Mr. Hallett also solidified ADESA’s presence in the automotive remarketing trade by entering the salvage vehicle industry in both the United States and Canada.
Mr. Hallett then joined the Columbus Fair Auto Auction in Columbus, Ohio to serve as president from 2005 to 2007. He returned to ADESA to take on the role of president and CEO in April, 2007. In September 2009, he was promoted to his current role as CEO and director of KAR Auction Services.
Having enjoyed a lifelong passion for the game of hockey, Mr. Hallett purchased the Central Hockey League’s Indianapolis Ice professional hockey team and won a championship the first year. In November of 2013 he announced that he’d acquired an expansion franchise in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The team named the Indy Fuel began playing in October 2014 at the newly renovated Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
A graduate of Canada’s Algonquin College, Mr. Hallett holds a Dealer Management Certification from General Motors University. He has received several industry awards, including the Ring of Honor from the National Independent Dealers Association. In 2008, he was recognized as Remarketer of the Year at the Conference of Automotive Remarketing, and subsequently received the Pioneer Award at the National Auto Auction Association Conference in recognition for a lifetime of leadership and contribution to the automotive remarketing industry.
Most recently, Mr. Hallett was awarded with the national 2014 Ernst and Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Services category, further recognition of his achievement as the Midwest regional winner for the same honor in the Consumer category.
*All biographical information is only current up to the date of the award.
