Leadership
When it comes to a specific slice of the M&A space, it’s not just what you know but who you know. Our management team provides over 200 years of combined experience in the Automotive Aftermarket. Through our many years in the field, we’ve forged relationships with industry leaders – many of whom are represented on our Advisory Board. Read below to get acquainted with our distinguished group.
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Tom Marx
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tom Marx has over 12 years of experience delivering mergers and acquisitions services and a 25 plus year network of relationships in the Automotive and Heavy Duty Aftermarkets. He has experience with most product lines, from brakes, to engine parts, to chassis parts and more. He represents all channels, including manufacturers, distributors, jobbers, installer chains and independent repair companies. He has been involved with industries from motor sports to technology, real estate and financial services. As CEO of Marx Group Advisors, LLC, Tom advises buyers on maximizing the value from their transactions. He also supports companies with integration strategies that maximize return on investment, and supports mergers that bring together synergistic organizations. He is the author of the book Marketing Sucks! (and Sales, Too!), writes monthly e-newsletters, speaks on M&A and marketing and is an active member of SEMA, AAIA, AASA, ACC, APRA, HDMA and CAWA. |
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Paul Cooperstein
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Paul Cooperstein brings over 30 years’ experience in selling and acquiring businesses and property. He focuses on helping clients optimize all phases of their business to add the most value to the transaction, including analysis of operational, organizational, financial, administrative, logistics and marketing resources. An attorney for over 30 years, Paul has helped build successful organizations in a wide variety of areas including venture capital, real estate development, automotive parts, retail, and distribution/service businesses. Paul also helps business organizations break through visible and invisible barriers standing in the way of commercial success. |
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John Nodson
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. John Nodson provides hands-on experience integrating major acquisitions and new businesses, and working with joint venture partners. As President of the Sagacious Advisor Group, John works with select companies by joining their management team to help overcome challenges, take advantage of timely opportunities and develop new business. He is also Vice President of Research for The Marx Group, providing dedicated leadership for the market research department. This includes primary research, focus groups, online studies and work with major data providers to help clients select the right information to incorporate into customized data analyses. John was with Standard Motor Products for 35 years, moving up through the organization and as the Director of Marketing provided leadership for business units building and managing multiple brands and full lines of engine management, brake products and retail accessories. |
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Christine LeMay
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Christine LeMay, Business Development Manager for Marx Group Advisors, is responsible for creating and maintaining relationships with prospects and customers. During her career, Christine has held sales and marketing positions with Sybervision, Siemens Enterprise Networks, The Silicon Valley Job Seeker Center (NOVA), Kaiser Permanente and Solarcraft. A native of Bonn, Germany, Christine spent a year in Lyon, France studying international economics. She holds a B.A. degree in Global Economics from UC Santa Cruz, and an M.A. degree in Career Development from JFK University. Christine is also fluent in German. |
Advisory Board
Each member of our Advisory Board is a well-known industry expert with a career based in the Aftermarket, either running or holding executive-level positions in top companies. Several have also served as industry leaders with trade associations and other Aftermarket organizations.
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Chip Carlson (Ohio)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. As President of the marketing and business development company Cima International LLC, Chip Carlson provides management consulting, market studies and sales representation. Previously, he held positions as General Director of Corteco de Mexico, General Director ROL de Mexico, Director of Marketing at Transtec/Corteco NA, and Director of Marketing at ROL NA. Past and current industry clients include BBB Industries, AP Auto, Prestolite, HO Auto Parts, Liqui-Moly, TTK-Bryco, Macroplastics, ATSCO, OMEGA and DC Gaskets. He has also extensive experience gathering and processing data used to educate senior management. Bi-lingual, bi-cultural and extremely well networked in Mexico, Chip has extensive knowledge of the Mexican business landscape from living and working in the country for many years. |
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Jack Creamer (Arizona)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Jack Creamer was the former President of Wheels Incorporated, which was sold to American Parts Systems in the 1960s. Subsequently, in the 1970s, he founded Distribution Marketing Services, a firm specializing in three broad areas: marketing consulting in the Aftermarket, merger and acquisition activity in the Aftermarket, and executive placement. He is a former President of AWDA and also developed curriculum and participated as an instructor in their management courses. In 2000, Jack was named AWDA Automotive Leader of the Year. Jack served on the board of Echlin before it was sold to Dana and served on the board of Hilite. He has been involved in more than forty transactions in the Automotive Aftermarket. |
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Howard Kesten (New York)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. For 23 years, Howard Kesten has been the Owner/President of APA Search, an executive search firm specializing in the automotive industry. Between 1988 to 2011, APA Search interviewed more than 50,000 automotive industry executives and placed over 2,000 of them in companies ranging in size from $2 million to $60 billion. Howard provides counseling to his corporate clients in organizational development. He also provides coaching to executives to help accelerate their careers. Prior to APA Search, he spent several years with Dana Corporation, and earlier owned and operated a chain of automotive two-step warehouses in and around New York City. He is also a noted industry guest speaker and a board member of numerous Aftermarket companies. |
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Lou Merz (Florida)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Lou Merz started in the 1960s at Precision Automotive Components Company (PACCO). When Borg Warner acquired PACCO, Lou became President/General Manager of Borg Warner’s Aftermarket division, where he was instrumental in the sale of the division to Echlin, Inc. He then served as President of BWD, Inc. In 1983, Lou was named Senior Vice President of Moog Automotive and in 1988 he joined MascoTech, heading its Aftermarket portfolio. He successfully grew the business from two divisions generating less than $50 million to nine divisions exceeding $200 million. Subsequently, Lou was appointed Global Director of Sales and Marketing for Delphi’s newly created Aftermarket division. In 2001, Lou returned to his consulting company, Aftermarket Growth Concepts, which he continues to run. Lou was Chairman of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), and past President of the Automotive Sales Council. He has served as Executive in Residence at Krannert Graduate Business School at Purdue University. |
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Rick Rollins (Florida)
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Since 1970, Rick Rollins has worked in multiple entities of the automotive aftermarket industry. His career began as a mechanic progressing to auto parts store counterman, then on to being a (high) performance buyer for a large warehouse distributor. Rick continued his career in 1981 joining Hastings Manufacturing as district manager, then advancing to regional sales manager. Rick moved on to Taylor Cable Products in Kansas City MO, where he served as VP Marketing and Sales for the next eleven years. In 1999 he relocated to Sanford, FL to accept a position with Superchips, Inc. as VP of Marketing and Sales and was later promoted to VP of Marketing Relations for the MSD Performance Group of companies. In 2009 Rick started Rollins Performance Marketing, LLC which currently serves as Director of Wholesale Accounts for TCI Automotive (a div of the Comp Performance Group). In addition he owns Filter Solutions Technologies, LLC/FST Performance, which is a manufacturer of high-end performance fuel filtration systems and filters. Rick has served a total of 18 years on the SEMA Board of Directors, including 2 years as Chairman of the Board. Among his numerous awards, he has been inducted into the SEMA and MPMC Halls of Fame and has been recognized twice by the PWA as its Person of the Year. |
