Monday, October 25, 2010

Small startups think big, hook top executives

Today's story in Automotive News by Lindsay Chappell and Dave Guilford features Carmoza's CEO Peter Fong and co-founder Randy Ortiz.

Here's an excerpt:

Former Chrysler brand CEO Peter Fong says credibility is critical in approaching customers.

"It's important to be able to have your phone calls returned and to have people respond to invitations to meetings," Fong says. "That's been pretty easy for us."

By "us," Fong is referring to himself, auto leasing and dealer training executive Eustice Mita and Randy Ortiz, who retired in March at age 52 as Ford Motor Co.'s general manager of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales.

Together with Fong, 46, the former Detroit managers plan to take Carmoza, a vehicle transport startup, into the fast lane. Fong is president of Carmoza, and Ortiz a partner.

"We're talking to all the big dealer groups in the country," says Ortiz, who is drawing a Ford pension. "Peter and I know what dealers face in moving vehicles. A third of their sales are often dealer-to-dealer trades, and there is no national brand serving them."

Check out the full story in Automotive News or via Carmoza's newsroom.

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