Ann Fandozzi will become Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers chief executive officer and join the company’s board of directors, effective January 6, 2020.

Most recently, Fandozzi was CEO of ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a national damaged vehicle repair company, where she engineered a step-change in profitability and laid the foundation for an all-new customer experience through technology.

“Ann is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of designing and executing winning strategies and driving profitable growth”, said Bev Briscoe, chair of the board. “She brings a strong customer focus, deep experience in technology, and outstanding management capabilities that will further Ritchie Bros’. strategic transformation as a multi-channel, technology-enabled global business. The board looks forward to working closely with Ann and the rest of our talented executives as we build value for our shareholders, our customers, and our employees.”

Briscoe added: “We would like to thank Sharon Driscoll, chief financial officer, and Karl Werner, president, International, for their commitment and oversight as co-CEOs during the interim period and for all their contributions to the company. By ensuring that Ritchie Bros. maintained its momentum, the board was able to conduct a thoughtful, robust process that led to the recruitment of the right executive to lead the Company forward.”

“I am honored and excited to lead Ritchie Bros. at an important time in the company’s history,” said Fandozzi. “Ritchie Bros. has extraordinary assets – starting with its talented employees, deep customer base, leading market position and unmatched technology. I am energized by the many opportunities we have to expand our global iconic brand which has earned the trust of our customers by delivering the products, services, and unmatched value to help them build and grow their businesses for over 60 years.”

Prior to joining ABRA, Fandozzi was the CEO of vRide, a carpooling platform that works with private and public employers to save their employees time and money. Prior to these CEO roles, Fandozzi served in several executive positions for Whirlpool, including eBusiness, Direct-to-Consumer, and Sears/Kenmore. Fandozzi joined Whirlpool from DaimlerChrysler, where she led the Global Family Vehicle business and is credited with the invention and development of the Stow-N-Go fold flat seats. Earlier in her career, she gained significant experience in consumer marketing, product development and engineering at Ford Motor Company, McKinsey & Company and Lockheed Martin. She served on the board of Pinnacle Foods, a publicly traded packaged food company that was acquired by ConAgra, and is a board member of Ghost Robotics, a robotics start-up. Ann is also a frequent speaker on technology, transportation, and green/environmental topics.