Vonk VP, COO At Midas

ITASCA, Ill.--Gary B. Vonk has joined Midas Inc. as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Vonk, 47, is responsible for day-to-day operations of the automotive service provider, including wholesale product sales and distribution, marketing and franchise operations.

“Gary Vonk brings three decades of retail and franchise experience to Midas,” said Wendel H. Province, Midas’ chairman and chief executive officer. “He is a valuable addition to our senior management team and will be a major force in executing the strategies we have in place to grow Midas’ retail and wholesale sales in North America.”

Vonk most recently was president and chief executive officer of Powersports Inc., a Florida-based network of dealerships selling motorcycles, personal watercraft and all-terrain vehicles.

Prior to joining Powersports in March 1999, he had served as president of Crescent Jewelers of Oakland, Calif., and Snappy Car Rental of Tulsa, Okla.

Previously, Vonk was vice president of the southern division of Pep Boys and he held retail management posts at Thrifty Drug Stores of Los Angeles and at TG&Y Stores of Oklahoma City.

A native of Woodland, Calif., Vonk holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from San Diego State University.

Midas has 2,700 franchised and licensed shops in 19 countries, including nearly 2,100 in the United States and Canada.

For more informatkion, contact www.midasinc.com.