Republic Industries, Inc. Names VP AutoRewards(SM)
10 December 1998
Republic Industries, Inc. Names VP AutoRewards(SM)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 10 -- Republic Industries, Inc.
announced today that Maria Bailey has been named to the Company's
new position of Vice President of AutoRewards(SM), effective immediately.
Ms. Bailey, age 34, will oversee the roll-out of AutoNation USA's
AutoRewards(SM) program, a customers-only package of free services, discounts
and benefits which is being introduced in Denver on December 26. Denver is the
site of the Company's "Mile High" project, which extends the AutoNation USA
brand and its "Customers for Life" philosophy for the first time to a group of
Republic Industries-owned new vehicle stores.
Those Denver stores will now sell new and used cars and trucks under the
"John Elway AutoNation USA" name. Mr. Elway, the Denver Broncos quarterback,
and former Denver dealers Marshall Chesrown and Fred Emich last year sold
their dealership groups to the Company. Mr. Chesrown is now Senior Vice
President for Republic Industries' AutoNation USA used vehicle megastores and
Mr. Emich is the Company's Denver District Senior Vice President.
"Republic Industries' vision is based on offering added value to customers
who do business within our automotive network. Launching the AutoRewards(SM)
program demonstrates that commitment by using network synergies to deliver
benefits that address all of our customers' automotive needs," said Co-Chief
Executive Officer Steven R. Berrard. "Maria brings a strong marketing
background to the position and a working knowledge of Republic's retail and
rental divisions."
Ms. Bailey most recently served as the Company's Director of
Administration, reporting directly to Mr. Berrard. In her new role, she will
report to Tom Eggleston, Senior Vice President of Auto Retail Operations, who
is directly overseeing the Company's "Mile High" initiative.
"What we accomplish in Denver through such programs as AutoRewards(SM)
will set the tone for how we will offer value-added benefits to our customers
nationwide," said Mr. Eggleston. "AutoRewards(SM) will give the AutoNation USA
experience a dimension our competitors will find very difficult to match or
beat."
Under the AutoRewards(SM) program, John Elway AutoNation USA customers in
Denver will be able to earn points as they purchase vehicles, have vehicles
serviced and refer other consumers to the Company's stores. Those points can
be redeemed for discounts on future vehicle purchases, free auto maintenance
services and free car rentals from Republic's National Car Rental and Alamo
Rent-A-Car brands. Points also will go toward earning special privileges such
as no-appointment priority service at John Elway AutoNation USA stores, free
enrollment in National's Emerald Isle or Alamo's QuickSilver premium clubs,
and other members-only events and services.
Before joining Republic Industries, Ms. Bailey held management posts in
several professions and businesses, including Interim Vice President of
Development and Executive Director of the Broward Community College
Foundation, where she oversaw the Foundation's public relations, marketing,
alumni relations and more than $15 million in assets. Prior to that role, she
was President of Bailey Innovative Marketing, Inc., a media relations and
marketing firm with offices in Pompano Beach. She also held several management
posts at The Miami Herald, the Knight Ridder, Inc., newspaper where she became
the youngest department manager in the publication's history.
Her record of community service includes serving as a Past President of
the Museum of Art Contemporaries and Hospice Hundred, and as Founder and Past
President of the Corporate Volunteer Council of Broward County. She currently
serves on the boards of the Broward Education Foundation, Nova Southeastern
University Family Center, S.P.A.R.K. and the YMCA. Those professional and
personal accomplishments led South Florida magazine to name Ms. Bailey an "Up
and Comer" in 1989 and one of its "Ten Women of Substance and Style" for 1990.
She's also a graduate of Leadership Broward and Leadership America.
Ms. Bailey, a graduate of Florida State University, lives in Pompano Beach
with her husband, Tim, and their three young children.
AutoNation USA, Inc. is an operating unit of Republic Industries, Inc., a
publicly traded company headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Republic
Industries operates subsidiaries in the automotive retailing, rental and
financing businesses. The Company owns 63.9 percent of Republic Services Inc.
, one of the leading providers of non-hazardous solid waste
collection and disposal services in the U.S.