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TROY, Mich. (April 7, 2009) – SmartAuction has hired Grace Appleton as its Remarketing Sales Director for North America. In this role, Appleton will be responsible for leading the SmartAuction Sales team and expanding its consignor base in the United States and Canada. 

Appleton will lead SmartAuction’s initiatives for growing its business with OEM and captive finance companies, fleet, rental car, banks and dealers. She has extensive automotive industry experience with specific focus in remarketing and eBusiness development. Most recently, Appleton was the Operations and OEM Strategy director for JM Solutions following her role as the executive director sales, National Accounts, at ADESA Corporation.
 
Appleton succeeds Bill McIver, who will assume a consulting role with SmartAuction beginning on June 1. In his new role, McIver will continue to work with GMAC Vice President of Remarketing and Managing Director of SmartAuction Mark Newman on a number of key remarketing initiatives, including maximizing SmartAuction’s dealer and dealer group revenue opportunities.

“SmartAuction is definitely in a growth mode, and we are excited to have someone with Grace’s broad experience and perspectives join our team,” said Newman. “I’m equally excited that we will be able to retain Bill’s considerable expertise and well-earned stature within the industry. Bill’s contributions to remarketing during his 39-year career with GMAC, including his work on the development and deployment of SmartAuction in 2000, have been invaluable.”

Appleton will be based in Boca Raton, Fla., and will report to Newman. Reporting to Appleton will be Robert Taar, Remarketing U.S. Field Sales director, and G. John Carere, National Remarketing manager, Canada.  McIver will continue to reside in Atlanta, Ga., and will continue to report to Newman.

About SmartAuction
Launched in 2000, more than 2.7 million vehicles have been sold through SmartAuction since its inception. In 2008, approximately 435,000 units were sold on SmartAuction representing 40 different vehicle makes. With more than 7,300 registered SmartAuction users, nearly 4,000 franchise and non-franchise dealers log in daily to SmartAuction with a daily listing of approximately 10,000 vehicles. 
For more information about SmartAuction visit www.aboutsmartauction.com. 

Contact:
Michael Stoller
O: 313-656-6971
C: 313-720-8036
michael.r.stoller@gmacfs.com