With significant planned growth and expansion for 2019, American Cycle Finance has hired Bruce Katz to serve as its director of sales and marketing. Katz joined the company on Jan. 16, 2019, and has been crafting the company’s strategic and tactical plans for the year ahead.
Katz, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, has most recently served in the automotive lending arena, having held various business development roles at Capital One Auto Finance, Wachovia Dealer Services, later becoming Wells Fargo Dealer Services and AmeriCredit/GM Financial.
“I am so excited to be joining American Cycle Finance,” Katz said. “The opportunity to help this organization grow its footprint and dealership network has a tremendous amount of appeal to me.”
Katz explained the near future will bring several new states to the corporate portfolio and represent exponential opportunity to increase the loan originations ACF generates each calendar year.
“We currently enjoy relationships with nearly 400 motorcycle and powersports dealers in our 18-state operating area. ACF has several significant states slated to open for its business later this year, among them are Arizona, California and Nevada.”
He added dealer interest and appetite has been very high for the services and subprime consumer lending segment ACF operates in.
“Our marketing plan and communications have already generated a lot of interest from dealerships in newly added states,” Katz said. “In fact, we are having to create a ‘waiting list’ of dealers who are seeking to sign up and offer American Cycle Finance in their stores because we are not currently doing business in their states.”
In addition to direct marketing to dealers, Katz notes ACF has recently signed a marketing agreement and entered into a relationship with American Flat Track for display advertising, event marketing and dealer engagement.
“This year has started off with great enthusiasm and opportunity for ACF.” Katz added. “The real gauge of our success is measured empirically monthly and the signs and data are in keeping with our vision and expectations.”
Link: American Cycle Finance