A Heartfelt Thank-You and a Clarifier

My heartfelt and sincere thanks for the outpouring of love and support following yesterday’s announcement that I’ll be leaving Cox Automotive at the end of 2025.

My wife, Nancy, captured the feeling I felt through the day: “It’s like you get to hear all the wonderful things people say and think about you, even though it’s not your funeral.”

With the hundreds of comments and likes across my social media pages, I’m not able to respond to everyone individually. But, make no mistake, you all mean the world to me. I’m truly blessed to have such deeply felt, industry-wide recognition and respect.

This moment seems right to call out two things:

First, I’m not retiring. I know. That’s the road many travel when they reach my age. But I’m as committed and excited as ever to join the Cox Automotive team at NADA 2025 in New Orleans and through the year ahead. As the announcement notes, I’ve spent the past two decades pouring myself into my mission of helping dealers and achieving success for vAuto and Cox Automotive. Along the way, I’ve parked some ideas and opportunities—things I’ll revisit and explore as 2026 unfolds.

Second, so many of yesterday’s comments and conversations brought me to a passage I wrote for the preface of my next book, Invested: The New Science, Strategy and System of Used Vehicle Investment Management, which will be available at NADA:

“When I first set foot in this industry, I was driven by a desire to innovate, to create solutions that would not only streamline operations but also transform how we perceive value and success for used vehicle departments.

The years that followed were marked by challenges, triumphs, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Each innovation, each step forward was an investment in a vision I believed could redefine our industry.

Now, as I anticipate the future, I am filled with excitement and curiosity. As I think about what’s to come, it brings a profound contemplation of what it means to invest a lifetime into something greater than oneself. While I have witnessed the tangible returns of my efforts in the form of appreciation and the respect of the industry and the people I have had the privilege to serve, there is a lingering question: How will I continue to realize the investment return from my work as I have in the past?”

I’ll be working to answer this question in months and years ahead. In the meantime, my deep gratitude goes to all of you. My experience yesterday is proof positive that when you give yourself to serve others, you get way more in return than you can imagine.