DAYTON, Ohio — The Reynolds and Reynolds Co. has named Ron Lamb president of Reynolds and Reynolds. He succeeds Rob Nalley, who was named vice chairman. Both changes are effective immediately.

Lamb will report directly to Reynolds Chairman and CEO Bob Brockman. Lamb previously served as the company’s senior vice president of sales.

“Throughout my career, I have always taken a measured approach to putting leaders in place to gain the experience and training necessary to be equipped to run the organization in the future, for the next generation, so to speak,” said Brockman. “Reynolds is a large and complex organization — and we compete in a unique, complex business. This is one more step in that deliberate process.”

Lamb has been with Reynolds and Reynolds for nearly 20 years in a variety of sales and marketing leadership positions. Additionally, he has served as general manager of the company’s Web Solutions business. He was named vice president of sales in 2005 and senior vice president of Sales in 2008.

“I’ve gotten to know and appreciate Ron’s abilities as we’ve worked together closely over the last several years,” Brockman said. “He’s well versed in the industry and thoroughly understands Reynolds’ customers and the opportunities we have for success in the future.”

Although Reynolds is a privately held company and does not report its business results publicly, Brockman did add that the company’s is “stronger this year and it appears the automotive industry has stabilized from two years of recession, and dealerships largely are operating more effectively and profitably. All of which bodes well for Reynolds.”

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. — Robert Haeffner promoted to vice president and chief financial officer for JM&A Group, an independent provider of F&I and service-related products in the automotive industry.

Haeffner is responsible for all accounting, fiscal management, financial reporting and actuarial functions for JM&A, a division of diversified automotive company JM Family Enterprises Inc.

A certified public accountant, Haeffner has been with JM Family since 2004, and most recently served as assistant vice president of business process development. Prior to joining the organization, he was a senior manager for Deloitte.

Haeffner serves on the board of directors for ChildNet, a private, not-for-profit organization that manages the local system of services and support for Broward County, Fla.’s abused, abandoned and neglected children and their caregivers.

He received his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Miami and his bachelor’s in economics and management from Trinity College in Deerfield, Ill.

Haeffner resides in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with his wife, Teresa and their four children.

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — NAC, a service contract sales and administration company, has hired Stephen Anderson as vice president of sales. In his new role, Anderson will expand, create and lead new sales and training initiatives for NAC, and their sales team, agents and clients throughout North America.

“From the start, I was impressed with NAC’s outstanding team of people and their dedication to answering customer needs with agility, flexibility and a can-do attitude. I look forward to driving profitable growth for NAC, getting back to the basics of this industry, and having a lot of fun,” Anderson said.

Anderson has more than 35 years of experience in the automotive industry, which he grew and developed – from trade-schooled mechanic and claims customer service, to service contract sales and technology – to become a well-respected sales management executive. He is a dynamic leader with a background that includes industry-changing software systems design and implementation for aftermarket products.

“Steve has a terrific understanding of the service contract industry. His extensive experience, and abilities to inspire, assist and lead change, along with his up-beat attitude and fresh ideas are welcomed and appreciated. We’re excited to have him on-board and looking forward to continued profitable growth as we expand our training, technology and Web-based initiatives,” says Bill Speaks, CEO of NAC.

Anderson’s experience also includes fixed operations, fleet leasing, customer service and sales training. Prior to his position at NAC, Anderson was the western U.S. sales manager for Warranty Solutions – a part of Wells Fargo Dealer Services – in Denver. He was responsible for supporting both agents and corporate sales reps, and was instrumental in the development of business-to-business Web initiatives (e-contracting, online contract registration and claims submission), as well as many of their dealer participation, reinsurance and retrospective commission programs in place today.

DETROIT – General Motors Co.’s new U.S. advertising chief has again tapped another winning automaker to strengthen Chevrolet’s marketing bench, Automotive News reported.

Kevin Mayer has been named director of Chevrolet advertising and sales promotion, the automaker said Thursday. He joins GM from Subaru of America Inc., where he had been director of marketing communications.

In recent months, GM has also lured marketing executives from Hyundai — one of three brands to post a U.S. sales increase last year. Subaru and Kia were the other two, and Subaru was the only marque to advance in 2008.

“Kevin has consistently demonstrated a unique ability to engage the customer and build a relationship with the brand — and ultimately the products — through bold strategies,” Joel Ewanick, GM’s vice president for U.S. marketing, said in a statement.

Ewanick joined GM in May after leaving Hyundai earlier this year for Nissan, where he worked six weeks.

He said in a statement that Mayer will be an “asset” as GM prepares to launch two key products, the Chevrolet Cruze small car and the Volt plug-in hybrid.

In August, Hyundai’s chief U.S. marketing officer, Chris Perry, was lured away to head marketing at Chevrolet. GM’s biggest division lost sales and share in 2008 and 2009 as the automaker slid into bankruptcy and battled the weakest U.S. market in nearly three decades. This year’s Chevy sales have risen 19 percent through August, more than twice the industry’s advance.

Mayer, 41, will report to Liz Boone, GM’s new director for U.S. advertising strategy. Boone was recently hired from Innocean Worldwide Americas — where she led Hyundai’s passenger car account. She reports to Ewanick.

Mayer joined Subaru in 2007. Before that, he served as senior vice president and account director at Colby and Partners, where he led the American Suzuki Motor Co. account.

In a related matter, Subaru said Alan Bethke will replace Mayer as director of marketing communications.

Bethke, 38, was previously marketing planning and operations manager for Subaru. He joined Subaru in 2003 from Suzuki.

Daimler AG has denied that Dieter Zetsche will step down early from his roles as the company’s CEO and head of its Mercedes-Benz Cars division to make way for Wolfgang Bernhard, reported Automotive News.

A report in Germany’s Focus weekly magazine saying Zetsche will make way for Bernhard was “fiction,” Daimler spokesman Joeörg Howe said in an emailed statement.

Bernhard, 49, was Zetsche’s No. 2 at Chrysler from 2000 to 2004 before Daimler sold its former U.S. unit. He is currently in charge of production and purchasing at Mercedes.

In February, Bernhard was elevated to Daimler’s six-member management board at the same time as Zetsche’s contract with Daimler was renewed until 2013.

Citing Daimler insiders, Focus said that Zetsche will hand over the role of Mercedes head to Bernhard next year, then in 2012 will step aside to allow Bernhard to become Daimler CEO.

In a statement on Saturday, Daimler said Zetsche will fulfill his contract until it runs out at the end of 2013. “The Focus report is fictional and without foundation,” the company said.

Zetsche’s double role as head of Daimler and the company’s premium cars division has been criticized in the German press, which also speculated in February that Bernhard’s role as head of production and purchasing at Mercedes cars was an interim move before he becomes Mercedes, then Daimler CEO.

In 2004, Bernhard was on the brink of being promoted to head Mercedes but was ousted by then-CEO Juergen Schrempp before he even took the top job after calling the division a basket case.

He then joined the Volkswagen Group to run the Volkswagen brand, putting high emphasis on cost cutting and boosting quality. But he was ousted in January 2007 in a boardroom shakeup engineered by VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech.

Bernhard rejoined Daimler last year.

WASHINGTON – The White House praised the decision of General Motors Co.’s board to name Daniel Akerson as the new chief executive, reported The Detroit News.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs also praised the service of GM chairman and CEO Edward Whitacre Jr., who will turn over the reins to Akerson on Sept. 1 as CEO. Akerson will assume Whitacre’s duties as chairman on Jan. 1.

“Our belief is that Dan Akerson is a proven and well-respected individual that will carry on what Ed and others have started in restructuring an auto company that not too long ago was on the brink of extinction,” Gibbs told reporters. “They announced again yesterday a quarterly profit. They are on the upswing, as the other auto companies are, as well.”

Gibbs said President Barack Obama will be briefed on the change in management. “We are grateful for, and I think the country should be grateful for, the service and the sacrifice of Ed Whitacre,” Gibbs said.

Akerson, 61, who lives in McLean, Va., is a partner at Carlyle Group overseeing its investments in many companies and has been a CEO three times. He’s also a Republican who donated to Sen. John McCain’s campaign against Obama.

Gibbs said GM — with its $50 billion bailout — needed fundamental management changes. Akerson will be the fourth CEO in less than 18 months — and the latest former telecom executive with no experience in autos.

“The money that we invested came with managerial changes that had to be enacted. I think Ed Whitacre and I think Dan Akerson understand that GM made a series of decisions that got them into a position, with the type of economic downturn that we’ve had, that, quite frankly, put the existence of the company in great danger,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs said GM got a second chance on life.

“There’s an understanding that (GM has) a second chance; that that investment required them to do some things differently, and they are, and now there’s a much different story to tell in the auto world, that will only, quite frankly, get better as our economy gets stronger, and more people buy cars,” he said.