Ann Fandozzi Joins Ritchie Bros. as CEO
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers has named Ann Fandozzi as its CEO and a member of the company's board of directors, effective Jan. 6. Ritchie Bros,, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, is the world's largest industrial auctioneer and a leading used equipment seller.
Fandozzi was most recently CEO of ABRA Auto Body & Glass, a leading national damaged vehicle repair company, where she engineered a step-change in profitability and laid the foundation for an all-new customer experience through technology.
"Ann is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of designing and executing winning strategies and driving profitable growth," said Bev Briscoe, chairperson of the Ritchie board. "She brings a strong customer focus, deep experience in technology, and outstanding management capabilities that will further Ritchie Bros.' strategic transformation as a multi-channel, technology-enabled global business. The board looks forward to working closely with Ann and the rest of our talented executives as we build value for our shareholders, our customers, and our employees."
Briscoe added: "We would like to thank Sharon Driscoll, chief financial officer, and Karl Werner, president, international, for their commitment and oversight as Co-CEOs during the interim period, and for all their contributions to the company. By ensuring that Ritchie Bros. maintained its momentum, the board was able to conduct a thoughtful, robust process that led to the recruitment of the right executive to lead the company forward."
Fandozzi said, "I am honored and excited to lead Ritchie Bros. at an important time in the company's history. Ritchie Bros. has extraordinary assets, starting with its talented employees, deep customer base, leading market position, and unmatched technology. I am energized by the many opportunities we have to expand our global iconic brand, which has earned the trust of our customers by delivering the products, services, and unmatched value to help them build and grow their businesses for over 60 years."
Fandozzi was CEO of ABRA Auto Body and Glass from 2016 to 2019. From 2012 to 2016, she had been CEO of vRide, a carpooling platform that works with private and public employers to save their employees time and money.
Prior to those CEO roles, Fandozzi served in several executive positions for Whirlpool, including eBusiness, direct-to-consumer, and Sears/Kenmore. Fandozzi joined Whirlpool from DaimlerChrysler, where she led its global family vehicle business and is credited with the invention and development of Stow-N-Go fold-flat seats.
Earlier in her career, she gained significant experience in consumer marketing, product development and engineering at Ford Motor Company, McKinsey & Company, and Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Fandozzi served on the board of Pinnacle Foods, a publicly traded packaged food company that was acquired by ConAgra, and is a board member of Ghost Robotics, a robotics start-up. She also speaks frequently about technology, transportation, and green/environmental topics.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey; a master’s degree in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
