This week, we cover new appointments, including at GO Car Wash, and grand openings.

GO Car Wash names Bill Derwin chairman

PHOENIX — The board of directors of GO Car Wash, a new express carwash platform, has named Bill Derwin chairman, according to a press release.

“Bill’s vast experience puts him in the perfect position to lead GO Car Wash during our aggressive growth phase and beyond,” said Darren Skarecky, GO Car Wash CEO. “The Board was excited to elect Bill as the chairman, and we welcome him to the GO team.”

“I am honored to lead such a talented team of proven industry professionals,” said Derwin. “With GO’s dynamic team of industry professionals, we are well positioned to grow rapidly throughout North America.”

Derwin’s accomplished career spans three decades with leadership roles nationally and overseas, the release continued.

Derwin was CEO of International Car Wash Group, headquartered in the U.K. and Denver, with global responsibility for the world’s largest carwash company at over 900 sites in 15 countries, the release stated.

From 2013 to 2016, he was Terminix International president, overseeing the $4.2 billion enterprise in 22 countries with more than 9,500 employees, the release added. 

For 11 years before that, Derwin held various roles at United Technologies/Otis Elevator, including vice president, global field operations and area director, U.K. and Ireland, the release noted.

“His various positions in global markets bring a keen perspective to GO Car Wash’s trajectory in the industry,” said Skarecky.

With a Harvard MBA and a mechanical engineering degree from Stanford University, Derwin began his career in 1990 at The Boeing Co. and with McKinsey & Co., the release added.

Today, he is an independent director at Badger Daylighting, a publicly traded, premier soil excavation company based in Calgary, Alberta, the release noted. 

Under Derwin’s leadership, GO Car Wash will continue to deploy its multi-pronged growth strategy focused on acquisitions, partnerships and new site build-outs, the release concluded.

LSI Industries names a new director of commercial marketing and national sales manager for retail national accounts 

CINCINNATI — LSI Industries Inc., a manufacturer of outdoor and indoor lighting and graphics for commercial, industrial and multi-site retail applications, recently named Sean Hamilton as the new director of commercial marketing, according to a press release.

Hamilton is responsible for leading, developing and executing the overall commercial marketing strategy for LSI Industries, the release continued.

In addition, he will head up the development of marketing communication tools and tactics across several marketing mediums, including web, publications, advertising, and trade shows and events, the release added. 

He will also help elevate LSI products, execute product launches and improve customers’ abilities to find, source and utilize those products and services, the release noted. 

Prior to joining LSI Industries, Hamilton led commercial marketing for Milacron, where he distinguished himself with new content marketing programs, improved lead generation, tradeshow systems and brand engagement across a number of marketing and communication channels, the release stated.  

Before Milacron, Hamilton served in various design and marketing communications roles at NAMSA, Owens Corning and Xerox, the release added. 

“Sean Hamilton has built an impressive career growing brands and driving high-value customer experiences in the B2B space. With his caliber and experience, we are confident he will deliver marked performance when enhancing the LSI brand. He is a welcome addition, and I look forward to the creative and tactical executions that will come from his leadership of LSI’s Commercial Marketing team,” said Scott Coleman, LSI Industries chief marketing officer.

LSI Industries also announced that it has expanded the ranks of its national sales team with John Bank as a new national sales manager for retail accounts, according to a separate press release.  

Bank will work directly with national brands and large retailers, focusing on graphics, décor and digital signage programs, the release continued.  

He will bring his expertise to provide lighting, graphic and digital signage solutions that create engaging environments, strong identities and operational efficiencies, including energy savings from LED lighting and control products as well as digital displays that can reduce print costs and automate promotional schedules, the release noted.  

Bank will also work to grow lighting product sales and advance LSI Industries’ initiative to expand product offerings of smart tools, digital, and safety and security products to each of LSI Industries’ distributors, the release added.

Bank has a special expertise (both print and digital) in exterior and interior signage and LED signage, the release noted.  

Prior to joining LSI Industries, he served for 15 years in senior sales positions in the sign industry with Parvin Clauss Sign Co., Jones Sign Co., Identity Group and Kieffer Signs, the release noted.

“John Bank has outstanding expertise, given his background in retail signage, and he is able to offer our customers deep knowledge of lighting, graphic and digital signage solutions and the effective integration of these elements in the built environment,” said Steve Moeglin, LSI Industries’ director of retail national accounts. “We’re thrilled that John has joined our team; he really rounds out the expertise we can bring to market, and our customers will be thrilled to have access to his knowledge.”

AAA Carolinas hosts grand opening of Fins, its flagship carwash

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Fins team gathered with members of the Greenville, South Carolina, community on Wednesday, July 17th for a ribbon cutting celebration, as AAA Carolinas opened its first carwash, according to a press release.

​​Members of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Make-A-Wish South Carolina and other local businesses were in attendance for the ceremony, the release continued, and the crowd was given a tour of the new facility and a free wash, the release continued.

“Our grand opening ceremony was the perfect way to usher in the start of a brand new line of business that AAA Carolinas is offering,” said Dave Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “The Greenville community was warm and welcoming, and we are so excited to begin this journey in a city as wonderful and vibrant as Greenville.”

​​​To celebrate its opening, Fins will host “Washes for Wishes” from Aug. 2-4, the release stated.

On this weekend, Fins will offer free top washes (normally $18) for everyone that drives through, the release added, and in return, Fins will ask for donations that will all be given to Make-A-Wish South Carolina.  

Fins Car Wash is an automatic carwash focused on providing fast and remarkable washes, the release noted.

It differs from other carwashes because of its state-of-the-art, low-stress loading system that eases and enhances motorists’ carwash experience, the release stated.

It is also equipped with heated blowers, which have been proven to be the most effective method of drying vehicles, the release continued.

Fins Car Wash is in the process of opening multiple locations across the Carolinas, and Greenville is its first, the release added.

​​​​​​Fins is open to AAA members and nonmembers alike, though AAA members receive discounts on the monthly memberships and other perks, the release concluded.

Flying Ace Express Car Wash’s Englewood grand opening raises $5,330 for The Community Table

DAYTON, Ohio — Flying Ace Express Car Wash has announced the donation of $5,330.48 to The Community Table non-profit organization, which provides financial and emergency assistance to Northmont families in need, according to a press release.

The donations were collected from Flying Ace Express customers at the company’s Englewood Grand Opening/Free Wash Week held June 14-23, 2019, the release continued.

During the grand opening, Flying Ace Express offered a free signature “Flying Ace” carwash ($15 value) to every customer in exchange for a monetary donation to The Community Table, the release noted; Flying Ace Express also offered discounted retail gift cards with all proceeds donated back to The Community Table.

Throughout the grand opening period, Flying Ace Express gave away more than 2,850 free carwashes, the release added.

“Our goal is to always improve the communities in which we operate, and when we open a new location, we look to partner with community-based non-profit organizations doing great things yet perhaps flying under the radar,” said Dan Eisenhauer, Flying Ace partner and Express Wash Concepts vice president of operations. “The Community Table is one such example of a small group of people making a huge impact in the Northmont/Englewood community. We know that this donation will benefit so many families across multiple initiatives, including providing summer lunch assistance to area children.”

Nation’s newest Detail Garage retail store to open in Florida

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Detail Garage is opening its newest location in Fort Myers, Florida, with a grand opening that will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 27th at 17051 Jean St. Unit 3, according to a press release.

“Opening a Detail Garage was something I thought could be very beneficial for the car community in this area,” store owner Shawn Seifert said. “As a car lover myself, I want my store to be a place where people can both show off and seek help about car care products. No question is a bad question,” he said.

Seifert previously worked in Las Vegas as a contractor in the events industry, but he has always been passionate about cars and a fan of the products Detail Garage sells, the release noted.

Detail Garage offers premium, quality and professional auto detailing and car care products, including soaps, waxes, cleaners, equipment and accessories, the release added.

Seifert plans for his Detail Garage to be a comfortable and friendly place, because he seeks the satisfaction of his customers, and he looks forward to helping them get the results that they want, the release noted.

Like all Detail Garage locations, the Fort Myers store staff will offer in-store education and do-it-yourself workshops on how to properly apply car care products, the release stated.

They also will host monthly Rides & Coffee events, where car lovers can gather to learn about products and purchase them at discounted prices, the release noted.

The Fort Myers store will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Saturday.