Lithia hires new marketing chief

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Tom Dobry’s new title, which Lithia has confirmed is different than what is stated in its 8-K filing. Lithia Motors Inc. is shuffling its executive marketing positions, bringing back a former executive and media expert as the new leader of the department. The dealership group hired Marguerite Celeste as senior vice president and chief marketing officer, effective immediately, according to a government filing. Celeste held positions at NBC Universal, DreamWorks Animation and Walt Disney Co., where she worked as director of global creative operations from 2002 to 2011. According to her LinkedIn profile, Celeste also was Lithia’s director of creative services from 2011 to 2013. Tom Dobry, the Medford, Ore., company’s current chief marketing officer, will be Lithia’s vice president of marketing. Lithia ranked No. 3 on Automotive News’ most recent list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S., with retail sales of 171,168 new vehicles in 2020. But with its April acquisition of 34 stores from Michigan’s Suburban Collection, Lithia passed Penske Automotive Group Inc. to become the second-largest dealership group.
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