ANC Puts Plamondon In The Driver's Seat
ANC Rental Corp. this month appointed William Plamondon as its new CEO after former CEO Lawrence Ramaekers announced he would reenter retirement at the end of the year.
The company also this month shifted former senior vice president of sales and marketing Travis Tanner to the position of executive vice president and named Doug Laux CFO and senior vice president. Laux since December 2001 served as an independent consultant to ANC.
Plamondon most recently served as ANC's chief restructuring officer and has served on its board of directors since June 2000. Previously, Plamondon founded and served as president and CEO of management consulting firm R.I. Heller Co. and as CEO of First Merchants Acceptance Corp. He also has held the post of president at Budget Rent-A-Car.
"Larry has set this business up for the future," Plamondon said. "Now our efforts must be focused on completing the restructuring and building a strong, profitable company."
Ramaekers will work with Plamondon through year-end. He called this "the most appropriate time" for the transition, noting it would not disrupt the company's ongoing effort to restructure and emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Ramaekers in October 2001 came out of retirement to join ANC in order to assist the company in its turnaround.
Plamondon takes the lead on the heels of a decision—also this month—to pull ANC out of local markets and concentrate on airport locations and the airport consolidation of its Alamo and National brands. In turn, Alamo will discard its local replacement business, called Alamo Neighborhood.
"What they know best is airport car rental," said Jon LeSage, vice president and director of research with Abrams Travel Data Services. According to Abrams, Alamo and National had 10.2 percent and 12.7 percent share, respectively, in the 50 largest airport markets between January and June of this year. Hertz clinched 28 percent and Avis made up another 20.8 percent.
Meanwhile, Tanner will oversee ANC's worldwide sales, marketing, operations, business systems development, brand integrity, IT, and reservations and revenue management. ANC attributed to him several accomplishments this year, including the securing of key corporate accounts. He also worked to develop new branding strategies. "Alamo and National both have a critical role to play in the business market," said Tanner, who has taken a "broadbased" role since joining the company.
As a consultant to ANC, Laux focused on the company's foreign operations and assisted in the development of the company's business plan for 2002.