Jim Calvert – President/CEO 

Jim is majority owner of Fusion Auto Finance, LLC and is a thirty year veteran of the auto remarketing industry. Jim viewed the credit union lending environment as financially sound, consistently competitive, and customer focused when establishing Fusion in 2004. His plan for Fusion was to draw on the core competency of managing residual value risk and to engage credit union partners who look to profitably grow their lending business and member base. Fusion has successfully worked with its credit union partners to build a diversified CU Xpress Lease portfolio, exceeding $3.5 billion in new car acquisitions with consistently excellent credit performance.

 

Jim’s confidence in leasing was founded on his steady success in remarketing through various market cycles - he is also CEO of EndTrust Lease End Services, a remarketing services company which was founded in 1998. Jim also acquired Novak Motors in 2004 to serve as a resale outlet for off-lease vehicles – Novak has dealership locations in Bedford, Texas and Farmingdale, New York. Prior to starting his own business, Jim enjoyed a successful fourteen year remarketing management career with Mercedes-Benz Credit. Jim brings an entrepreneurial spirit that blends well with his unique and extensive experiences in auto leasing.

 

Don Porter – Vice President/COO 

Don manages the daily business operations of Fusion and EndTrust in the shared customer service center located in Bedford, Texas. Don serves as the key point of contact for operational processes and his staff provides support to our credit union partners, dealers, insurance companies, and credit union members who have become CU Xpress Lease customers. A critical responsibility of Don’s is to manage the lease maturity process, providing financing options and utilizing the industry leading wear-and-tear procedure known as the “No Surprises” policy to ensure a positive leasing experience for each credit union member.

 

Don has been in the finance and leasing business since 1982, joining Jim Calvert at EndTrust in 2004 after a twenty-one year career with Mercedes-Benz Credit. From 1994 to 2004 he served as National Director of Remarketing where he managed a lease portfolio of over $35 billion. While serving as National Customer Service Director, he was instrumental in successfully launching the Mercedes-Benz Customer Service Center in Dallas and implementing renowned “best in class” remarketing processes. Don tirelessly works to meet and exceed the needs of our business partners and driving customers.

 

Chris Meagher – Director of Sales and Marketing 

Chris is responsible for structuring Fusion supported leasing programs with credit union partners – he works closely with each business client from lease program concept through to training and full implementation in the marketplace. Chris utilizes his thirty-three years’ experience in the automotive finance and lease business. He collaborates with prospective credit union partners, providing financial tools and guidance through an objective analysis of the benefits of credit union leasing. 

 

Chris joined Fusion after a twenty-three year career with Mercedes-Benz Credit, serving in a variety of senior management positions. From 1993 through 2005 he was the Managing Director for the MB Credit East Business Center with direct, bottom line responsibility for an $8 billion lease portfolio and all market support activities for dealers in the Eastern United States. Chris draws upon his deep and extensive knowledge of lease product development to assist credit union partners in planning, launching, and managing financially sound leasing programs such as the CU Xpress Lease.

 

Joe Coreno – Director of Vehicle Remarketing and LRRC Operations

Joe manages the Lease Return and Resale Center (“LRRC”) as well as the Novak Motors dealership located in Hauppauge, New York. The LRRC is utilized as the vehicle return and inspection center for off-lease activities in support of the CU Xpress Lease program. Joe utilizes over twenty years of auto finance and remarketing experiences to ensure an excellent customer experience for lessees while maximizing the vehicle resale opportunities for Fusion Auto Finance. The Novak dealer operations in New York are also within Joe’s area of responsibility and he manages monthly event sales for credit unions as well as ongoing internet sales.

 

Joe has been in the auto finance and leasing business since 1990, working for industry leading companies such as Ford Credit, Chase Auto Finance, and Mercedes-Benz Credit where he served in a variety of remarketing management positions, including National Remarketing & Strategies Manager. He has extensive experiences in risk management, sales and operations management and critical expertise in end-of-term remarketing and vehicle disposal. Joe plays a very vital role in the execution of the Fusion Auto Finance remarketing strategy.

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Frank Rinaudo - Senior Vice President

Frank is Senior Vice President of GrooveCar, Inc. He joined the company in 2001 following a successful eighteen year career at both GE Capital Financial Services and Bank of America (formerly Oxford Resources Corp). After serving in a variety of management positions during his tenure, Frank earned the position of Regional Leasing Sales Manager where he was responsible for developing his market into a top five percent leasing producer in the nation.

When coming to GrooveCar, he used these leadership skills in building a team that was instrumental in developing and maintaining what is today, a strong and thriving dealership network. In 1998-1999 Frank was recognized as the nation’s top producer out of a GE Auto Finance sales force of nearly 100.

 

Over his years with GrooveCar, Frank has enjoyed success while overseeing the launch of several new products. He played a significant role in launching and maintaining a successful CU Xpress Lease Product as well the very successful BuyRite Plus Balloon product.