Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

OPENLANE Financial Exec Plans to Retire as Successor Sought

The company will start a national search to succeed Treasurer and VP of investor relations Mike Eliason.

February 29, 2024
OPENLANE Financial Exec Plans to Retire as Successor Sought

Eliason was named vice president of investor relations and Treasurer of KAR Auction Services, Inc., now OPENLANE, in May 2016.

Photo: OPENLANE

2 min to read


Wholesale used vehicle digital marketplace OPENLANE announced Feb. 28 that Mike Eliason, Treasurer and vice president of investor relations, will retire as of June 1 after more than 25 years at the company.

Brad Lakhia, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will assume the role of Treasurer on June 1 until a permanent one is named following a thorough national search.

Ad Loading...

“Mike has been a valued member of the OPENLANE team and has led our investor relations program for the last seven years, playing a key role in communicating about our company’s growth and transformation to our customers, business partners and stockholders,” Lakhia said in a news release. “I want to thank Mike for his leadership and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.”

Lakhia said this period is an ideal time to evaluate a diverse array of investor relations leaders who can help OPENLANE deliver on its purpose to make wholesale easier for its customers.

Eliason was named vice president of investor relations and Treasurer of KAR Auction Services, Inc., now OPENLANE, in May 2016. In that role, he was responsible for directing the organization’s investor relations, budgeting, forecasting, investment of funds, and cash management activities. He also led the company’s financial planning and analysis initiatives. He previously served as vice president of financial planning and analysis.

Eliason joined the KAR group of companies in 2003 as a controller for ADESA Impact, and later was promoted to vice president of financial planning and analysis for KAR Auction Services.

Before his time with KAR, Eliason served in a variety of business development and finance roles with ALLETE, ADESA’s former parent company, Enbridge, and KPMG.

More Remarketing

collage of conference speakers
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 30, 2026

CAR 2026 Recap Part 2: Closing the Gap Between Data & Remarketing Value

The second half of CAR 2026 examined how fleets can translate lifecycle strategy, vehicle data, and market shifts into higher real-world results.

Read More →
Collage of CAR speakers
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 27, 2026

CAR2026 in Two Words: Velocity, Value (Part 1)

The 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing convened with a mandate to involve a new constituency — fleet managers — and an updated mission to demonstrate unrealized value in de-fleeted vehicles.

Read More →
Johan Verbois, executive director of CARA, stands outdoors in a blue blazer with arms crossed, with blurred vehicles and greenery in the background.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 27, 2026

CARA Appoints Johan Verbois as Executive Director

CARA recently opened up a part-time executive director position and appointed Johan Verbois for the role.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Fleet Remarketing Association temp logo
Remarketingby Chris BrownApril 20, 2026

Launch of Fleet Remarketing Association Signals New Era for Vehicle Lifecycle Value and Data Stewardship

The Association, dedicated to advancing the remarketing phase of the vehicle lifecycle, held its kick-off meeting on April 16 at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) in Cleveland.

Read More →
Line comparisons of used vehicle inventory set in different colors.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 20, 2026

March Used Vehicle Inventory Falls To Lowest Since 2019

Franchised and independent dealers had a total of 1.95 million used vehicles in stock in March, the lowest on record in the current data set.

Read More →
 A white Polestar 3 with all doors and trunk lid open while on display at an EV sales event.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseApril 7, 2026

Spring Bounce Pushes Q1 Used Vehicle Values Higher

Demand signals remain strong at auctions, with sales conversions, a clear sign of demand, reaching 68.2% in the most recent measure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Graphic promoting CAR 2026 roundtables featuring headshots of five speakers and topics including Wall Street trends, fleet data, upfits, fair market value, and AI in remarketing.
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026: Get the Wall Street Update on the Key Players in Remarketing

From a Wall Street analyst's take on remarketing's key players to whether fleets need their own version of Carfax, CAR 2026's afternoon roundtables will answer key operational and industry questions.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for CAR 2026 panel on data-driven value in commercial vehicles, featuring five industry experts and session details for April 16 in Cleveland.
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026 Session to Uncover the Missing Data That's Costing Fleets at Disposal

Work trucks lose value at remarketing, not because they aren't worth more, but because the data to prove it rarely makes it to the auction.

Read More →
Graphic promoting a CAR 2026 conference session showing four speaker headshots above the title “What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t” with automotive conference branding
Remarketingby Chris BrownMarch 11, 2026

CAR 2026: What Really Moves Vehicle Value Now — And What Doesn’t

A panel at the 2026 Conference of Automotive Remarketing will examine how resale value is created across the vehicle lifecycle and which traditional remarketing practices still deliver ROI.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue bar graphs showing a rise in used vehicle categories across the board.
Remarketingby News/Media ReleaseMarch 6, 2026

Wholesale Used Vehicle Prices Up In February

Solid demand at Manheim auctions with higher sales conversion rates indicate an appetite from dealers to buy.

Read More →