Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles has completed the formation of his leadership team by naming two accomplished sales and marketing executives with extensive automotive and racing industry roots as the leaders of the sales, licensing, marketing and communications functions of Hulman Motorsports. Connell J. (C.J.) ODonnell, who has worked in key marketing positions for various brands within Ford Motor Company, will join Hulman Motorsports as chief marketing officer, and Jay Frye, a racing executive who successfully transformed two teams into NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders, is the new chief revenue officer. The appointments complete a reorganization that began earlier this year. This includes combining the commercial functions of INDYCAR and IMS, including sales, licensing, marketing and communications, into Hulman Motorsports, which ODonnell and Frye will lead. In May, Derrick Walker was named as president of INDYCAR operations and competition. Other members of the Hulman leadership team include Jeff Belskus, president and chief financial officer of Hulman & Company; Gretchen Snelling, vice president and chief legal counsel; Robby Greene, president of IMS Productions; and Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation. Frye led the transformation of the Red Bull Racing Team in NASCAR Sprint Cup into a contender that earned a berth in the 2009 Chase for the Championship during his tenure as vice president and general manager from 2008-11. In addition, he spent 12 years at MB2 Motorsports, LLC, a NASCAR Sprint Cup team he helped build from the ground up into a multi-team operation. As the chief executive officer and general manager, he negotiated what was an industry-first – a sponsorship/ownership package with The Valvoline Company. Frye also has other sales and marketing experience, including several years with Anheuser-Busch. Frye will lead a combined team of INDYCAR and IMS sponsorship sales, licensing and account services staff. IMS suite and hospitality sales will remain an IMS function under Boles direction. ODonnell recently served as Fords group marketing manager for electric vehicles in Detroit, where he was recognized for the launch of several hybrid vehicles and has orchestrated a record year for hybrid and electric vehicle sales. During his 20-year career with Ford, he also has led marketing for the Lincoln and Jaguar brands domestically and abroad and was a member of a small team that led the turnaround of the Mazda brand. ODonnell will lead a combined team of INDYCAR and IMS marketing and communications staff.( IMS )(11-8-2013) News from November 7, 2013
