STELLA™ Automotive AI Announces Rich Sands as Chief Executive Officer

TAMPA, FLORIDA – June 12, 2023 -- STELLA Automotive AI, the leading provider of high-end conversational AI technology in the automotive industry, is delighted to announce the appointment of Rich Sands as the new Chief Executive Officer of STELLA Automotive AI. With over 25 years of product and business leadership within the global automotive industry, Rich brings a wealth of experience from executive roles at Ford, J.D. Power, and Microsoft.

"STELLA delivers breakthrough AI technology to the automotive retail industry, driving quantifiable improvements to dealership operations and customer satisfaction," says Rich Sands, the newly appointed CEO. "I'm honored and excited to lead this talented team as we define the AI space and deliver game-changing technology specifically engineered for our industry.”

Josselyn Boudett, Founder and Chairman of STELLA, expresses confidence in Rich's capabilities, stating "STELLA is in a hyper growth cycle, and Rich is the ideal person to lead our team. His big data expertise and experience with dealership operations are perfectly aligned to drive the STELLA roadmap. We are confident Rich will drive the AI narrative for STELLA and bring even more world-class conversational AI products to the market."

With a strong background in the automotive sector, Rich Sands founded True North Enterprises and served on the boards of Urban Science, Pursuit Alert, and Autometrics. He is also a Strategic Advisor to The Presidio Group, a prominent independent merchant banking firm in the automotive retail and consumer mobility sectors. Rich holds a Masters of Business Administration from Florida Metropolitan University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.

Mike Maroone, CEO of Maroone USA and investor in STELLA Automotive AI applauds this leadership decision, recognizing Rich’s deep automotive and technology skills. Mike says, "Rich is the right leader for STELLA. His knowledge and proven experience will drive innovative AI solutions that strengthen customer satisfaction and deliver measurable operating results for automotive retailers.”

Geoffrey Pohanka, Chairman of the Pohanka Automotive Group and investor in STELLA Automotive AI notes, “STELLA offers an automotive AI engine that is transforming the automotive retail marketplace. Rich Sands brings the necessary expertise to guide the STELLA team and ensure that the technology continues to enhance the interaction between consumers and dealerships.”

About STELLA Automotive AI
STELLA Automotive AI helps dealers with a major pain point which is answering telephones and engaging with customers. STELLA is trained to deliver exceptional customer experiences through consistent branding, flawless dialogs, and the delivery and collection of essential data. With STELLA, dealers free up staff to focus on sales and in-dealership service while STELLA handles inbound calls, answers questions, finds and books appointments and takes messages. With a U.S. headquarters in Tampa, Florida, STELLA is powered by Telepathy Labs, Inc, a world-class AI technology provider. For more information, visit our website, like us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram.

For Media Inquiries, contact:
Jennifer Sanford
Vice President of Marketing
Jennifer.sanford@stellaautomotive.com