Jumpstart Automotive Group
Biographies
Steve Wilhite
Chief Executive Officer
As Chief Executive Officer, Steve Wilhite is responsible for all sales, marketing, and product development activities and also serves on the company board of directors.
Prior to Jumpstart, Mr. Wilhite was the COO for Hyundai Motors America where he was responsible for the company's overall operations. He led all sales, marketing, public relations, parts and service activities. He has also served as the senior marketing executive at Volkswagen of America and as the Vice President of Marketing for Nissan North America.
Mr. Wilhite earned an MBA at the University of California at Berkeley, and completed his undergraduate degree in Psychology at Stanford University.
Dillon McDonald
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer, Dillon McDonald is responsible for the company's product strategy, working closely with the management team to ensure tight communication, coordination and teamwork.
Mr. McDonald was one of Jumpstart's first employees and initially ran the company's Dealer Division, which managed all aspects of the new and used car lead programs.
A veteran of the internet auto industry prior to Jumpstart, McDonald worked with OpenAuto.com where he managed the sales department, overseeing the creation of a network of more than 7,500 dealers. He started his career in retail automotive and later held sales and sales management positions at Kendall Jackson Winery.
Mr. McDonald graduated from the University of California, Davis.
Grant Whitmore
Chief Partnership Officer
As Chief Partnership Officer, Grant Whitmore is responsible for driving the growth and overall success of the partnerships within the Jumpstart family. He also continues to attract and develop new publishers and partners deemed a strategic fit for the company and its family of publishers.
Mr. Whitmore joins Jumpstart from BarNone, a division of First Advantage, where he was the business unit president in charge of the foremost finance lead generation company in the industry from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, he was a client of Jumpstart's while serving as the vice president & general manager of Consumer Guide Automotive, now a division of HowStuffWorks.com and Discovery Communications. Mr. Whitmore began his career in automotive publishing at Edmunds.com as managing editor and director of new product development.
Mr. Whitmore graduated from Arizona State University.
Recent Blog Posts
New Territory for Toyota - Playing Defense
Twenty years ago this month James "Buster" Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Tyson's loss to Douglas was the first blemish on his otherwise impeccable resume. That unexpected event in sports is what the current Toyota situation is reminiscent of.