Corporate Information

The Executive Team

Russ M. Darrow III: President and CEO

Mr. Darrow was born in Milwaukee, WI, and lived in West Bend, WI, through his school years and early employment. He studied finance and marketing at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Mr. Darrow graduated from the National Automobile Dealer Association’s Dealer Academy.

Mr. Darrow is President and Chief Executive Officer of Darrow Automotive Group, LLC, a holding company that owns automobile dealerships in Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina. For nearly 23 years prior to founding Darrow Automotive, he was associated with the Russ Darrow Group, Inc., a Wisconsin based family company that encompasses 23 automobile dealerships, 31 franchises, a leasing company and a nationwide fleet department. In 2005, the Russ Darrow Group had annual sales of more than $434 million, retailing 17,000 new and used cars & trucks.

Professional Memberships

Ad Association experience with most lines
10 years as President of Chrysler Association
Kia and Suzuki Association President
Member, Wisconsin Auto and Truck Dealers Association
Past Chairman and Member, NCM Chrysler Dealer 20 Group – 17 years
Past Member, National Chrysler-Plymouth Executive Committee
Past Member, Chrysler National Dealer Council
JD Power Panelist
JD Power International Roundtable Member
Member, Young President’s Organization
Division Chairman, United Way-Waukesha County
Member, Children’s Hospital President’s Council
Vice Chairman, Children’s Hospital Foundation Board
Children’s Hospital North American Leadership Council
Honorary Chair, 2000 & 2001 Telethon Cabinet for Children’s Miracle Network
Past Secretary and Director, Westmoor Country Club
Past Director, Greater Milwaukee Open

Donald J. Judice Jr.: Chief Financial officer

Don Judice has more than 20 years of operational and financial management experience. He began his career after high school as an Infantry Soldier in the US Army. He served a total of 8 years in the Army/Reserve including Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

Mr. Judice left the military shortly afterward to obtain his Business Degree in 1992 at Nicholls State University and became a licensed Certified Public Accountant in 1996. In 2003, he was fortunate enough to receive his MBA from one of the top business programs in the country: the University of Texas in Austin.

Mr. Judice has more than 15 years of experience in the automotive industry, most of which in upper management roles. He has broad experience in acquisition and mergers, as well as growth and competitive strategies. He has worked at other large dealer groups, including Planet Automotive and most recently with Fortune 200 Company, AutoNation.

While at AutoNation, Mr. Judice was recognized for his role in turning around failing accounting departments and served as City Controller over the company's largest group. He also took over as General Manager of a failing dealership and conducted a successful turnaround. Later, he became an integral part of AutoNation's consolidated accounting initiatives. Mr. Judice has experience with all the domestic franchises, as well as BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Kia and Isuzu.

Jeffrey L. Elverman: General Counsel

Jeffrey L. Elverman has more than 22 years experience in private practice at three of the largest law firms in the country, together with more than two years of public accounting experience.

After graduating magna cum laude from Carthage College in 1981 with Accounting and Business Administration Degrees, Mr. Elverman began his career at Ernst & Young as an Audit and Tax Accountant. He obtained his CPA in 1982.

He left Ernst & Young in 1984 to attend Notre Dame Law School. While at Notre Dame, Mr. Elverman was a member of the Law Review, and graduated cum laude in 1986.

For the next six years he worked in the Corporate Finance Department at Foley & Lardner. While at Foley, Mr. Elverman’s practice was geared toward corporate acquisitions and divestitures.

Mr. Elverman continued his corporate practice at Quarles & Brady, where he became a partner in 1995. While at Quarles & Brady, Mr. Elverman developed an expertise in representing numerous family-owned automobile dealerships. Mr. Elverman participated in more than 50 acquisitions of car dealerships.

Mr. Elverman left Quarles & Brady to join Michael Best & Friedrich as a partner. While at Michael Best & Friedrich, Mr. Elverman further developed his expertise in buying and selling car dealerships. His experience includes the buying and selling of every domestic line of automobile, as well as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Hyundai, Kia and Suzuki franchises.

R. James Taylor: Vice President

James Taylor has more than 20 years of automotive experience.

Mr. Taylor began his career with the Hess & Eisenhardt Co. as OEM Sales Development Manager. In this position, he was responsible for marketing off-line completion of assembly programs and engineering applications to original equipment manufacturers.

He then joined Toyota Motor Sales, assigned to luxury channel development and was the third person on the Lexus payroll. Over the next nine years, he progressed through various regional field sales positions, gaining experience and insight on what makes a successful dealer and a successful dealer relationship. He also led the product planning team in developing Toyota’s next generation product plans for the U.S. market.

After nearly 10 years with Toyota Motor Sales, Mr. Taylor joined Performance Toyota in Cincinnati, Oh, as General Manager. In this new role, James was responsible for the operations of dealership, including 147 associates and manufacturer relationship. Under his leadership, Performance Toyota ranked in the Top 100 sales volume nationally each year.

In 1999, he moved to Deerfield Beach, FL, to become Director, Market Representation and Dealer Development, Southeast Toyota Distributors for JM Family Enterprises. At JM, he was responsible for staff which managed dealer franchise renewals, facility considerations, chronic poor performance, open point approvals and appointments, and Toyota Motor Sales, Inc. franchise agreement modifications. He was also responsible for overseeing profit and loss performance of seven dealerships in the SET Dealer Development Program.

Before joining Darrow Automotive, Mr. Taylor served as National Sales Director, Century Warranty Services, JM&A Group and was a founding member of Business Development Group, JM&A Group.