Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:GPI), a Fortune 500 specialty retailer, today announced the appointment of John C. Rickel as chief financial officer, effective Dec. 20, 2005.<br /><br />Rickel, 44, will oversee Group 1's finance, information services, investor relations and corporate administrative functions. Most recently, Rickel was employed by Ford Motor Company as controller, Ford Americas, where he was responsible for the financial management of Ford's western hemisphere automotive operations with gross revenues approaching $100 billion. Prior to this role, Rickel was chief financial officer of Ford Europe, where he oversaw all accounting, financial planning, information services, tax and investor relations activities. Rickel also held a number of executive and managerial positions of increasing responsibility since beginning his career with Ford in 1984.<br /><br />"We are pleased to get someone of John's caliber to become our next CFO," said Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1's president and chief executive officer. "He has broad-based corporate finance experience, as well as experience with automotive dealerships, making him a perfect fit for our company."<br /><br />Rickel is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in finance, and a master's of business administration with a concentration in finance.<br /><br />In conjunction with Rickel's appointment, Group 1's Vice President, Finance, H. Clifford Buster will be promoted to vice president, treasurer also effective Dec. 20. Buster, reporting to Rickel, will be assuming responsibility for the company's treasury activities in addition to his continued oversight of Group 1's risk and insurance programs. "Cliff has been an essential member of Group 1's management team for more than seven years. He has progressively assumed more responsibility and the promotion to treasurer is a tribute to his performance and ability," Hesterberg remarked.