IronPlanet (www.ironplanet.com), an online auction company for used equipment, recently promoted Mike Groves to the position of senior vice president of North American sales. Groves will be responsible for IronPlanet’s continued growth in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“Mike’s extensive experience in the auction business and his command of the industry have been instrumental in IronPlanet’s success and growth,” said Gregory J. Owens, chairman and CEO of IronPlanet. “Under Mike’s leadership we will continue our investment in our North American sales organization as well as business process improvements to ensure that IronPlanet continues to deliver exceptional service and value for our customers.”
Groves has been with IronPlanet for five years, most recently serving as vice president of territory sales. As a result of Groves’ strong sales leadership, IronPlanet posted record sales of $231 million in 2007 — up 42 percent over 2006 — and expanded its sales force by more than 75 percent over the past two quarters. IronPlanet also reported a record first quarter this year, with gross auction sales of $77.6 million — up 135 percent over the first quarter of 2007.