ATLANTA & CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kian Capital-backed PARC Auto, a leading Meineke Car Care Center franchisee, is proud to announce the expansion of its executive team with the addition of Chief Operating Officer Russ Bowling, along with its rapid growth to become the largest Meineke franchisee in just over one year since the formation of the Kian platform.
The PARC Auto platform was established in July 2023 and has since grown from 15 to 35 locations through a combination of new store openings and four strategic acquisitions. In addition to continuing operations in Louisville, KY, where the platform was established, the company now has locations in the highly attractive geographic markets of Florida, Indiana, Texas and the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The company plans to continue growing throughout the country, focusing on building density in target markets, and remains committed to high-touch service, deep customer satisfaction and strong operational performance.
As a result of the platform’s expansion, PARC Auto was recently awarded the Growth Award at the annual Meineke Conference. Meineke is part of the Driven Brands (NASDAQ: DRVN) portfolio of leading automotive services businesses, including Take 5 Oil Change, Maaco, Fix Auto USA and CARSTAR.
In addition to these exciting milestones, PARC Auto is pleased to announce that Russ Bowling has joined the team as Chief Operating Officer. The addition complements the company’s executive team following the January 2024 announcement that Don Hill and Tara Simecek joined as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, respectively. Russ has a deep background in the general automotive repair space, having previously served as the Vice President of Operations for a large Jiffy Lube franchisee, managing the business operations of 187 retail oil change, preventative maintenance and general automotive repair locations. He began his career with Pro Oil Shop Inc. Havoline Xpress Lube.
“What a year it has been — I am excited about the progress we have made in a short period of time,” shared PARC Auto CEO Don Hill. “We could not have achieved these milestones without Kian’s strategic guidance and the strong relationship we have established with Driven Brands. We’re excited to have added stores in Florida and Texas, two of the top four automotive markets in the U.S., and opened locations in Oregon, where we plan to soon pilot Meineke’s electric vehicle concept. Planting new flags in target markets across the nation has created significant momentum for the platform, and we look forward to further growth and change over the next year and beyond.”
“We established the platform with a specific vision,” commented Kian Principal Caldwell Zimmerman. “Implementing Kian’s buy-and-build strategy coupled with the hiring of three immensely talented executives has rapidly transformed PARC Auto into the clear leader in the Meineke system. With an increasing amount of attention and investment in the sector, this is only the beginning for PARC Auto. We will continue to focus on scaling the business and providing strategic support to the team in the months ahead.”
“I am excited to be joining an established team of professionals that have created a significant amount of value in a short amount of time,” said PARC Auto COO Russ Bowling. “I look forward to bringing my expertise to better optimize company operations as we continue ahead with our goal of furthering our leadership through strategic M&A and new store openings.”
PARC Auto is actively seeking partnerships with Meineke franchisees and independent general automotive repair companies. Business owners interested in learning more should contact David Duke, Partner, Business Development at Kian, at dduke@kiancapital.com.
About PARC Auto
PARC Auto is a franchisee of Meineke Car Care Centers that provides general automotive repair and maintenance with services including oil changes, brake and suspension repair, exhaust services, tire replacement, fluid changes and more. PARC Auto currently owns and operates 35 high-performing locations across Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon, Texas and Washington, and it has a reputation of strong customer satisfaction driven by its comprehensive, transparent and high-quality inspection and repair process. To learn more, visit www.parcautogroup.com.
About Kian Capital Partners
At Kian, we forge partnerships to ignite growth and build enduring value. Our goal is to provide flexible financial resources and additional operational horsepower to scale lower-middle-market businesses, realize aspirations and deliver long-term investment returns through genuine partnership. Proud to be recognized on Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors list for three consecutive years, Kian is a private investment firm with $1 billion of capital under management and a focus on four core industry sectors: consumer, services, value-added distribution and specialty manufacturing. Our team of seasoned investors has over 100 years of collective experience providing transformational capital solutions and board-level strategic and operational guidance to founder/owner operated businesses. To learn more, visit www.kiancapital.com.
