Chris Styles is regional vice president, Supply Chain Management, Nissan Americas. He was appointed to this position January 2025, and is responsible for overseeing supply chain activities for all production parts and finished vehicle distribution in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. Since joining Nissan in 2002, he's earned roles of increasing importance.
Prior to assuming responsibility for Nissan Latin America, Chris was vice president, Supply Chain Management, Nissan North America. He worked as senior director of supply chain logistics, Nissan U.S.; director of logistics for the U.S. and Canada in Nissan's supply chain management organization; director of purchasing for Nissan's Mexico operations; as well as director of purchasing for logistics and aftermarket and accessory parts for the Americas region.
Prior to joining Nissan, Chris held logistics management positions in auto parts retail and third-party automotive logistics companies in the U.S. and Mexico.
Chris holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Kim Less is vice president, Aftersales, Nissan Americas. Appointed to this position in April 2022, Less is responsible for driving customer satisfaction, brand loyalty and profitability through positive ownership experiences for North and South American markets. Less brings more than 30 years of experience in global supply chain, aftersales, manufacturing and engineering – underscored by her people-centric leadership.
Since joining Nissan in 2010, she’s earned roles of increasing importance throughout Nissan's aftersales and parts logistics operations. In her most recent role as director of Aftersales Supply Chain Management, Less led the team to earn the 2020 North American Parts Benchmark Top Automotive Supply Chain award. Before joining Nissan, Less held various leadership roles at another automaker.
In 2023, Less was honored as an Automotive News All-Star, and in 2025, she was named one of the Top 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News. She is currently the executive sponsor for eNable, the company’s affinity group supporting the quality of life and work for employees with disabilities. Less serves as a board member for Second Harvest Food Bank – a Nissan Neighbors partner. Previously, she served as an automotive steering committee member for both Carlisle & Company and Syncron Inc.
Less holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and master's degree in engineering management from University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also completed the Global Executive Leadership Program through The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Brandon serves as Technical Assistant to Chris Styles, SCM RVP, supporting local and global initiatives that enhance supply chain strength and continuity, boost market competitiveness, and drive employee growth and development.
Brandon brings 16 years of supply chain experience, including 13 years supporting Nissan across a wide range of strategic and operational roles. His work has spanned vehicle import and export operations, route optimizations, network design, new model launches, high-visibility special projects, and managing logistics purchasing for finished vehicles. He also completed a one-year assignment in Japan supporting global logistics strategy and operations.
Before Nissan, Brandon spent three years importing containerized freight into the United States, building a strong foundation in international trade and transportation.
Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with a minor in Operations Management from Oakland University.

Shane Vigil is a trusted Operational/TdC Analyst at Nissan with 15+ years of experience in Supply Chain Operations. He specializes in process architecture, proactive countermeasures, and cross‑functional problem‑solving. Known for building scalable processes and strengthening team communication, he drives improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations. His work centers on sustainable, people‑focused solutions, and he is a go‑to resource for troubleshooting, coaching, and enabling frontline success.

Mark Thorpe is Director Supply Chain Operations, Aftersales, Americas. Appointed to this position from June 1st, 2026, Thorpe is responsible for ensuring on time delivery of automotive service parts throughout Nissan’s Americas distribution network.
Thorpe joined Nissan in 2019 and has held roles including Business Planning, Sales Operations and with more than 30 years of global automotive leadership, Mark has built a reputation for driving revenue growth, operational excellence, and large‑scale transformation across international markets. He has led multi‑billion‑dollar sales operations, guided diverse teams to record‑breaking performance, and shaped winning strategies in brand development, product innovation, and aftersales. Known for empowering people and executing with clarity and purpose, he consistently delivers sustainable competitive advantage in fast‑changing environments.
Thorpe serves as Vice Chair on the board of I-CAR who are the leading training provider for collision training in the automotive industry. Thorpe also serves as President on the board of the Automotive Sales Council.
Mark received his B.A. Hons in Business Studies from Coventry University.

Dr. Karl Russo is National Economics and Statistics practice leader of PwC's Washington National Tax Services group. In this role, he specializes in analyzing the economic impacts of legislative and regulatory proposals.
Prior to joining PwC, Karl served for more than 11 years on the staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, most recently as senior economist. As senior economist, he assisted members of the House and Senate and staff of the Ways and Means and Finance committees in the development of their tax policy proposals. He also served as a financial economist in the Office of Tax Analysis of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Karl received a B.S. in economics summa cum laude and earned his Ph.D. in applied economics and managerial science from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Chris Zilly is the Senior Manager of Logistics Purchasing at Nissan North America, leading the team responsible for procurement strategy across finished vehicle and parts logistics. He has spent 13 years at Nissan within the Supply Chain Management department, building experience across multiple functions before stepping into his current leadership role in 2025.
His roots in supply chain go back further than that. He grew up working in his family's trucking business and spent several years living, teaching, and training English teachers in Japan. That mix of hands-on logistics experience and cross-cultural perspective shapes how he thinks about partnerships and long-term value.
Chris is also the author of Economic Engines: How Supply Chains Drive the World, a narrative nonfiction book on how supply chains drive the global economy, written from the inside of an industry he has spent his career in.

Darrin Lucas is a 20‑year veteran of Nissan North America, Inc. with deep expertise across aftersales supply chain, distribution operations, and commercial enablement. Most recently, Darrin served as Director of Supply Chain Operations, where he played a critical role in ensuring on‑time delivery of automotive service parts across Nissan’s North American network. He is known for translating vision into execution—developing sound strategies, aligning cross‑functional teams, and delivering measurable operational and financial results.
Building on this foundation, Darrin transitions into the role of Director of Wholesale and eCommerce, where he will lead Nissan’s wholesale collision and mechanical strategies and accelerate eCommerce capabilities to better serve dealers, body shops, and end customers while driving profitable growth. Widely respected as a credible voice in decision‑making and governance, Darrin balances inspirational leadership with strong financial and operational discipline.
Beyond Nissan, Darrin is an active community and industry leader. He is a member of the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, supporting mentoring, education, and economic empowerment initiatives, and serves on the Automotive Packaging Summit Advisory Board, contributing industry perspective and strategic guidance to advance innovation across the automotive packaging ecosystem. Darrin holds a B.S. in Packaging Science from Clemson University and a M.S. in Management from Middle Tennessee State University.

Edward Hyde is the Dealer Principal of Legacy Nissan, a company he founded in 2000 in London, Kentucky. Under his leadership, the business has grown into a regional automotive network of seven businesses employing approximately 200 team members across London and neighboring Corbin.
Legacy Nissan has earned national recognition for excellence in sales performance, service operations, and customer loyalty, distinguishing it among Nissan dealerships nationwide. Hyde’s organization also includes Legacy Ford and Legacy Chevrolet GMC in Corbin, along with Tincher-Williams Chevrolet GMC in London.
A respected industry leader, Hyde serves as Chairman of the Kentucky Auto Dealers Association and holds multiple advisory roles with Nissan, including membership on the National Dealer Advisory Board and Regional Dealer Advisory Board. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Nissan Aftersales Subcommittee.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Hyde is deeply committed to his community. He serves as Vice Chairman of the London-Corbin Airport Board and actively supports local charities, with a focus on public education, healthcare initiatives, and autism advocacy. A native of Barbourville, Kentucky—located within his dealership market—Hyde remains closely connected to his roots, regularly giving back through initiatives such as funding improvements for school athletic facilities and supporting youth sports.
Hyde’s leadership reflects a strong commitment to operational excellence, community impact, and the long-term success of both his dealerships and the people they serve.

John Koufakis III is a third-generation Dealer and Executive Manager at Star Automotive Group, a 44-year organization founded by his grandfather, John Sr., representing Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Hyundai, the Stellantis brands, and Genesis in Queens, New York. Operating in what is widely considered the toughest automotive market in the nation, John oversees the entirety of the Star Nissan operation. This includes seven distinct locations, with completely split sales and aftersales facilities. His leadership is defined by an unwavering focus on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and a culture of approachable, constructive communication.
A student of the industry, John prioritizes learning from colleagues at every level and maintains a vast network across the automotive sector. His professional trajectory was marked early when, in 2019, he became General Motors’ youngest approved dealer candidate at age 26. Today, he represents dealer interests on the Aftersales subcommittee and for the Northeast region on the Nissan Dealer Advisory Board. John’s professional drive is matched by his commitment to service; he has served on the Friends Academy alumni board for six years and champions his organization’s philanthropic efforts, which have raised over $1 million for autism-related schools and initiatives—a mission personal to him as the proud cousin of Jared and Jake Koufakis, who are on the spectrum and whom he deeply respects.
John earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business, where he majored in Business Administration with double concentrations in Management and Marketing. He is also a 2023 graduate of the NADA Academy (Class N400). While he has a deep passion for several automotive brands, Nissan was his favorite of them all as a child—and it remains the brand he is most passionate about advancing today.

Tracy Woodard is the Director of Government Affairs at Nissan and an accomplished government affairs executive with more than 30 years of experience representing and advocating corporate positions to congressional members, executive branch agencies, and public and private stakeholders at the federal, state, and local levels. Recognized as a change agent and respected lobbyist, she builds lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships and develops winning public affairs strategies and coalitions that have guided meaningful legislation. Tracy briefs the Global CEO on U.S. political issues, leads state and local economic development projects, and provides cross‑functional strategic and tactical guidance to business unit leaders on regulatory and legislative matters. She holds a BA in Political Science and Government from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 

Alex González is a senior purchasing and logistics leader at Nissan Americas, with more than 13 years of experience in the automotive industry across regional procurement, inbound and outbound logistics, aftersales supply chain, and customs operations. He currently serves as Senior Manager of Purchasing Logistics for Nissan Mexico, with a regional scope that includes close collaboration with Nissan North America and responsibility for logistics flows between Brazil and Mexico.
In his current role, Alex leads end‑to‑end logistics purchasing strategy for inbound, outbound, aftersales, and customs operations, driving value through strategic sourcing, contract optimization, and network efficiency initiatives. Throughout his career at Nissan, he has delivered cumulative savings, expanded internal fleet and asset capabilities, and led operational transformations focused on strengthening supply chain resilience, service continuity, and cost governance.
Alex is recognized for his strong commercial acumen and hands‑on leadership style, bridging strategy and execution through close collaboration with cross‑functional teams across logistics, manufacturing, aftersales, and finance. His experience includes supplier governance, risk management, and the deployment of innovative logistics models to improve efficiency and operational stability.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and International Business and has completed executive leadership programs through IPADE Business School, McKinsey Academy, and the Nissan Way Leadership Academy. Based in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Alex brings deep expertise in regional and cross‑border supply chains within the Americas.

Parts Logistics Strategy Manager at Nissan Mexicana, with +9 years of experience in inbound logistics, supply chain strategy, and project management within the automotive industry. She leads high‑impact strategic initiatives focused on network design, operational stability, digitalization, and inbound logistics optimization.
In her current role, Michell owns the governance of cross‑functional logistics strategy projects, including work plan design, milestone and KPI tracking, and coordination with regional and global teams. Her experience includes leading complex transformation programs such as cross‑border plant and production line relocations, ensuring supply continuity and operational readiness during critical transitions.
Michell holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administration and Business Management and is currently completing the Supply Chain Management Leadership program at the University of Tennessee. Based in Aguascalientes, Mexico, she brings strong expertise in inbound logistics strategy and the execution of data‑driven supply chain initiatives.

Brian Nachtigall is the General Manager of Vaux within ArcBest. He leads the Vaux business, which provides autonomous forklift solutions and warehouse automation technology.
Brian has held leadership roles across warehouse automation, robotics, and industrial technology organizations. He previously led the Boston Dynamics warehouse automation business, including work on the Stretch robot. He has also held roles at Cognex Corporation in industrial machine vision and Brooks Automation in semiconductor material handling robotic systems. Earlier in his career, he worked in strategy consulting at Bain & Company.
Brian holds an MBA from Duke University. He earned a degree in Operations Research Engineering from Princeton University.

Allyson Witherspoon is Chief Marketing Officer, Nissan and global brand advisor, where she is responsible for global brand strategy, US marketing communications and media, data innovation and customer experience, and enhancing brand value. Most recently, Witherspoon was corporate vice president, Global Marketing, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (NML). She also served as general manager, Global Brand Engagement, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., where she was responsible for leading and implementing Nissan's global marketing and investment strategy, including creative, media, sponsorship, agency structure and heritage collection.
Prior to her role at NML, Witherspoon was the director of Marketing Communications and Media for INFINITI USA, where she developed the vision and led the execution of the brand's cross-carline marketing strategy.
Allyson brings over 20 years of automotive marketing experience working in senior roles with and on behalf of automotive OEMs. Allyson holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Missouri-Columbia.