Scott Sider is newest Pep Boy

A nine month search is over for automotive retailer Pep Boys who turned to rental car giant Hertz for a new CEO to lead the 800 unit parts and service chain.

Pep Boy had been looking for a new CEO since last September when former CEO Mike Odell stepped down after seven years with the company and longtime board member John Sweetwood was tapped to fill the CEO position on an interim basis.

Sider, 54, most recently served as group president of Rent A Car Americas at Hertz Corp., where he oversaw a division with 3,200 locations and 16,000 employees. Sider spent 32 years with Hertz, joining the company in 1983.

“We are extremely pleased that our comprehensive search has led us to Scott, a proven leader with automotive service and retail experience. The Board of Directors was unanimous in its selection of Scott and sincerely thanks John for his service as interim CEO,” said Pep Boys Chairman Bob Hotz.

According to Sider, his experiences at Hertz has provided him with an appreciation of customer satisfaction through differentiation, a deep understanding of vehicle maintenance and the need for continual process improvement, which combined with Pep Boys inconic brand make for an exciting opportunity.

“I look forward to leading all the Pep Boys associates as we accelerate our sales and profit improvement,” Sider said.

Pep Boys operates more than 800 locations in 35 states with roughly 7,500 service bays.