Subaru of America, headquartered in Camden’s thriving waterfront business district, announced a major executive transition on Tuesday that signals a strategic shift in how the automaker approaches customer retention.
The company confirmed the retirement of Jim Pernas, vice president of Fixed Operations, after a distinguished 40-year career. In a move that aligns with modern automotive trends, Subaru is evolving the position into a new role: Vice President of Loyalty and Aftersales. Taking the helm is Todd Lawrence, a veteran leader within the Subaru family since 1999.
Pernas’s retirement in July will mark the end of an era for Subaru. Since joining the company nearly four decades ago, Pernas held 15 different positions across seven regional offices before settling at the automaker’s zero-landfill headquarters in Camden.
During his tenure, Pernas was instrumental in expanding Subaru’s “aftersales” business—the parts, service, and accessories market that keeps the brand’s famously long-lived vehicles on the road.
“When someone has spent their entire career here, it speaks to what truly makes Subaru ‘More Than a Car Company,'” Jeff Walters, president and COO of Subaru of America said. “Jim has embodied our Love Promise values, and his leadership has played a meaningful role in our success.”
The renaming of the department to Loyalty and Aftersales reflects a broader industry push to prioritize the “ownership experience” over simple transaction-based service. As the new VP, Todd Lawrence will oversee:
- Service Loyalty: Ensuring customers return to Subaru retailers for maintenance.
- Future-Purchase Loyalty: Converting current drivers into repeat buyers.
- Parts & Accessory Growth: Driving revenue through vehicle customization and genuine Subaru components.
Lawrence brings an international perspective to the Camden office, having served in various leadership roles for Subaru in both the United States and Japan.
