Pamela Nicholson Named President of Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Fourth President in Company’s 51-Year History

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrew C. Taylor today announced that Pamela M. Nicholson, 48, has been named company president, making her only the fourth person to hold the office in Enterprise’s 51-year history. She succeeds Donald L. Ross, 64, who will continue as vice chairman of the company and its board of directors. Nicholson will also retain her role as Enterprise’s chief operating officer and as a member of the board of directors of Crawford Group, Enterprise’s parent company.

Enterprise is a privately held company owned by the Taylor Family of St. Louis. It is a multi-national transportation company with annual revenues in excess of $12 billion, and nearly 75,000 employees.

Nicholson will oversee all of Enterprise’s transportation businesses, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Fleet Management, Enterprise Car Sales, and Enterprise Commercial Truck Rental. Nicholson is only the second executive outside the Taylor family to serve as the company’s president, following founder Jack C. Taylor, his son, Andy, and Ross.

“Enterprise has a long tradition of developing our own managers and promoting from within,” said Andy Taylor. “Our family is fortunate to have someone with Pam Nicholson’s skills and experience to succeed Don Ross as the president of our company. Pam and Don have been members of our management team for 27 years and 43 years, respectively. Just as important, the two have worked together for more than 20 years, which will ensure a seamless transition.”

In addition to her work at Enterprise, Nicholson serves on the board of directors for Energizer Holdings, Inc. “I can see why Pam is such an effective leader at Enterprise," said Ward M. Klein, Energizer’s chief executive officer. “She has a highly pragmatic and intelligent understanding of how to move a business forward. Her extensive operational expertise, global insights, and high character make her an excellent and valued member of our board."

Nicholson began her career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1981 as a management trainee in St. Louis after graduating from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts degree. At the time, Enterprise was a small but growing regional rental car and auto leasing company with approximately 200 employees, 50 locations, 20,000 vehicles and less than $100 million in annual revenue. Within nine months she was promoted to assistant branch manager, and within a year accepted a position in the company’s recently opened and fast-growing Southern California group.

Throughout the next 12 years, Nicholson was promoted through the ranks to one of the top operating positions in Southern California – regional vice president. During that period, the Southern California group grew from 1,000 to more than 27,000 cars in its fleet, and today is the company’s largest operating group.

In 1994, Nicholson returned to her hometown of St. Louis to become a corporate vice president at Enterprise’s worldwide headquarters, overseeing the efforts of 10 operating groups located throughout the United States. She was also instrumental in establishing the first national preferred provider rental agreements between Enterprise and many of the top auto manufacturers.

In 1997, Nicholson was promoted to the top job with Enterprise’s New York group, the company’s second largest operating group. During her two years as New York’s general manager, the group enjoyed excellent fleet growth and saw its profitability more than double. She was promoted to senior vice president, North American operations in 1999 and executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2003.

Outside of her Enterprise duties, Nicholson is involved in community causes including past service on the board of the United Way of Bergen County, New Jersey; and as a past member of the board of INROADS of St. Louis, an employment program for minority college students. She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Humane Society of Missouri. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, a director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation and a generous supporter of a number of social causes in the St. Louis area, including the United Way.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car

The Taylor family owns and operates leading car rental brands including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo Rent A Car. The company’s business lines also include Enterprise Fleet Management, Enterprise Commercial Truck Rental and Enterprise Car Sales. Collectively, the company owns and operates a network of more than 8,000 locations in neighborhoods and at airports in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Puerto Rico, and is the most comprehensive service provider in the industry, unparalleled in size, strength and stability. Ranked No. 18 on the Forbes Top 500 Private Companies in America, the company has branch offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population. For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.com.