RumbleOn, Inc (NASDAQ: RMBL), the e-commerce company using innovative technology to simplify how dealers and consumers buy, sell, trade or finance pre-owned vehicles, today announced that Michael Francis, a seasoned legal professional and the Company’s outside counsel, will be joining RumbleOn as General Counsel.
Michael has worked with RumbleOn from the beginning, leading the Company’s outside legal team at Akerman LLP. Michael has a long history working with RumbleOn’s management team, and was a trusted legal advisor to the Company’s late CFO, Steve Berrard, for nearly 25 years. Michael began and built his professional career working with and learning from Mr. Berrard, starting as a young associate helping AutoNation build a dominant national brand through dealership acquisitions and through its spinoff of Republic Services. Michael continued his work with Mr. Berrard, contributing to the growth of Blockbuster and Jamba Juice. Later Michael took the reins as Steve’s outside counsel through many other business endeavors over the years, leading up to his work with Steve at RumbleOn from inception through today.
“Michael’s deep understanding of our business coupled with his long track record of success will be invaluable assets to RumbleOn as we combine with RideNow to become the first omnichannel customer experience in powersports,” commented Marshall Chesrown, RumbleOn’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to driving organic growth by combining and scaling the legacy RumbleOn and RideNow models, we will be positioned to further consolidate the highly fragmented powersports industry. Michael brings truly unparalleled expertise to RumbleOn and we are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team.”
Michael Francis stated, “I have so much respect for RumbleOn’s leadership team and all they’ve accomplished, not only at RumbleOn, but in all prior endeavors. I worked with Steve Berrard for nearly 25 years and I am pleased and honored to join RumbleOn as General Counsel to carry out Steve’s legacy and execute on the company’s vision to transform the powersports industry.”
Michael continued, “I tremendously appreciate my 24 years of legal upbringing and career development at Akerman; and while saying ‘see ya later’ to great partners and good friends is difficult, the opportunity to join Marshall and the RumbleOn team is exciting and such an amazing chance to build something truly transformative.”
Since 2016, Michael has worked with Steve Berrard and Marshall Chesrown, supporting the creation of RumbleOn. He led the outside legal team beginning before Steve’s acquisition of SmartServer, Inc. in 2016, continuing through the ultimate launch of RumbleOn and its IPO and NASDAQ listing in 2017, and now guiding the company’s pending transformative business combination with RideNow. Michael joined Akerman LLP in 1997 and served as outside counsel to numerous companies during his time with the firm. Michael has a robust history of guiding companies through corporate development initiatives including IPOs, debt and equity capital raises, and M&A transactions, as well as serving as day-to-day corporate legal counsel for companies across multiple industries. Michael also served as in-house counsel to Lennar Corporation from 2005 to 2007 before returning to Akerman as a Partner in 2008.
Michael earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1997 and his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Florida in 1994.
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