NAPA, Calif. -

Vehicle service contract provider AUL Corp. recently promoted Scott Smith to lead the operations department in addition to his role as the service support manager.

Smith joined AUL nine years ago as a customer service representative and then was appointed a claims team leader before being promoted to the service support manager position.

In his new role, the company highlighted Smith will bring leadership and innovation to the combined synergies of the two departments as AUL continues to grow year over year. The operations department is the underwriting and processing center for AUL.

“Scott is an inspirational leader that has taken our service support team to new levels,” AUL chief operating officer Jimmy Atkinson said.

“We have a very high commitment to customer service and [we] answer every call personally through that team, handling over 30,000 calls per month,” Atkinson continued. “Scott has developed processes and training programs and even, more importantly, the spirit of teamwork that we know he will bring to our operations group.”

Smith replaced Jackie Mathews, who was one of the first employees at AUL. The company noted Matthews made the decision to step back from her manager role and become a team member again as she prepared for retirement after being an AUL employee for more than years.

“Jackie is employee No. 3,” AUL founder and chief executive officer Luis Nieves said. "When we were first starting AUL, we folded brochures and pitch kits in Jackie’s basement, and she has been a loyal and dedicated part of AUL ever since.”

Furthermore in other company news, AUL mentioned Smith promoted Kim Freemen to the position of team leader from the sales support team, joining Isabel Gutierrez in that role.

Also, Heath Rosa has been named operations analyst.

“These changes reflect the talent and bench strength at AUL and further the commitment to providing agents, dealers, and contract holders with unsurpassed service,” the company said.