NEW YORK -

Vroom will begin a new year with a new executive filling a newly created leadership position to oversee key functions such as vehicle acquisition and reconditioning.

Late on Thursday, the online used-vehicle retailer announced the appointment of Thomas Shortt as chief operating officer, effective Jan. 3.

Since 2018, Shortt has served as senior vice president at Walmart, where he developed a comprehensive ecommerce supply chain strategy and led improvements through advanced analytics, processes, and systems.

Prior to his time at Walmart, Vroom highlighted that Shortt held senior leadership roles overseeing supply chain, fulfillment and logistics, with an emphasis on change management and business transformation, at Home Depot, ACCO Brands, Unisource, Fisher Scientific and Office Depot.

As COO, the company said Shortt will report to Vroom chief executive officer Paul Hennessy and lead key supply chain and cross-functional operations, including acquisitions, reconditioning, logistics, sales-support, customer experience and growth operations.

“Tom is a transformational leader and proven change agent with deep experience in supply chain and logistics management,” Hennessy said in a news release. “As an innovative and seasoned executive who relies on data and analytics to drive execution, I am confident Tom will be a tremendous asset as we continue to manage our growth, scale our operations, execute our strategic plan, and pursue our path to profitability. I am delighted to welcome Tom to the Vroom team.”

Shortt added, “I am excited to join the Vroom team as COO and look forward to using my experience in supply chain management and business transformation to help Vroom build on its success, execute its growth plan and drive operational improvements across the organization.”

The creation of the COO post rounds out Vroom’s active year, which included hiring of a new chief financial officer in September, the acquisition of United Auto Credit in October as well as the opening of hubs in Houston and Phoenix.