FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -

Southern Auto Finance Co. (SAFCo) recently hired a former American Credit Acceptance (ACA) executive to be chief operating officer of the subprime auto finance company.

Joining SAFCo after having been COO of ACA since 2009 is Tom Holgate.

“It’s an honor to have someone of Tom’s caliber join our team,” SAFCo founder and chief executive officer George Fussell said.

“Our company is going through a remarkable growth phase right now, reaching out to new markets and new dealerships," Fussell continued, "and Tom has the depth of experience and degree of operational insight we need to ensure that we reach the next level as efficiently and effectively as possible.”

Holgate brings to SAFCo more than 20 years of expertise in the automotive finance industry, having also served as senior vice president of operations for Freedom Financial Group, a regional subprime lender to independent dealers, and Wells Fargo Financial, where he held positions including vice president of auto finance operations. 

“I’m looking forward to participating in one of the most exciting stories in automotive finance today,” Holgate said.  “In a short period of time, SAFCo has become one of the most well-known providers of special financing in the market, and we’re poised now to become a major force at the national level. 

“This is the sort of challenge that I truly appreciate, and there’s no doubt that the team I’m joining has the ambition, the skill and the infrastructure it takes to get there,” Holgate went on to say.

More information about SAFCo is available online at www.GoSAFCo.com.