Team

Mr. James “Jim” Murphey is President and Shareholder of Skyward Automotive. Mr. Murphey began his career with Dana Corp. (NYSE: DAN) quickly moving from field sales positions to Vice President & General Manager of the Precision Controls Division, before he was tasked with leading the Drivetrain Service Parts Division. Following his time with Dana Corp., Mr. Murphey started his entrepreneurial career by creating and leading a platform roll-up strategy of aftermarket manufacturers, successfully acquiring and integrating a number of add-ons in the US Midwest. Mr. Murphey went on to found and run Maxum Automotive, an aftermarket parts manufacturer. Most recently, Mr. Murphey served in Senior Executive roles for US Auto Parts, a publicly traded aftermarket e-commerce platform, and a global importer of OEM replacement parts.

Mr. Joe Sotolongo is Senior Director of Product Management and Business Development. Mr. Sotolongo has worked for major Domestic and Global Manufacturers including Renard Mfg. WAI, Auto 7, Interamericana – VW and Stant Corporation. Mr. Sotolongo brings a strong background in product development with over 30 years of Asian supply chain management. Mr. Sotolongo has a unique ability to build brands that match customer needs and it is this ability that makes him uniquely positioned to continue the expansion of the SKP brand.

Mr. Michael Jacabacci is Senior Director of Sales for Skyward Automotive. Mr. Jacabacci has held a number of positions in the distribution business, working his way up from Warehouse Manager, Operations Manager, Salesman, Sales Manager, VP of Sales, and most recently President of Woodbury Automotive Warehouse, which he ultimately acquired in 1996, and sold in 2013. Mr. Jacabacci came out of retirement to help the Skyward Automotive team continue building its brand and support its rapid growth in the US. Mr. Jacabacci is a past Board Member of Federated Auto Parts.

Mr. Tony Guan is the Receiving Manager for Skyward Automotive. In this role, Mr. Guan is responsible for the receiving and inspection of incoming products shipped from Skyward’s global supply chain. Mr. Guan is also responsible for the accuracy of Skyward’s inventory through ongoing cycle counts. Hailing from mainland China, Mr. Guan has been with the company since its founding in October of 2016.

Mr. Andy Le is the Product Manager for Skyward Automotive, in this role, Mr. Le is responsible for analyzing car parts to ensure product quality and accuracy. Originally from the south of Vietnam, he is an Arizona State University Alumni with more than a decade of experience in the Automotive Industry. His eclectic skills broadly range from Sales, Reconditioning, Testing and Evaluation, of virtually every car brand available in North America. As a Motorsports hobbyist and Driving Enthusiast, much of his knowledge was acquired directly, over years of driving, and photographing plethora of cars. He utilizes his uniquely earned expertise and familiarity with the performance car market to continuously improve the products and brand of SKP.

Mr. Brent Baldwin is the Administrative Manager for Skyward Automotive. In this role, Mr. Baldwin is responsible for all sales/administrative functions within the company, including working with the company’s accountants for sales and financial reporting. Mr. Baldwin has an MBA in Finance and has past experience working in distribution.

Mr. Lakeram “Lake” Persaud is the Warehouse Manager. Mr. Persaud started his career in the automotive industry in 1983 as a parts picker, working his way up the ranks in various supervisory and managerial positions. He joined the SKP team in September 2020 as the second shift supervisor and was promoted to warehouse manager in October 2021. His position entails managing the drop-ship and distributor orders areas, ensuring Skyward Automotive Product’s rules and policies are adhered to, ferment harmonious interdepartmental relations, oversee the recruitment and training new hires, among others.