MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

CDK Global Names Kristen Garen Chief Information Officer

In her role, Garen will execute the IT strategy to drive innovation and operational excellence in support of the customers, partners and employees of CDK Global.

November 12, 2020
CDK Global Names Kristen Garen Chief Information Officer

In her role, Garen will execute the IT strategy to drive innovation and operational excellence in support of the customers, partners and employees of CDK Global.

Credit:

IMAGE: CDK Global

2 min to read


HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – CDK Global, Inc., a leading retail automotive technology company, announced that Kirsten Garen has joined the company as chief information officer (CIO).  She will also be a member of the executive leadership team. In her role, Garen will execute the IT strategy to drive innovation and operational excellence in support of the customers, partners and employees of CDK Global.

I see tremendous opportunity for enterprise collaboration to drive efficiency and scale that will allow us to grow and work with our clients to transform their businesses.

”Kirsten’s ability to align operational execution and technology transformation with business outcomes make her the perfect fit to accelerate our vision to modernize, transform and support a digital future for our customers and employees,” said Mahesh Shah, executive vice president and chief product and technology officer, CDK Global. “She prioritizes developing talent and team collaboration that matches well with our core values and corporate culture.”

With more than 30 years of experience in technology and operations roles, Garen brings a diverse experience in driving transformations in customer-centric, growing organizations. Most recently, she served as CIO for Delta Dental of California where she led all technology functions.  Prior to Delta Dental, she served as CIO for Bank of the West.  Garen has also held senior executive technology and operations roles at VISA, Charles Schwab and Bankers Trust. 

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.  

I’m delighted to join CDK. I see tremendous opportunity for enterprise collaboration to drive efficiency and scale that will allow us to grow and work with our clients to transform their businesses,” said Garen. “We will focus on streamlining and optimizing the work of our teams to allow them to innovate and create new client solutions.”  

Read: CU Direct and DealerSocket Announce New Integration for CUDL Auto Lending Platform

More Awards

Industryby Hannah MitchellDecember 17, 2025

Autos Take Flying Safety Colors

Twelve brands are awarded for protective features while others fail to place.

Read More →
yellow background with awards trophy and confetti
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceDecember 10, 2025

Time Dealer of the Year Nominees Named

Forty-seven dealers are in the running this year.

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellDecember 4, 2025

Most Satisfying Cars Ranked

Annual list based on customer feedback shows contentment-reliability gap narrowing

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue Ford F-150 Lightning driving down the road in front of shops
Industryby Lauren LawrenceNovember 21, 2025

U.S. News Adds EVs to Best Vehicle Rankings

Honda wins fifth straight best car brand nod

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellOctober 28, 2025

Automakers Take Home Safety Awards

Tweaks to models put them over the top while others miss out due to substandard crash test results

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellOctober 8, 2025

The 250K-Mile Club

One brand holds sway when it comes to durability, while certain styles tend to last longer and hybrids gain staying power.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Industryby StaffSeptember 10, 2025

Spectrum Automotive Declares National Sector Observance

First National Automotive Industry Day will be marked on Oct. 1

Read More →
Awardsby Hannah MitchellJuly 31, 2025

Penn., Utah Auto Dealers Get AAA Nods

Annually bestowed awards recognize stores’ auto-repair excellence.

Read More →
A man in a blue suit and glasses stands indoors near a railing, smiling, with large windows and natural light in the background.
Awardsby StaffJuly 29, 2025

Automotive Amplifiers Contest Finalists Named

Reynolds chose five from among the contenders in the 2025 contest, each bringing forward innovative solutions to key dealership challenges. Winners will be named Aug. 19 in Dallas.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Awardsby Hannah MitchellJuly 24, 2025

Two Models Win Safety Awards

Three others fail to place after crash testing, headlight and crash-prevention evaluations of 2025 vehicles.

Read More →