# David Smith

> David Bruton Smith is the Charlotte-based chairman and CEO of Sonic Automotive. A dealership operator before moving into corporate strategy and development, he became CEO in September 2018 and chairman in July 2022. His tenure encompasses EchoPark’s retrenchment and financial recovery, expansion in powersports and luxury dealerships, and a sponsorship relationship with the family-connected Speedway Motorsports business.

- **Role:** Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Sonic Automotive
- **Organizations:** Sonic Automotive, Sonic Financial Corporation, Speedway Motorsports
- **Known for:** Led Sonic during EchoPark’s return from a 2023 annual adjusted EBITDA loss to positive annual adjusted EBITDA in 2024 and 2025., Sonic recorded approximately $15.2 billion in annual revenue for 2025 during his tenure., His tenure includes expansion in luxury automotive retail and powersports.

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Joined Sonic’s organization, according to the current corporate biography.
- **Before 2005** — Served as dealer operator and general manager of several Sonic dealerships.
- **2005** — Became Vice President of Corporate Strategy in October.
- **2007** — Became Senior Vice President of Corporate Development in March.
- **2008** — Became Executive Vice President and a director in October.
- **2013** — Became Vice Chairman in March.
- **2018** — Became Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Strategic Officer in March; elected CEO effective September 25.
- **2022** — Elected Chairman of the Board in July.

## Achievements

- Led Sonic during EchoPark’s return from a 2023 annual adjusted EBITDA loss to positive annual adjusted EBITDA in 2024 and 2025.
- Sonic recorded approximately $15.2 billion in annual revenue for 2025 during his tenure.
- His tenure includes expansion in luxury automotive retail and powersports.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Sonic scheduled its third-quarter earnings conference call for October 29, 2026.
- **2026-09** — Sonic Powersports announced 1,135 motorcycles sold at the 2026 Sturgis Rally.
- **2026-08** — Sonic acquired Porsche Walnut Creek, increasing its Porsche portfolio to six dealerships.
- **2026-07** — Sonic reported second-quarter revenue of $3.9 billion; EchoPark retail used-vehicle sales grew 17% year over year, while adjusted EBITDA declined 15%.

## Links

- Website: https://www.sonicautomotive.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-smith-ab3064105

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/david-smith
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-21