Lisa Warner Pickrum Named to 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry List

Lisa W. Pickrum, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of The RLJ Companies and Executive Vice President of RLJ McLarty Landers, was named by Automotive News as one of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. The RLJ Companies was founded by famed entrepreneur Robert L. Johnson, who also serves as chairman of the board of RLJ McLarty Landers, which debuted on Automotive News "Top 125 U.S. Dealership Groups List" in March 2010.

"It is indeed an honor to receive such esteemed recognition from Automotive News, a leading publication within the industry," said Pickrum. "The 2010 list includes many exceptionally talented and gifted women who have not only put forth efforts to maintain and grow the auto business in our country, but who have also paved the way for continued diversity and development in a business sector that has long been the foundation on which our country was built," she concluded.

"Ms. Pickrum is well deserving of her selection to the 2010 list of leading women in the North American automotive industry," stated Robert L. Johnson. "She is and has been instrumental to maintaining the daily operation and growth of RLJ McLarty Landers Automotive and has been the primary RLJ executive in the development of RLJ McLarty Landers and in coordinating our strategic objective to become the preeminent minority owned automotive group in the country with the OEMs," he further noted.

Added Thomas "Mack" McLarty, vice chairman of RLJ McLarty Landers, "Lisa is part of our core executive team and she is being recognized for her leadership and knowledge and is an essential part of our business and the direction of our company," he concluded.

RLJ-McLarty-Landers Automotive Holdings, LLC is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas and consists of 35 automotive franchises and three Harley-Davidson motorcycle dealerships across the South Central, Southeast, and Midwest regions of the country. RLJ-McLarty-Landers was ranked 31st on the Automotive News annual list of "Top 125 Dealerships in the U.S."

About The RLJ Companies

The RLJ Companies, founded by Robert L. Johnson, is an innovative business network that provides strategic investments in a diverse portfolio of companies. The RLJ Companies seeks to target undiscovered or underserved markets then exercise solid management to achieve results. Within The RLJ Companies portfolio, Johnson owns or holds majority interests in businesses operating in banking, private equity, hospitality, automobile dealerships, entertainment, and video lottery terminal (VLT) gaming. The RLJ Companies is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, with affiliate operations in Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; San Juan, PR; and Monrovia, Liberia. Prior to founding The RLJ Companies, Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET).