Zag (http://www.zag.com/) has created a better way to buy a car. Zag operates a robust auto shopping, research and pricing technology platform that saves buyers money by concentrating group buying power, while providing a superior car buying experience by connecting buyers with select dealers that provide great upfront pricing and a no-hassle delivery process. Zag provides its platform on a private-label basis to affinity buying groups, such as USAA, 14 AAA motoring clubs, Overstock.com, Capital One Auto Finance, American Express and Administaff. The company's approach to the car buying and selling process is garnering awards - Entretech gave Zag its 2008 Entrepreneurship Award for emerging companies, InfoWorld designated Zag's platform as one of the 100 most innovative corporate IT solutions for 2006, and Entrepreneur Magazine named Zag in its 2006 "Hot 100" list of the fastest-growing companies.  Zag is based in Santa Monica, Calif.

 

Scott Painter is passionate about cars, direct-to-consumer businesses and technology - and his expertise lies where those three converge.  He's drawn to big, game-changing ideas that solve big problems or make an experience better.  He has raised hundreds of millions in venture capital for dozens of companies over the past 15 years, pushing changes in auto retailing that bring new-car pricing into the open - and enable the industry to finally function as a free market.

 

Painter is founder and CEO of Zag (http://www.zag.com/), a technology and services company that has created a better way to buy a car.  Zag operates a robust auto shopping, research and pricing technology platform that saves buyers money by concentrating group buying power, while providing a better car buying experience by connecting buyers with select dealers that provide great upfront pricing and a no-hassle delivery process.

 

In 2008, Painter took the next step toward his goal of total pricing transparency by announcing TrueCar (http://www.truecar.com/), which shows car buyers and dealers what people actually paid for every make, model and trim level of every car in every market - so they can know exactly what a good price or a great price is.  And what's overpriced.

 

Painter is co-founder of Pricelock, an innovative company that is providing protection from rising gas prices.  In spring/summer '08, Pricelock partnered with Chrysler to offer a $2.99 gas guarantee incentive program for Chrysler customers.  He also is co-founder and a board member of BrightHouse, Inc., a Southern California-based incubator that discovers and methodically develops big ideas into market-changing companies. 

 

In 1998, Painter founded CarsDirect.com, leading to the first generation of online car sites, and propelled the world's major automotive manufacturers and their franchised dealers to embrace the Internet.  Under Painter's leadership, CarsDirect.com secured more than $350 million in funding and played a principal role in the transformation of the automotive retail industry into one driven by consumer expectations, customer service and trust. 
 
Earlier in his career, Painter leveraged his expertise in direct response marketing and advertising with several well-known successes, including 1-800-DENTIST^TM and 1-800-CAR-SEARCH^TM.  Painter also was founder and CEO of INFOAccess^TM, Inc., an electronic classified service.  Painter attended the West Point United States Military Academy, where he studied political science and systems engineering.  Painter also studied economics at the University of California at Berkeley.

• Anthony Mitchell April 08, 2009

  Brilliant, simply brilliant. Good use of affinity networks.