Chris Messer, executive vice president at Endeavor Business Media, is one of three finalists for the 2025 Automotive Communications Council IMPACT Award. This distinguished award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and dedication in the automotive communications sector.
Messer is joined by fellow finalists Lance Boldt, co-founder of AutoNetTV Media, Inc., and Tom Marx, partner at Hart Marx Advisors. This year's recipient will be announced at the ACC Headwaters Annual Conference on Thursday, June 5.
Lance Boldt
Lance Boldt spent the first 20 years of his work life helping wealthy folks identify and articulate the financial aspects of their family goals and then devise a plan to make them happen. He worked in massive multinational companies and smaller businesses, including some he founded. His degree is in Financial Planning and Counseling.
Twenty years ago, Boldt co-founded AutoNetTV, which develops B2B and B2C communications materials for consumers and automotive professionals, focusing on sales, marketing, education, training, and business development. He is responsible for the financial aspects of these projects, plans with creative teams and writes video scripts.
A former ACC board member, Boldt also served as President of the organization. In the aftermarket, Boldt has become a focused student of diversity, equity, and inclusion best practices and can frankly and compassionately address DEI issues. His family has helped him understand why they are essential, as his children include three races, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, and mental health concerns.
Tom Marx
Tom Marx, partner at Hart Marx Advisors, an M&A advisory firm serving the aftermarket, is a seasoned marketing strategist with over 30 years of experience in B2B and consumer marketing. As co-founder, and former chief strategist and head of client services at The Marx Group (now MBE Group), he brought expertise across industries such as automotive, heavy-duty parts, motorsports, technology, real estate, property management, and industrial products and services.
A former Porsche service center owner and race car driver, Marx combines hands-on industry knowledge with strategic insight. He was President of ACC and was active in key industry organizations including SEMA, AAIA, and AASA.
Friend to the industry and to clients old and new, Tom’s favorite place to be is wherever he can help others succeed.
Chris Messer
Messer is the executive vice president at Endeavor Business Media overseeing the Transportation Division, which includes the Vehicle Service & Repair Group and the Commercial Vehicle Group.
He oversees over a dozen media brands encompassing print properties, websites, events, webinars, video productions, podcasts, other media channels, a continuing education group, and an industry job board.
Messer has more than 18 years dedicated to the audiences and advertisers that make up the automotive industry, all in an effort to create opportunities and drive value for all stakeholders and constituents. He is currently an ACC board member and chair of the Membership and Recruitment Committee.
Messer is a native of Minnesota and, while not at work, he enjoys playing competitive billiards, non-competitive golf, four-wheeling, and traveling.
The ACC IMPACT Award, an acronym for innovation, mentorship, professionalism, achievement, commitment, and tenacity, celebrates those who have excelled in their professional endeavors and significantly contributed to the advancement of the automotive communications industry. The 2024 recipient was Georgianne Dickey, director of marketing at NTN Bearing Corporation.
For more information about the ACC IMPACT Award and the Automotive Communications Council, please visit the ACC website here.
