Autura adds COO and boosts customer success leadership

Autura named two new leaders and promoted two insiders as the Houston-based vertical SaaS company expands support for towing, recovery, public safety and unclaimed vehicle customers. The moves come as Autura prepares a consolidated support center, new contact channels and broader customer resources in the coming weeks.

Why it matters: - Autura is trying to deepen day-to-day support for tow operators, impound facilities, government agencies and unclaimed vehicle sellers and buyers. - The leadership changes are aimed at improving operations, customer success and product feedback across a business that depends on fast, reliable service. - The company is also building a more centralized support model, which can reduce friction for customers who rely on multiple products and channels.

What happened: - Autura announced four leadership moves on Sept. 2, 2026. - Kimberly Barney joined as chief operations officer. - Shelli Hawkins was promoted to chief towing ambassador. - Jeff Pesnell was promoted to vice president of enterprise accounts. - Kayla Ann Tadasa joined as director of customer success.

The details: - Kimberly Barney previously served as vice president of customer success and support at ESO, a public safety software company. - Barney also served as chief administrative officer at Wellebe, where she oversaw post-sale functions. - Autura said Barney will focus on daily operations, process scaling and the company’s ability to support growth across business lines. - Shelli Hawkins has more than 15 years in towing and recovery. - Hawkins has built industry relationships through customer visits, events, social media and co-hosting The Tow Trend Podcast. - Hawkins is a Northland International University graduate and holds certifications from Pragmatic Institute, OSHA, WreckMaster and Crosby. - Hawkins will serve as the direct link between Autura’s product and leadership teams and the operators who use the software. - Jeff Pesnell brings 26 years of towing and recovery experience. - Pesnell’s background includes operational knowledge and software for towing operations, law enforcement dispatch and impound management. - Pesnell will focus on strategic support for Autura’s largest and most complex customers. - Kayla Ann Tadasa spent 14 years at Daxko, where she advanced from communications specialist to director of key account management. - Tadasa led teams across customer success, strategic account management, retention and growth at Daxko. - Daxko honored Tadasa with a President’s Club award in 2024 and a Customer Success MVP award in 2019. - Autura said Tadasa will lead the team responsible for moving customer insights into product, support and operations. - Autura is consolidating support across its products into a single support center. - The company plans to roll out a new dedicated phone number and support site in the coming weeks. - Autura is also expanding its knowledge base, training resources and thought-leadership content.

Between the lines: - The hires and promotions suggest Autura is investing in people with direct industry experience rather than relying only on general software operations talent. - The emphasis on customer feedback reaching product and operations points to a tighter loop between users and the company’s roadmap. - CEO Rudy Nieto framed the strategy as a bet that trust in towing software is earned through consistent service, not marketing. - Outside endorsements from industry customers underscore how much Autura is leaning on credibility in a relationship-driven market.

What's next: - Autura plans to detail updated support contact channels in the coming weeks. - The company’s new support center, phone number and support site are expected to go live soon. - Autura is likely to use the expanded leadership team to sharpen service for enterprise customers and strengthen product input from operators.

The bottom line: - Autura is reshaping its leadership bench to match a bigger push on customer support, operational execution and industry-specific credibility.