With 17 years of U-Haul experience, Erik Regan is eager to apply his know-how to his new role as Vice President of Dealer/AFM Operations.
Most recently the Dealer/AFM Operations Support manager, Regan started his U-Haul career in 2005 as a customer service representative at U-Haul of Santa Rosa (Calif.). Within a year, he was promoted to assistant general manager. In 2008, Regan was appointed GM of U-Haul Moving and Storage of Point Loma (Calif.) before becoming an area field manager for U-Haul Co. of San Diego. In 2014, he was named marketing company president of U-Haul Co. of Los Angeles South.
Regan moved to Phoenix in 2019 and accepted the role of U-Haul Dealer/AFM Operations Support manager. In this position, Regan took the knowledge he amassed in the field to better serve and support AFMs and U-Haul dealers. He plans to continue advancing dealer/AFM initiatives as vice president.
“I’m excited to take on this new role and the challenges and opportunities that will come with it,” Regan said.
For the past eight years, Dealer/AFM Operations was joined with Center Operations. However, as U-Haul continues to grow, there is an increased need for dedicated attention to Dealer/AFM Operations in addition to Center Operations.
“I have had the opportunity to learn and grow with U-Haul, and I now have an opportunity to lead the Dealer/AFM Operations Support Team here at U-Haul International,” Regan added. “Having worked in the field and at UHI, understanding the needs from both sides will help in providing continued support to the field.”
A strong foundation
Regan credits his predecessors for his strong foundation.
“My goal is to continue and build upon the work that many have done before me, from Layton Baker to Mike Wiram and, most recently, working under Bob Wesson,” Regan said. “Our team here has an opportunity to provide more resources to our field teams. This starts with our AFMs who are out there doing the work, day in and day out.
“My goal is to get the Dealer/AFM Operations Team on the road a little more and to grow our team so we can help provide additional reporting and tools. We have access to a tremendous amount of data. We need to use that data to help our field leadership teams make decisions.”
Praise and confidence
UHI President John “J.T.” Taylor praised Regan’s dedication to Dealer/AFM Operations.
“U-Haul Company’s dealer organization has been instrumental and a foundation for the positive growth and results that our Company has experienced,” Taylor said. “Erik is a very passionate advocate for our dealers and AFMs. He’s determined to see more progress with adding dealers and assisting those who are already on board.
“Erik was a proven and successful AFM and MCP prior to joining the team at UHI. Erik’s objective in his new role will be to continue to advance programs and support for our dealers and AFMs. He has demonstrated his willingness to work with our dealers and teams, listening and trying to understand how we can help. He is a good communicator who has a very strong grasp of technology and process. I am confident he will push productivity and technology initiatives ahead. I believe that Erik and his team will advance our dealer and AFM programs.”
Regan is focused on doing just that.
“We currently sit at 21,000-plus dealers, and we still have hundreds of markets out there that do not have a U-Haul presence,” Regan noted. “We have the No. 1 team in North America. Our goal is to support the field and push our presence of products and services everywhere that customers want us.”
