Autobytel Inc Continues to Position Itself for the Future - (NASDAQ: ABTL)

Autobytel Inc. (NASDAQ: ABTL), a leader in providing online consumer leads and marketing resources to the auto industry, today announced that automotive media and marketing veteran Jim Helberg has been named as Autobytel’s Executive Vice President, Product, Marketing and Analytics. Helberg brings a 25-year record of strategic marketing, advertising and media accomplishments with some of the leading automotive ad agencies, working with many of the major OEMs, including Chrysler, Nissan, Honda and Toyota, as well as tenure in key executive marketing positions with Time Inc. / Time Warner.

The company has been trying to better position itself during the past few quarters as the auto industry has had multiple struggles. In the company’s latest quarterly conference call CEO Jeffery Coats was optimistic on the company’s ability to drive top-line growth as the auto industry continues to recover.

The company recently had to deal with Toyota's recalls and the subsequent reduction in demand for its vehicles which hurt the company’s lead referral revenues for the 1st quarter of 2010. Nonetheless, the company has continued to push forward and has better positioned itself for the perhaps overdue, but inevitable economic recovery.

ABTL is up slightly today to $1.17 on light volume of 51k