Chief marketing exec to leave IndyCar, IMS at end of year

C.J. O’Donnell plans to leave Hulman Motorsports at the end of the year after a five-year run as chief marketing officer for both IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman Motorsports parent Hulman & Co., announced the planned departure Monday.

O’Donnell, who led marketing, communications and digital media efforts at IndyCar and IMS, told IBJ that the decision to leave was his “personal choice.” He said he thought everything was going in the “right direction” for Hulman Motorsports and it seemed like the right time to move on other challenges.

The 56-year-old O’Donnell said he was looking forward to returning to the East Coast, where he spent the first part of his life. The longtime marketing exec was born in West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and he received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Villanova University in Philadelphia and his MBA in marketing from Columbia Business School in New York City.

O’Donnell and his wife, Mary, have plans to buy a home in Annapolis, Maryland. He said he might work as a consultant for a while, and he’s had a “couple of conversations” about potential jobs. He also said he’d like “slow down at little” after the hectic pace of working for Hulman.

O’Donnell, who spent 20 years in marketing and management positions at Ford Motor Co. before joining Hulman, said he informed Miles of his decision to leave last week.

"We've made noteworthy strides at Hulman Motorsports in recent years," Miles said in written comments. "Our fan base has grown significantly, and we've seen improvement across all key marketing metrics. I am pleased with our progress and thankful to C.J. for his strong leadership. His passion for the sport, dedication to his team and tireless effort have produced meaningful results."

IndyCar said O'Donnell built a marketing team that added more than a million followers to IndyCar’s social platforms and lifted TV viewership by 23 percent during his five-year stay.

One of the high points during O’Donnell’s tenure was the sellout of the 100th edition of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016.

One thing IndyCar hasn't accomplished is finding a replacement title sponsor. Verizon's sponsorship ended after this season.

"IndyCar … has experienced five years of steady growth," O'Donnell said in written remarks. "In a short time, we've ignited new levels of interest in the IndyCar Series and the Indy 500. I am grateful to Mark Miles for this experience and very thankful to my entire team for their dedication and hard work.”

O'Donnell said he'll work the rest of the year to make sure there is a smooth transition for the marketing and communications departments as IndyCar works to incorporate NBC Sports as its single broadcast partner.

“My primary focus over the next 90 days is to make sure we continue the momentum that we’ve already built,” he said.