Dave Cantin Group names former Asbury Automotive Executive Sid Barron Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

Industry veteran and former Hank Aaron business partner brings 40 years of industry experience in manufacturer relations, dealer group corporate development, dealership ownership and operations

New York, October 20, 2026 – Dave Cantin Group (DCG), an automotive mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, has hired Sid Barron as senior vice president of strategic initiatives. Barron will lead manufacturer relations, co-lead the firm’s athlete investment services, and work closely with DCG advisors to help dealership owners pursue acquisitions, divestitures, platform management, succession planning and other business strategies.

Barron joins DCG after more than a decade at Asbury Automotive Group, where he served as vice president of manufacturer relations and vice president of corporate development and real estate. While there, Barron helped execute acquisitions including the Larry H. Miller Dealerships, Stevinson Automotive and Jim Koons Automotive Companies. Those transactions and other growth initiatives added more than $9.4 billion in annualized revenue to Asbury’s revenue base. His work included evaluating acquisition opportunities, negotiating transactions, addressing real estate considerations and coordinating manufacturer approvals.

“What drew me to DCG was the opportunity to work with dealers well before they decide to buy or sell,” Barron said. “Those conversations can be about improving the business, planning for the future, or finding new ways to grow. Having been a dealer myself, I know how valuable it is to have someone who understands automotive retail and what it means to you.”

At DCG, Barron will help the firm’s clients navigate the changing manufacturer landscape, advising on acquisitions and divestitures, facilitating manufacturer approvals and centralizing intelligence on franchise requirements that are essential to successful M&A transactions. He will also advise DCG dealer clients on corporate development strategies, including the firm’s athlete investment services. 

“Dave Cantin Group continues to invest in people and resources that bring value to dealership owners in a rapidly changing and increasingly challenging business environment,” said Brian Gordon, DCG partner & president. “Sid brings unique perspective as an operator, as an owner and as a public-company executive. His experience gives him a detailed understanding of these businesses and what it takes to protect their value while pursuing growth or an exit. Sid’s depth and breadth in all aspects of automotive retail will be invaluable to our clients and our advisors working alongside them.”

At Asbury, as vice president of manufacturer relations, Barron worked with automakers on franchise strategy, dealership performance, network planning and capital investment. That experience gives him insight into how manufacturer requirements affect a dealership’s growth options, transaction timing and value.

Barron also brings an owner’s perspective on succession and selling a business. As a partner in Hank Aaron’s dealership operations, he experienced firsthand the decision to sell. That experience informs his work with owners weighing their financial goals alongside concerns about their employees and the future of the business they have built.

“Advisory businesses are built on trust that comes from experience, reputation, and success,” said Dave Cantin, Dave Cantin Group founder and CEO. “Sid’s 40 years in the retail automotive industry embody these ideals, making him an incredible addition to the DCG team and our clients. “

A longtime Atlanta resident, Barron is the immediate past chairman of 100 Black Men of Atlanta and the 2026 recipient of the organization’s Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Civic Leadership Award. He and his wife, Myrna, support and raise funds for the Rally Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research. He holds degrees from Oxford College and Emory University.

About Dave Cantin Group

Dave Cantin Group is a leading automotive M&A advisory firm specializing in acquisitions, divestitures, platform management, business evaluations, and other corporate development services. The new retail reality requires automotive dealers to seek DCG’s collective best thinking, deep experience and extensive industry relationships to effectively leverage M&A as a core business strategy. Clients choose DCG because the firm is a trusted advisor focusing on long-term relationships, investing in data and research, and engaging its entire team on every client project. Clients benefit from DCG’s industry-leading market intelligence – its Market Outlook Report – and JumpIQ, DCG’s proprietary AI-enabled platform delivering unprecedented visibility into automotive retail. The firm’s nonprofit initiative, DCG Giving, funds child and adolescent cancer research and treatment across the United States and supports other charitable causes important to the automotive retail community. To learn more, visit davecantingroup.com.