Todd Blue

As Founder and CEO, Todd Blue leads LAPIS, a diversified portfolio of companies that includes automotive and real estate investments. In December of 2023, he re-entered the retail automotive sector with the acquisition of Mercedes-Benz of Northern Arizona, a LAPIS dealership.

From 2010-2020, Todd previously led a luxury automotive group as Founder and CEO on an unparalleled growth trajectory for over ten years. As Dealer Principal, he acquired multiple franchises for Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, McLaren and single points for Aston Martin, Bentley, and BMW, as well as Porsche franchises in Houston, St. Louis, and Rancho Mirage, Palm Springs, Riverside, and Marin County California. Dealership points were awarded for Porsche in San Francisco, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Ferrari in St. Louis during his tenure. Todd was the only dealer in the world selected by Porsche to serve on the design committee as Destination Porsche (Porsche’s future design for its retail dealerships around the globe) was conceived. He also became the first in the world to build a Destination Porsche facility, which debuted in Palm Springs in 2019. This design has now become the global standard for the Porsche brand and its retail dealerships. Todd was selected as one of 50 nominees for the National Automobile Dealer Association’s Time Magazine Dealer of the Year in 2019. During his time as CEO, his dealerships were multi-year award winners of the J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence Award, Automotive News’ Best Dealerships to Work For, Porsche Premier Dealer, Pride of Jaguar, Lamborghini Vision, and the Provenance Dealer of the Year award for Rolls-Royce. Todd served on the Board of Regents for Porsche Cars North America, The Aston Martin of the Americas Dealer Advisor Panel, the BMW Western Region Dealer Board, and the Bentley USA Presidential Cabinet. Todd sold his auto group and retired from the company in 2020.

Todd led Cobalt Ventures as Co-Founder from 2000-2010. Cobalt was a strategic investor in multiple industries including restaurants, financial services, publishing, events, and urban real estate development. Todd received the Governor of Kentucky’s Economic Development Leadership Award in 2004. Between 1998-2000, Todd served as Progress Rail’s metals division Executive Vice President. From 1994–1998, he served as Vice President of Commercial Trading at Louisville Scrap Material Company. After partnering to purchase the company and its affiliates, he later sold most of its assets to Progress Rail, a division of Florida Progress. In 1992 Todd began his career at Luria Brothers Chicago office as an Account Executive within its steel-mill-service and trading group.

Todd Graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in International Business in 1992. He has been an active Young Presidents Organization and YPO Gold member since 2003. In January of 2023, he was appointed to the 11-99 Foundation Board of Directors. Todd and his wife Karen lead The Karen and Todd Blue Family Foundation.