Hagerty Taps AT&T Veteran to Reinvent Enthusiast Membership Model

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – February 09, 2026 – Automotive lifestyle brand Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY) today announced a significant restructuring of its marketing leadership, signaling a strategic pivot toward a more sophisticated and personalized member engagement model. The company has promoted Marc Burns to the newly created role of Chief Marketing Officer and appointed Matt Teshera, a 17-year veteran of AT&T, as its new Senior Vice President of Marketing.

The appointments come as Hagerty enjoys a period of robust financial health and membership growth, indicating the move is not one of correction, but of acceleration. The company is aiming to leverage its strong market position to build a more deeply integrated and valuable experience for its global community of car lovers.

A Strategic Shift in Marketing Leadership

The leadership changes create a new, powerful dynamic at the top of Hagerty's marketing division. Marc Burns, who joined the company in 2025 and made a swift impact as SVP of Brand and Marketing, will now take the helm as CMO. In this expanded role, Burns is tasked with the overarching goals of building brand distinctiveness, unifying Hagerty's diverse business lines—from insurance to media and events—and growing and deepening relationships with the company's members.

His promotion follows a successful tenure at major consumer brands. Before Hagerty, Burns was Vice President of Marketing at AT&T, where he led campaigns for major service launches, and an EVP at global advertising agency BBDO. This experience in both corporate and agency settings provides him with a broad perspective on building globally recognized brands.

Reporting to Burns is Matt Teshera, who steps into the crucial role of SVP of Marketing. Teshera is charged with executing the new vision, with a specific mandate to evolve Hagerty's membership into a "bespoke, tiered experience." His responsibilities will span marketing strategy, membership, consumer insights, and marketing communications.

"With our driving enthusiast members right at the center of all we do, these are critical appointments," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO and Chairman of Hagerty, in the company's official announcement. "Marc joined us last year, and made immediate impact on the framing, execution and performance of our marketing. And now we are delighted to welcome Matt to the team, whose experience leading precise, high-impact integrated marketing strategy and execution will deepen our capabilities to further elevate the business."

Infusion of Big-Brand Expertise

The hiring of Matt Teshera is a clear signal of Hagerty's intent to infuse its marketing with strategies honed at one of the world's largest consumer-facing companies. Teshera spent 17 years at AT&T, most recently as Vice President, Consumer Acquisition and Growth. His background is steeped in integrated marketing, advanced analytics, and enterprise data solutions, including time at the AT&T-owned Warner Media.

This expertise in data-driven consumer marketing is precisely what's needed to build the personalized membership structure Hagerty envisions. The ability to understand customer behavior, segment audiences, and tailor offerings is fundamental to moving beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. By bringing in an executive of Teshera's caliber, Hagerty is investing in the capability to not only attract but also retain and delight members in a more dynamic way.

Teshera himself acknowledged the unique opportunity presented by the brand's passionate following.

"Hagerty has built something rare - a brand powered by passion and authenticity," Teshera stated. "As the business continues to grow, there's an incredible opportunity to integrate its marketing and membership ecosystem in ways that amplify value for members and drive the business forward. I'm honored to join the team and help shape what comes next."

The Drive Towards a 'Bespoke, Tiered' Membership

The core of Hagerty's new marketing strategy appears to be the creation of a 'bespoke, tiered' membership program. This concept, popular in industries from hospitality to retail, represents a significant evolution for a brand in the enthusiast automotive space. It moves beyond a simple transactional relationship to a more structured and rewarding journey for the most engaged customers.

A tiered system typically rewards members with escalating benefits as their engagement or spending increases. This could manifest at Hagerty through exclusive access to events, early looks at marketplace listings, premium content, or specialized services. The 'bespoke' element implies a layer of personalization on top of these tiers, where benefits and communications are tailored to an individual's specific interests—whether they are a classic American muscle car owner, a vintage European racing fan, or a modern collectibles enthusiast.

By implementing such a system, Hagerty aims to achieve several key business objectives. It can significantly increase customer retention and loyalty by giving members clear incentives to stay and engage. It also fosters a deeper emotional connection, making members feel recognized and valued. This strategy is a proven method for increasing customer lifetime value (CLV) and creating powerful brand advocates.

Fueling Growth from a Position of Strength

These strategic marketing appointments are not happening in a vacuum. They are built upon a foundation of impressive financial and operational success. In 2024, Hagerty reported a 20% increase in total revenue to $1.2 billion and a remarkable 178% surge in net income. The positive momentum has continued, with the company beating revenue expectations through the first three quarters of 2025 and projecting continued double-digit growth.

Membership is also booming. The Hagerty Drivers Club added a record 279,000 new members in 2024, and the company's media arms reach tens of millions of enthusiasts across YouTube and social media. This is complemented by an industry-leading Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 82, indicating exceptional customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Despite this success, vast potential for growth remains. Hagerty estimates it holds under 5% of the total addressable market of 48 million enthusiast vehicles. The new leadership team is tasked with capturing a larger share of that market. The strategy appears to be a dual-pronged attack: using broad-based brand building under Burns to attract new enthusiasts into the fold, while deploying Teshera's data-driven approach to build an unbeatably sticky and rewarding experience that keeps them there. By enhancing the value proposition for its most loyal members, Hagerty is betting it can create a powerful flywheel of growth that solidifies its dominance in the automotive enthusiast world for years to come.