LUV Car Wash hires Nate Keeler as COO

LUV Car Wash has named veteran operations executive Nate Keeler as chief operating officer, adding a leader with more than 20 years of multi-unit experience as the company scales past 85 locations across six states. Keeler will oversee field operations across the portfolio and report to President and Chief Development Officer JT Thomson.

Why it matters: - LUV Car Wash is adding senior operational leadership as it pushes to scale a business built on consistency, throughput and labor efficiency. - Keeler brings experience running hundreds of locations, which matters for a multi-site service chain trying to tighten execution across a growing footprint.

What happened: - LUV Car Wash named Nate Keeler chief operating officer on Sept. 29, 2026. - Keeler will oversee operations across LUV Car Wash's full portfolio of locations. - Keeler reports directly to President and Chief Development Officer JT Thomson. - LUV Car Wash operates more than 85 locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

The details: - Keeler most recently served as chief operating officer at California Pizza Kitchen. - At California Pizza Kitchen, Keeler had full operational and financial responsibility for 129 locations. - Earlier in his career, Keeler led operations across more than 200 locations. - Keeler was recruited to turn around underperforming markets and delivered gains in revenue and productivity. - Keeler began his career in the U.S. Air Force, where he developed the discipline and process focus that shaped his leadership style. - Keeler said his first priority is to get into the field, learn from the teams closest to the business and understand what makes LUV Car Wash successful today. - Thomson said Keeler's process discipline and ground-up approach stood out in the hiring process. - Darren Skarecky, chief executive officer at LUV Car Wash, said bringing in leadership at Keeler's level reflects where the company is headed.

Between the lines: - LUV Car Wash is signaling that its next phase is about operational sophistication, not just unit growth. - The hire suggests the company wants to import proven systems from other high-volume service businesses into car wash operations. - Keeler is new to the car wash industry, but LUV Car Wash is betting that the operating playbook transfers across service categories.

What's next: - Keeler is expected to spend time in the field with local teams before making changes. - LUV Car Wash will continue scaling its footprint while leaning on stronger operational discipline. - The company says it aims to become a top car wash operator by growing its people, building strong operations and maintaining continuous improvement. - LUV Car Wash serves customers through membership and pay-per-wash models across its network.