Face to Watch

What do CBS and Goldman Sachs have to do with car parts? They are among a bevy of prominent investors who agree with Gus Conrades '90 that e-commerce is the right vehicle for the automotive after-market industry. In June 1999 Conrades and his cousin Bryan Murphy launched Wrenchead.com to compete in the multi-billion-dollar parts, tools, products and accessories business. The most successful site in the field, it offers more than fuzzy dice: there's also a service center locator, professional advice and a chat room. Based in White Plains, New York, it employs 106 people and has more than $120 million in funding. And now Wrenchead and CBS, a major shareholder, have developed a TV show about fixing up old cars called Crank and Chrome, airing on TNN. "This dot-com stems directly from my love of motorsports and working on cars," says Conrades, who used to spend weekends fine-tuning a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Aire and now races superbike motorcycles professionally.