Founder & Chief Executive, Westlake Financial Services Inc.

Hankey is the chairman and primary stockholder of Westlake Financial Services, the auto finance company he launched in 1978 to serve car buyers with subprime credit. Hankey began his career in investment banking, shifting gears to financing car loans when he acquired his family’s Midway Ford dealership in 1972. The Hankey Group’s total assets are $17 billion with Westlake Financial Services being its largest company. Hankey is the founder and chairman of companies specializing in the automotive, finance, technology, real estate and insurance industries. Westlake Financial Services secured a milestone of 1 million car loan accounts in August.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 7