Stephen Cannon

Stephen Cannon joins Automotive AI Summit 2026 as Keynote Speaker. He is Co-Founder and CEO of Harbinger Sports Partners, Chairman of the Avalon Action Alliance, former President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, former Vice Chairman and CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, and Co-Founder of the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund. His career spans automotive, sports, venue leadership, military service, and philanthropy.

As President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA from 2012 to 2015, Cannon oversaw the Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Sprinter, and smart brands in the United States, driving more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Under his leadership, MBUSA achieved its first No. 1 ranking on the American Customer Satisfaction Index, earned Fortune Best Place to Work recognition for five consecutive years, and completed its headquarters relocation from New Jersey to Atlanta.

He later served as Vice Chairman and CEO of AMB Sports and Entertainment, part of the Arthur M. Blank Family of Businesses, overseeing the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and PGA TOUR Superstore. During his tenure, Mercedes-Benz Stadium became one of the country's premier venues, hosting major sports championships, global soccer events, and concerts while also serving the Atlanta community as an early-voting and mass-vaccination site.

Cannon's leadership began in the U.S. Army. A West Point graduate with honors, he was Airborne Ranger qualified and served as a First Lieutenant in West Germany during the fall of the Iron Curtain. His military advocacy has remained central to his work: he received the USO Merit Award in 2024 and the NFL Salute to Service Award in 2020, co-founded the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund, and serves on the National Board of Directors for TAPS.

A former Division 1 NCAA wrestler at West Point, Cannon was recognized in 2019 as Outstanding American by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Ann, reside in Nashville and are the parents of nine children.