Mary Churchill looks at her more than 40 years in the industry — which began in 1975 with a job at what was then known as GMAC (now Ally) — in two pieces.

The initial portion centered on auto finance, with the latter focusing on remarketing.

“I review my career in two parts:  the first half was spent as a part of teams processing the various functions of the auto finance business.  During the second half in remarketing, I have been more autonomous in running an auction’s remarketing operation,” she said.

“Along with management guidance, my individual efforts and teamwork with auction personnel/Ally servicing teams determine the success or failure of the physical lane sale each week for Ally,” said Churchill, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree.  “I also see and interact with my dealer customers face-to-face each week, learning from their perspective.”

Churchill moved into remarketing in 1998, and said she was GMAC’s first female auction remarketing representative.  She currently is an auction representative for Ally at State Line Auto Auction in Waverly, N.Y. Of her 41 years at Ally, 18 have been spent in remarketing, where the company said she recently surpassed 250,000 in vehicle sales.

“The 40-plus years of my career has seen the transition of finance company repossessions sold at public sale lots to private auction sales for dealers only. That transitional process took place for GMAC in the late 80s and early 90s,” she said, when asked where her area of the car business has changed the most.

“With a burgeoning client base, the auto auction business flourished and expanded.  Secondly, technology has transformed the entire used car industry from how dealers and lenders market and sell their vehicles to the variety of tools that the retail customer has to make a purchase decision,” she added.

In addition to seeing the market change throughout her career, Churchill has also been privy to strong leadership and mentorship over the years.

“I have been fortunate in my years of remarketing to learn from the knowledgeable and professional leadership in GM and Ally remarketing. Partnering with the leadership teams at different auctions has provided a varied perspective on management styles and best practices,” Churchill said.

“I was also fortunate to be mentored by an auctioneer who helped me gain confidence and savvy during my early years on the sale block. I learned the importance of being consistent and decisive which has served me well to this day. Finally, a long-retired GMAC vice president gave this advice: before you take action, always think to yourself ‘I may be right, but am I wise?’”

Off the clock, Churchill enjoys a good run, volunteering and spending time with the family.

“While not as active in competitive running as the past 30 years, I still enjoy participating in an occasional 5K race or fun run. Exercise is for life and the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

“Six years ago, I became a regular volunteer at the local ‘community kitchen’ and more involved in my church’s fundraising and fellowship activities,” Churchill added. “I spend vacation with my family, grandchildren and friends at our family home on the coast of Maine.”

Check out the April 15 edition of Auto Remarketing to learn more about the entire class of 2016 Women in Remarketing honorees.

These outstanding leaders will be honored at Used Car Week 2016, where we will be launching our National Remarketing Conference partnership with the National Auto Auction Association. Used Car Week is scheduled for Nov. 14-18 at the Red Rock in Las Vegas.