Sheldon Taylor grew up about 15 miles south of Detroit, and several family members built Ford vehicles. Taylor’s great-grandfather retired from Ford’s Dearborn Stamping Plant, his grandfather from the OEM’s Woodhaven Assembly plant, and his grandmother from the Wixom plant. While Blue Oval blood might still be in the family with an aunt and three […] [Read More]

If you should ever doubt Justin Ritchie’s enthusiasm for cars, you need only to look at the name of his fourth son: Enzo. His passion for cars — Ferraris, at least — may be evident, but he is equally passionate about the industry. “I’ve worked for a great organization (Cox Enterprises) for over 10 years […] [Read More]

Chris Wallace is right at home with Ford. The 33-year-old Ford Certified Pre-Owned brand manager “grew up in a Ford family” and has always wanted to work for the Blue Oval. And for nearly a decade, he has done exactly that. “My first true passion as a boy was anything related to cars. I grew […] [Read More]

David Wagner heads up NADA Used Car Guide’s analytics department, which is responsible for the economic modeling and analysis the company provides. When asked what he is most proud of in his career, the 39-year-old said: “Well, my kids are definitely not hungry. Besides the obvious though, I am proud that my integrity is still […] [Read More]

Perhaps you could call Veronica Tai a solutions superhero. “My proudest moments are always hearing clients talk about experiences I’ve built and how they couldn’t live without them,” said Tai. In her role as senior product manager, Tai is responsible for finding and purchasing inventory thought Manheim’s digital platforms, including Manheim.com, OVE.com, Simulcast and Simulcast […] [Read More]

Thirty-three-year-old Mike Ryan heads up management of all physical auction sales for U.S. Bank. “This includes overseeing our overall auction strategy, tracking and reporting performance metrics, and working closely with our auction vendors to ensure we are seeing the best return for every vehicle sold at auction,” he said. The auto industry has, essentially, always […] [Read More]

When Jacqueline Swank joined AUL nearly a decade ago, she didn’t know it was a company — let alone an industry — in which she’d remain. “I came to AUL in 2007,” she said, “and here I am. I love the car business, and this is where I’ll stay.” Swank’s duties as marketing manager include […] [Read More]

Rob Ruth carries a lot of weight on his shoulders when he checks on all segments of Bob Ruth Ford, which is located in Dillsburg, Pa. He’s charged with ensuring profitability of the entire dealership, overseeing new- and pre-owned vehicle sales as well as service and parts departments. “I was born into the car business, […] [Read More]

Dan Reel’s brother Tony and late father, Louie, opened Reel’s Auto Sales in 1999. Two years later, he became a salesman at the store following his service in the U.S. Army. Reel became a 50-percent owner in the store after his father passed away in 2008. Today, he serves as co-owner and vice president of […] [Read More]

If there is one employer that stands out in Daniel Novotny’s career background, it might be this one: the CIA. “For my early career, I am most proud of my years with the Central Intelligence Agency, especially those spent in Iraq alongside our armed forces. It was an important time to serve our country in […] [Read More]