Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2026 Women in Retail honorees in the July edition of the magazine and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website. Next up, in alphabetical order by first name, is Pamela Bishop, senior director of special initiatives & strategic partnerships at
RunBuggy.

The Women in Retail program is presented by CarGurus.

What prompted/inspired you to join the auto industry and what do you enjoy most about it?
My path to the auto industry was completely unexpected. I came from real estate, and when I moved to from Georgia to Arizona, I decided to start over. I found DriveTime and made it my mission to learn and absorb everything, working across all of their corporate offices until I felt like I had my fill of automotive. Then RunBuggy found me when it was just getting started, and I haven’t looked back since.

What I didn’t expect was how much heart this industry has. The people are real, the relationships run deep, and there is never a dull moment. At my core, I am driven by my curiosity and my genuine love of a challenge. The automotive industry delivers on both every single day. What I enjoy most is that this industry is always evolving. There is always a new problem to solve, a new partnership to build, or a new technology shaking things up. I am fortunate to sit at the intersection of all of it, and I cannot wait to see what’s next.

What is the top trend you’re watching in the used-car industry this year?
EV remarketing. Consumer trade-ins and rising fuel costs are flooding the market with pre-owned EVs and hybrids, and the industry is still catching up. Valuations and depreciation remain a moving target, and dealers are navigating a steep learning curve when it comes to pricing, reconditioning, and consumer education. What makes this even more interesting is the simultaneous shift back toward hybrids, which tells me the market is still finding its footing.

The platforms and players who can bring transparency and confidence to EV transactions — condition, value, logistics — are going to have a serious advantage. At RunBuggy, we’re already thinking about what that means for how vehicles move through the remarketing chain, and I believe the next few years are going to separate the prepared from the reactive.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
Being one of the first five employees at RunBuggy and watching it grow from an idea into a true industry disruptor is something I don’t take for granted. More than the technology, I am incredibly proud of our people. Contributing to a team of remarkable individuals who have turned RunBuggy into more than a platform is one of my greatest accomplishments.

Startups are not for the faint of heart, and the people who showed up, built something real, and changed the way this industry moves vehicles deserve every bit of recognition. It’s one thing to be in the room. It’s another to help build it.

What book, film or song has inspired you personally or professionally?
“Zero Dark Thirty.” That film has stayed with me in a way few others have. Maya is relentless, brilliant, and operating in a space where very few people look like her or believe in her, and she doesn’t flinch. The mission drives everything. What resonates most is that combination of unwavering pursuit and quiet confidence in a male-dominated environment. I see a lot of parallels to navigating the auto industry as a woman. You learn quickly that you have to know your stuff, trust your instincts, and never let anyone outwork you.

Who is someone who has inspired you personally or professionally?
My mom, Julia Key. She is truly one of a kind. She traveled the world from a young age and into adulthood, excelled in academics, and graduated from medical school and became a nurse. She learned new languages, becoming fluent in Spanish and French, and even immersed herself in France for three months before becoming a French teacher. She has never stopped growing, never stopped reaching.

But what moves me most is that through all of it, she was always there. Present, supportive, fierce in her belief in me through every high and every hard season. Her faith in God anchors everything she does. It is the source of her grace, her generosity, and her incredible capacity to love. She is not just my mom; she is the most amazing friend and person I have ever known. She is my guardian angel.

Because of her, I understand that strength and gentleness are not opposites. That you can be fierce and kind. That you can give everything your all while still showing up fully for the people you love. She taught me to never give up, to serve others, and to always seek God’s purpose for your life. Everything I bring to my work and my relationships has her fingerprints on it.