Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2026 Women in Remarketing honorees in the April edition of the magazine and will be posting Q&As with each of these outstanding leaders on the website.  First up, in alphabetical order by first name, is Allison Kline, AVP of Ready Logistics at Cox Automotive. The Women in Remarketing program is presented by Ally. 

What prompted/inspired you to join the auto industry and what do you enjoy most about it?
My path into automotive was more of a push than a pull. After college, I joined Circuit City’s Finance and Leadership rotational program, cycling through several of their business units. An early rotation brought me to CarMax Auto Finance, where I supervised their Repo, remarketing and skip operations — my first real taste of the auto world. That experience stayed with me, and when I was interviewing after graduate school, DaimlerChrysler zeroed in on that experience. One conversation changed the trajectory of my career, and I’ve been in the industry ever since.

What I love most about the industry is that it never stands still. Automotive constantly reinvents itself yet stays grounded in its fundamentals.   No matter how long you’ve been in the business, there’s always something new to learn, always a problem worth solving in a way you hadn’t considered before.  I’m drawn to industries that require creative thinking, and automotive delivers that consistently.

What is the top trend you’re watching in the used-car industry this year?
AI is making a quick and dramatic impact on the auto industry, and honestly, the pace of change is almost scary. We’re seeing it reshape everything from data and analytics to customer-facing functions — call centers now deploy bots that engage customers in natural, human-like voices, while dealerships are moving beyond basic chatbots toward sophisticated digital assistants capable of managing customer engagement. On the analytical side, AI is compressing timelines dramatically, completing in hours the kind of deep, complex analysis that once took weeks. Even everyday operational tasks — writing job descriptions, screening candidates, and detecting vehicle damage in photos — are being transformed.  It’s a space I find fascinating and am eager to keep learning about as the technology continues to evolve.

What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career?
Two years ago, I took on a new challenge: transportation. It’s a part of the business that many underestimate in its complexity, but I saw it as an opportunity to grow. Drawing on my background in remarketing — the strategy, the client relationships, the business fundamentals — I was able to bridge the two worlds, build a strong team, and deliver real results for our customers. Learning a new business and making a tangible impact on it is one of the things I’m most proud of in my career.

What book, film or song has inspired you personally or professionally?
I’ll be honest — film, books, and music are where I go to unplug, not to find professional inspiration. When something at work demands deep learning, I go all in — reading, interviewing, digging until I’ve found what I need. But that’s purpose-driven rather than a general habit of consumption. So I don’t have a go-to book or film that shaped my career, though I could give you a very long list of songs that are tied to some great memories.

Who is someone who has inspired you personally or professionally?
When I think about who has shaped me most both personally and professionally, my father is the first person to come to mind   He had a fascinating career as an executive in the pharmaceutical industry, including several international roles that exposed our family to different cultures, countries, and the nuances of global business. That exposure stuck with me and ultimately steered me toward international business for my MBA. But beyond the professional influence, he’s just a remarkable person — a strategic thinker, deeply fair, and genuinely hilarious. Those are qualities I’ve tried to bring into my own life and leadership.  He always put our family first and still balanced the responsibilities of a challenging career.  I commend him for never making us feel his balancing and hope to accomplish the same for my family.