While an enthusiastic NASCAR follower, Kathy Williamson acknowledged she had never been to an auto auction prior 2003. Although the vehicles in the auction lanes don’t travel nearly 200 mph, the pace at which Williamson helped to develop technology leveraged in the wholesale vehicle space still moves pretty fast, too.
Williamson and her husband purchased Auto Auction Solutions and operated the company themselves until selling it to Auction Edge last year. She remains a part of Auction Edge, now as vice president of EDGE AOS.
“From a technology perspective, the use of mobile devices has been the largest change,” said Williamson, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “Smartphones and tablets weren’t even in use 12 years ago. Now you can do almost anything on a phone that you can do on a computer. Online selling, via simulcast and other buy-now or bid scenarios, has also increased in usage significantly over the past 12 years.”
From never have been to an auction previously, Williamson more than made up for it during the 12-year span beginning in 2003. She ventured into nearly 150 auction facilities in 36 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces.
“I view myself in the solutions business versus the car business,” Williamson said “Probably five years into my career, I realized I wanted to not just build software, but to work with end-users to provide solutions that make their jobs easier.
“There is no shortage of interesting technology challenges,” she continued. “I thought after installing our products at about 20 auctions, we’d have a good handle on the functionality required at auto auctions. But every auction does business differently. Even today, it’s rare that we leave an install without saying once, ‘No one’s ever asked for that feature before.’ So beyond technology constantly changing, there’s no shortage of user requests.
“Also the people working at auto auctions are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and many have become friends,” Williamson went on to say.
Before venturing into the wholesale vehicle space, Williams spent 14 years with a company that developed accounting software. When, as Williamson explained it, what’s known as the dot-com bubble “burst” in the early 2000s, she spent about 18 months working for contractors in northwest Florida associated with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Now, when not traveling to watch the best in auto racing compete, Williamson is on the road working with auctions to help them deliver the technology services their dealer customers want.
“Having good relationships with our auto auction customers has been the most rewarding experience. A lot of our sales have come from referrals from our current customers. Receiving personal references from your customers is very rewarding,” Williamson said.
“Understanding the problem being solved is the first step,” she continued. “Once I have a good understanding, is this a similar problem to one I’ve solved before and will that solution work in this instance? If not, determine the troubleshooting steps that need to be performed to determine the cause of the problem, then perform those steps. If this does not resolve the issue or the cause still can’t be determined — those technological issues that happen randomly — put into place a process to monitor for this issue to get better troubleshooting information.”
And the individuals Williamson gets to work with in the auction space inspires her most.
“People who care about their customers — auction owners, front office clerks, IT partners in the auto auction industry — it’s rare that a business can survive without customers of some variety and their successful transactions with our businesses is what keeps them as customers,” Williamson said.
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.
When asked to name some of the people she finds professionally inspiring, Leslie Vander Bann points to Richard Branson, Elon Musk and Sheryl Sandberg, among others.
“These individuals won’t accept ‘no’ for an answer,” said Vander Baan, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “They are not limited by their own imagination and they engage in interesting pursuits outside of the workplace, which I find compelling and inspiring.”
They’re all certainly well known for innovation, something very crucial to the model of DRIVIN, where Vander Baan is vice president of strategic partnerships.
The company is on the forefront of a tech and digital revolution that’s occurring in both the retail and wholesale markets and changing how vehicles are bought and sought.
When asked how the car business has changed the most during her career in the area in which she works, Vander Baan said: “The most radical change I have seen is the way in which vehicles are sourced — for both consumers and dealers.
“For dealers, the launch of DRIVIN has completely revolutionized vehicle sourcing, and I’m very proud of the DRIVIN team for taking enormous strides to create a marketplace, evolve sourcing and create efficiencies that dealers had previously not experienced,” she said.
Vander Baan also has a healthy respect for the traditional players in the car business. She finds it important for the voices of both the disruptive and traditional model be heard.
“I would advise our future automotive leaders to cultivate a true appreciation for both the auto veterans who are and deeply rooted in the rich traditions of this industry as well as the progressive leaders who are disrupters in the business,” she said when asked what advice she would have for people looking to become auto industry leaders.
“It’s important to understand both sides in order to lead the industry forward and have a measured impact,” she said.
Vander Baan certainly has experience with both sides of that coin. She grew up in the business of dealerships and auctions, as her father and grandfather worked in the industry.
“My childhood was somewhat shaped by this exposure — the fast-pace environment and potential for growth has always been appealing to me,” she said.
“When I was 12, I told my father I thought that investing in auto auctions was a great idea, so by then I had definitely considered that the automobile industry might be in my future,” Vander Baan said. “I explored other pursuits after college, but I never let go of my ambition to start my own business.
“After a challenging experience selling a vehicle on my own, I knew that a path to entrepreneurship — and specifically one in the automotive industry — was cemented.”
When asked what motivates her in the car business, Vander Baan points to the “innate curiosity which propels me forward.”
That includes a keen sense of self-motivation
“I don’t want to just stop where I am at any given point; I have internal competition with myself to push forward, even when I can’t see beyond the horizon,” she adds.
And speaking of the curiosity, that extends to her time away from work, as exploring new cities, countries and cultures are among her hobbies.
“I love spending time outdoors with my family. I have two young children that keep me on the go. I also love to explore new cities and countries and immerse myself in different cultural experiences,” she added.
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.
To be a strong leader, Connie Suozzo said, one doesn’t always have to be at the front of the pack. Often, it’s about empowering the talent around you.
“It’s my belief that great leaders do not always need to stand on the front lines,” said Suozzo, who is senior director of operations at RMS Automotive and a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “I believe in a very servant leadership style.
“It is rather simple … surround yourself with great talent, provide them with the vision and tools to succeed and know when to get out of the way and let your team be great,” she said.
In addition to a servant and empowerment leadership style, it’s also evident from a Q&A with Suozzo that she puts a lot of reason and thought behind business decisions.
For example, we asked about her approach to problem solving.
“As it relates to problem solving, often we do not have all the data or facts and we have to balance this with our instinct. To do this, you need to take a step back from the problem and broaden the lens,” Suozzo said.
“More often than not, you will find these problems are truly opportunities to improve,” she said.
“So evaluate, make the best possible decision you can with the information present, never look back with regret, then move on to the next problem to tackle,” she added.
Or, another example would be her motivation to excel in the car business: “For me personally, it’s about rising to the challenge. It’s the challenge of bringing life to an idea or solving a complex business problem. The thrill, of course, is the idea or the problem at hand. The challenge is executing against it to deliver the desired result.”
Suozzo has been in the car business for three years, having joined Manheim after more than a dozen years in healthcare technology. In that industry, she held various leadership roles in program management, product/technology operations and international business development.
Within a year of arriving at Manheim, Suozzo joined the team RMS Automotive, a Cox Automotive software startup that had launched out of Manheim’s UK operations.
“It was the perfect fit where I knew I could provide value with my software and international background while still learning the automotive industry,” she said.
Three years into her auto industry tenure, one area she has found to be at the “conversational forefront” is big data.
“In today’s world, there is no shortage of data. From OEM to retail consumer, individuals and companies alike have access to more data and insights than ever before,” Suozzo added. “With the ever-increasing possibilities of predictive analytics, we have the ability to transform the approach to our products, our services and how we engage with our clients.”
Outside the car business
Lastly, we asked Suozzo about what interests her beyond the car business.
“Outside of the office, you will find me at my ‘other’ full-time job of being a mom to two amazing children under the age of 7. The have taught me so much about being a leader and the importance of a proper work-life balance,” she said.
“On the weekends you’ll find us running between the baseball diamond, the ballet studio, a tennis lesson or a birthday party. In fact, my husband and I started tennis lessons ourselves in hopes to find a family sport that we can all enjoy throughout the years. When time allows, I enjoy traveling and exploring new places,” Suozzo added. “Sometimes that includes just getting lost in Atlanta and checking out new areas of the city. And lastly, my personal love is for the American pastime. There is just something magical about catching a baseball game in the stadium on a warm summer’s night.”
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.
Alexi Venneri recognized when she oversaw advertising for the Van Tuyl Group that all dealerships, not just her employer at the time, needed assistance with social media. That’s when Digital Air Strike began to take shape at her kitchen table.
At that traditional gathering place, Venneri leveraged her extensive automotive and marketing background to formulate how dealers and their customers might congregate online. Now Digital Air Strike has 170 employees and 3,000 clients.
“It’s been very rewarding to see our patented technology be recognized while helping to create a new category of business — social media marketing and reputation management — that didn’t exist just six years ago,” said Venneri, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “Some of the best experiences involved seeing how what we do also helps consumers have a better experience.”
Her spark for wanting people to have a better experience back when Venneri was in high school. She spent weekends at a dealership serving cake and other free food to customers and other store shoppers, collecting names and contact information that turned into leads.
“That was my first taste of marketing and lead management,” Venneri said.
From there, Venneri career included stops in professional sports with the Seattle Mariners as well as in the auto technology space with Who’s Calling and Dealertrack Technologies. During her journey in various marketing posts, she recognized how customer satisfaction became paramount to what she wanted to accomplish.
“I love marketing and finding new ways to help businesses grow,” Venneri said. “The automotive industry is so fast-paced and open to new ideas so it was a perfect fit for my skillset. Many dealerships are still family run businesses and that is also appealing to me as I really appreciate their entrepreneurial nature.
“Knowing that we are helping businesses, business owners, their customers and employees motivates me,” she continued. “We are able to take the huge responsibility of managing social media and online reputation off a dealer’s plate so they can focus on selling and servicing more cars while also finding ways to get prospects and customers more engaged with the dealership.”
Keeping dealership customers engaged is one of the primary reasons why social media appeals to Venneri so much. She described the depth of which social media platforms have evolved not only during her automotive career but also since she became the co-founder and chief executive officer of Digital Air Strike.
“The car business has changed along with social media. At first social media was only used socially — dealers weren’t aware they could use it as a channel to reach customers,” Venneri said. “Today, dealers know they need to actively manage their social online reputations but they are still learning how — and they often don’t have the time to keep up with all the new features and options available to them.
“We are fortunate to have partnerships and close relationships with the social sites so we find out about changes before they are made and can help our clients navigate and leverage them to sell more,” she continued.
“The ability to target through social networks for a fraction of the cost of other mediums — including both digital and traditional mediums — is a huge revolution for our industry,” Venneri went on to say. “Social advertising gives dealers incredible tools to reach specific audiences and do tons of testing to hone in what works for each group — all very cost effectively. It can also enhance all other advertising mediums as well.”
While so much of her efforts are focused on social media, Venneri mentioned that she tries to “unplug” at least a couple of times a year during family vacations with her husband and son. Her family also has three rescue beagles, and Venneri volunteers with organizations that help animal welfare.
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.
When Debbie Stokes gets time away from the office, one of her hobbies is golf.
While certainly a game of precision at any point on the course, each of its different tasks — driving, chipping out of a sand trap, putting, etc. — requires a diverse set of skills (and clubs, for that matter).
The same is true for Stokes in her role as national remarketing manager at PAR North America.
“My job has a variety of responsibilities that include meeting customer needs, working with a wide range of automobiles, not only requiring detailed auto knowledge, but multiple analytical skills for the work product completion, and staff training and management,” said Stokes, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree.
And sometimes, that skill set can be a moving target. For example, we asked Stokes what she has seen the car business change the most: “Automation in all areas has been the biggest change during my career. This is not only reflected in the conversion of written analysis and data to computer systems, but also to online auction sales.”
Whether it’s adjusting to industry changes or wearing multiple hats in a leadership role, Stokes’ path in the remarketing business certainly seems to have prepared her quite well for such responsibilities.
She has been the remarketing manager at PAR for four-and-a-half years, having spent the previous six with ADESA. Stokes was commercial accounts manager for ADESA Tampa before moving up to assistant general manager.
Her career in the remarketing business began at Florida Auto Auction in Orlando, where she was a driver before moving up to vehicle check-in and eventually the factory department.
Stokes had started the job while taking community college courses at night, and she continued her work in the business while a student at the University of South Alabama.
“Upon graduation I entered the Manheim Management Training Program and was advised I was the first female to complete the entire program,” she said.
Stokes worked for Manheim for 12 years and then Citi Financial Auto for two-and-a-half. Then, she got the ADESA job and has been in the KAR Auction Services family ever since.
“My advice for those interested in the auto industry is to work hard every day and learn as much as possible to understand the work flow between people, businesses, departments, and automobiles,” she said.
Stokes certainly has aced the hard work and learning game throughout her career.
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.
Katie Rushing was a member of a sorority as a student at Georgia Southern University. Whether it was in athletics or automotive, a mantra she learned during that part of her life still influences her now as she is the national remarketing manager for Southeastern Auto Auction of Savannah.
“I am motivated to excel in all aspects life,” Rushing said. “Growing up, I participated in multiple various competitive activities including team and individual sports, choirs, mathematics teams, etc. When I do something, I do it 100 percent. I may not win every time, but it will never be because I didn’t give it my all.
“I strive to uphold a motto I heard first in college in my sorority, Kappa Delta: Let us strive for that which is honorable, beautiful, and highest,” continued Rushing, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree..
Rushing had the opportunity to excel as she was given more responsibilities by the auction owners, who had interests in real estate, equipment as well as automotive. The owners — Wayne DeLoach, Tommy Childs and Danny Williams — steadily gave her more challenges, including going on the road and representing the auction throughout the region.
“I’ve always loved cars and trucks but didn’t know how much I would enjoy working in the car business, especially at an auction, until I began as a dealer sales representative traveling throughout the state of South Carolina,” Rushing said.
“I met so many different people visiting both large franchise dealerships and small independent car lots. Once I moved into remarketing our institutional accounts I really knew this was what I enjoyed,” she went on to say.
While she now has one of the most important positions at Southeastern Auto Auction of Savannah, Rushing still is striving for excellence — both within the organization and the auction industry as a whole.
“I enjoy both the challenges and the people,” Rushing said. “Every car has a different story and tackling the issues that each one brings is invigorating. I love learning new things so each time a problem arises and our team finds the solution the rush of enthusiasm and satisfaction is very fulfilling. I also treasure the different relationships I have with each client. The social interactions within the workplace fascinate me and I am intrigued by the different ways individuals communicate and work together.
“Always be open to new ideas and never settle with the way things have always been done,” she continued. “Our world is ever changing and we must be able to adapt quickly and efficiently. Accountability is key, if you tell someone you’re going to do something, follow through.
“Being a member of the IARA Education and Conference Management Committee has been very influential and beneficial to both my career and personal development,” Rushing added.
Beyond that industry organization, Rushing also mentioned the impact of her family, which “set wonderful examples of strong work ethic and accountability throughout my life and I strive to exhibit the same attributes as they have shown me.”
Rushing also reiterated the vital role DeLoach, Childs and Williams played in her professional career, “by believing in me and guiding me throughout my journey in the automotive business.”
She added: “They instilled in me the value of doing business the right way and doing the right thing. Their persistence in upholding positive values continues to inspire me.”
Here’s something to which many of our readers can probably relate.
We asked Sheryl Watson, the general counsel and senior vice president at ADESA Canada, when she knew the car business was for her.
“When I watched my first live auto auction,” said Watson, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “An exciting mini-drama unfolds as each car crosses the block.”
If an auto auction is a series of mini-dramas, then the way they’re often sold today might be akin to a sci-fi film. Except there’s not much “fiction” involved.
That’s the biggest change to the industry that Watson has seen during her 17-plus years in the car business.
“Technology has made significant changes in the auto auction business. When I joined the business in 1999, very few — if any — cars were sold online and many people doubted that the Internet was a viable sales channel,” she said. “At that time, the idea of listing and selling cars through a smartphone was in the realm of science fiction.”
Of course, things changed quickly, as they often do in the remarketing business. That’s something Watson enjoys about the industry.
“Every day is different and never boring. I have been working in this business for over 17 years and haven’t had a dull day yet. It is energizing to work in an environment where so many people are passionate about what they do,” she said.
As mentioned above, Watson’s passion for the car business goes back to attending her first live auction. Watson joined the auto industry through her work as an attorney.
“In 1999, I was working as a lawyer in a large Toronto law firm and the Canadian Auction Group — which was acquired by ADESA in 2000 — was one of my firm’s clients,” Watson said. “I was assigned to handle a few legal matters for CAG and became fascinated by the auto auction business. CAG offered me a job as general counsel, I happily accepted and have never looked back.”
Her years in the car business have brought some pretty rewarding experiences. Among those, chairing the National Auto Auction Association’s Canadian Committee from 2007 to 2009.
“During that time, the Canadian Committee developed the NAAA Seller Disclosure Standards-Canada which has since been embraced by numerous Canadian lawmakers who regulate what a dealer needs to disclose when selling a used vehicle,” Watson said.
“It was a great deal of work, but ultimately very worthwhile. When I finished my term as chair, Manheim presented me with a lovely award thanking me for my contribution. I was very flattered,” she said.
To get a sense of how Watson tackles big projects, we asked her to share her approach to problem-solving.
“In my prior life as a litigation lawyer, I learned that the story your client tells you is likely true but is unlikely to be the only truth,” she said. “So, my approach is to dig into a problem and explore the facts from multiple perspectives. Problem-solving becomes much easier when you understand the viewpoints of all stakeholders.”
Lastly, when she gets out of the office, Watson enjoys family time, exercise and an interesting design project.
“Between my husband and I, we have five children. Although they are all ‘off the payroll’ (mostly), they still keep us pretty busy,” she said. “I work out regularly and, in my spare time, design and make jewelry.”
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.
Before joining Cox Automotive, Amy Mills worked on several advertising and marketing projects with manufacturers and other automotive clients on the agency side of the business. Then, one of Mills’ acquaintances mentioned an opportunity at Manheim.
“Once I met the people, I never looked back,” said Mills, who now is vice president of global strategic planning at Cox Automotive and a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree.
Soon after Mills interacted with other Manheim personnel in her first post, she visited one the company’s auction facilities. Not only did she find herself bonding with those people, the activities in the lanes and beyond left a permanent impression.
“It is the truest representation of the live, dynamic, complex nature of our business that makes it unique and addictive,” Mills said.
The wholesale business certainly has become even more complex during Mills’ time with Manheim and Cox Automotive. She recollected that at the time she joined the company, Manheim was setting up the technology that allowed activity in the lanes to be seen worldwide through the Internet via the company’s Simulcast product.
Mills pointed out that technology created the most dramatic change she has seen during her time in the industry, “growing into a global commerce platform for our business and an indispensable part of how we operate.
“That digital transformation and all the new mobile tools for dealers to manage their businesses over the past decade has been the most significant,” she added.
No matter how much technology evolves, Mills still harkens back to what initially brought her to Cox Automotive — people. As in both coworkers and clients.
When asked to pinpoint what’s been most rewarding about having a career in automotive, Mills replied that “working real time with our customers to solve their business challenges, and seeing those through to positive results.
“Among my first few roles at Manheim was as marketing manager, partnering with our key customer accounts on strategic marketing and sales programs,” she continued. “Momentum was just beginning to build with the Simulcast product, opening up a lot of new options to get creative in how we reach buyers nationwide for vehicles coming off-lease or out of the rental fleet. We experimented with everything from ‘postcard’ image-only sales to theater style evening bid events, all which led to increasing sell-through, opening new sale venues and discovering a lot about how our digital tools needed to evolve.”
Outside of her responsibilities for Cox Automotive, Mills again mentioned the importance of people, especially her husband, parents and siblings.
“As I advance in my career, I realize how much I really learned from my mom and dad,” Mills said. “Each had a very different but unique gift in how they related to others, coupled with a resilient and tenacious drive and work ethic. That lives on in my siblings and their families and children, who teach me something new almost every day.”
Even with an executive post at Cox Automotive, Mills isn’t about to rest on her laurels for a specific reason. What? Yes … people.
“I have met and worked with some of the most brilliant leaders and entrepreneurs,” Mills said. “The bar is continually raised by the quality of my colleagues and industry partners. I also believe we have yet to see the greatest days of our industry and a truly global automotive marketplace.”
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.
Leslie Ruhe didn’t exactly pursue the car business, she says.
“It actually pursued me! I was a brand-new mom, content with where I was. I had a friend encourage me to apply for a newly created job in the lease remarketing group where he worked,” said Ruhe, a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree and a vice president and senior relationship manager at U.S. Bank
“Initially, I didn’t think it was the right time to make such a major life change, but after two days back from maternity leave, I realized I needed something new,” she added. “I have never looked back! I knew this is where I belonged very early on and have never considered a career change outside of the car business.”
In fact, that’s a big part of what Ruhe enjoys about the car business — that people tend to stick around.
“I feel like once people are in this business, they stay here. Even if they leave a company, they still stay in the industry. I love getting to know people personally and professionally,” she said. “Everyone is so supportive and willing to help. The people I work with every day are like family. We’ve all worked together for many years and really enjoy working together. “
Beyond her teammates and folks with whom she collaborates, Ruhe said some of the most rewarding parts of the job have been attending and speaking at industry conferences. She enjoys meeting new industry peers and getting the chance to compare notes.
The invaluable opportunity for professionals learning from each other is one Ruhe appreciates.
Of course, that requires some confidence, which is the main point of advice Ruhe had for people looking to become leaders in the car business.
“Be confident. Walking into a full conference room or meeting hall with people you don’t know can be intimidating,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to walk up to someone, offer a strong handshake and introduce yourself.”
That’s sound advice in any industry. And so is Ruhe’s approach to problem-solving.
“You can’t just put a Band-Aid on the problem; you have to solve the real issue. You have to really understand the problem and what causes the problem before you can come up with a good solution,” she said. “Often it requires thinking outside of the box and not being afraid to try something new or risky.”
To get a sense of how Ruhe and her teammates have applied the latter part of that strategy, look no further than how she answered this question: In your specific area of the industry, where has the car business changed the most during your career?
“It has been very interesting watching online sales become more and more acceptable. The first month I worked in remarketing, we sold four cars online. We had no idea just how big this sales channel would become,” she said. “In more recent years, we have seen so many changes due to government regulations and the CFPB. We have had to become more creative in this environment.”
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.
Susan Moritz calls her road to the car business “almost accidental.”
But it’s certainly an inspiring one, and speaks to not only overcoming challenges, but thriving in their wake.
“I was adopted as an infant with a minor ankle deformity that required me to wear leg braces for the first several months of my life. The doctor felt that dance training may help to strengthen my ankles, but no one ever expected that this therapy would develop into so much more,” said Moritz, vice president of business development at NextGear Capital and a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree.
“However, at the age of 4, I began training to become a professional ballet dancer. I attended the Indiana University School of Music with a major in ballet, dancing semi-professionally until the age of 23,” she said. “And just like that, I had overcome my first significant challenge without really knowing it.”
As many of us can relate, she said her two most pressing needs after graduation were a car and employment, “in that order.”
Moritz found a position as an assistant business manager at a franchised dealership, and serendipitously, the job came with a company car. Talk about two birds with one stone.
But the job was more than just employment and a set of wheels.
“Almost immediately, I felt connected to the people I worked with at the dealership. I was an anomaly in the mid-80s and I think everyone looked at me as a social experiment. I became energized by the excitement of the ‘sale,’ and the dealership lifestyle,” Moritz said.
“My dance career had already prepared me to completely commit to anything I took on in the future. The discipline and attention to detail I relied on as a dancer became the foundation for my success as an F&I manager,” she added. “I spent six years at the dealership, and along with finance, found myself managing the new-car sales team. I was a 20-something female managing seasoned car salesmen older than my father. I learned quickly not to take myself too seriously.”
Moritz said she stepped away from the dealership world for a bit when she started a family, and changed over to managing a mortgage processing and closing department. She got back into the car business with a job at ADESA in 2001, also working with some of its sister companies over the next few years.
Moritz has been with what is now known as Cox Automotive since 2009.
“When the market collapsed in 2008, I found myself unemployed for the first time in my life not by choice. This was a dark time for many of us. In May of 2009, I received a job offer from Manheim and little did I know that this would be the catalyst for the career and achievements I have today. When a door closed for me, a REALLY big one opened,” she said.
“In 2014, I transitioned to the Cox Automotive brand NextGear Capital, where I was tasked with business development for this rapidly growing company. I approach business development by understanding the needs of our dealers and looking for opportunities to come in and assist with their daily operations,” she said.
“My focus is to create, develop and implement products and services that will educate, protect and allow our dealers to achieve their goals,” Moritz added. “For me, independent dealers represent the family-owned businesses of a better time, the embodiment of the American dream.
“These are dealers who commit their life savings to creating a business that serves their communities and provides jobs for their neighbors. In my role, I believe that if our dealer fails, we as a company have failed.”
Outside of the day-to-day work, Moritz and the team at NextGear has put an emphasis on community service. She is on the board at Chaucie’s Place, an organization whose mission is to prevent childhood sexual abuse and adolescent suicide. Moritz is also on the board at Indianapolis School of Ballet.
NextGear provides support to these causes, as well as others.
“Outside of that, you can find me playing with my dogs and sharing the company of my daughters and fiancé, Jack. My daughters, along with being independent, are also hilarious and keep me laughing,” Moritz said. “We joke that we should have our own reality TV show, but alas, no call yet from E!”
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.
