Auto Remarketing Canada is excited to one again feature the Women & Automotive: Profiles in Leadership in conjunction with the Women & Automotive: Canadian Leadership Forum.
In the January/February issue of the magazine, we will be compiling Q&A/profile stories about women in the Canadian auto industry who exemplify the best in leadership.
We would appreciate any suggestions you might have on auto industry leader(s) for us to profile this year.
If there are any outstanding folks you have in mind, please email joverby@cherokeemediagroup.com by Friday Dec. 8 with the following:
— Her name, position and company
— Her email
— Her top leadership qualities
Please note that this is not limited to the used-car business.
And please feel open to nominate folks outside of your own company, as well.
These folks can be from any area of the Canadian automotive industry at large: retail, wholesale, OEM, dealers, finance, aftermarket, technology, vendors and so on.
Thank you for being a part of this great series!
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada announced Tuesday that it has once again made the list of Best Workplaces in the Financial Services & Insurance Industry in Canada, which is put together by the Great Place to Work Institute .
Similar automotive lenders like Volkswagen Finance and Volvo Financial Services are on the list, as well.
The full list can be found here.
The Great Place to Work Institute ranks financial services and insurance industry companies using an overall Trust Index score that focuses on the dimensions of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie, Mercedes-Benz Financial explained in a news release.
“As a financial services company, trust is a cornerstone of our business and is something we never take for granted,” Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada president and chief executive officer Stefan Karrenbauer said in the release.
“Of all the feedback we receive through the Great Place to Work survey, ranking highly on the Trust Index and knowing that our employees return that trust to us is the highest compliment.”
To be eligible, companies must have also been Great Place to Work Certified in the past year and have a minimum of 15 employees.
“We are dedicated to fostering an environment of trust and a culture that is not only fun, but also values and embraces the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of every team member,” added Karrenbauer. “Each year, we evaluate the survey results for opportunities to grow. This year's results, with an 89 percent in the Trust Index, show that our efforts continue to make a difference for our employees.”
Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada also earned placement on the 2017 list of the twenty Best Workplaces in Canada for Millennials earlier this year.
Last year, for the fourth time since 2012, the company ranked in the top-ten in the “large and multinational companies” category on the list of the 100 Best Workplaces in Canada by the Great Place to Work Institute.
Cadillac Canada recently honored Canada's 150th birthday by celebrating 150 Daring Moments in Canadian history and inviting entrepreneurs from across Canada to submit entries to win a $25,000 contribution from Cadillac Canada for Canada's next daring idea — which the brand dubbed “moment 151.”
Cadillac Canada showcased four of 150 Daring Moments with artistic creations that included a mural in downtown Montreal of baseball player Jackie Robinson, a light installation in the York Street Promenade at Union Station in late June and a sculpture in downtown St. John's honoring Sir Sandford Fleming, proposer of worldwide standard time zones in 1879.
"We're lucky to live in a country rich in daring history and wanted to mine the past for inspirational moments while looking for Canadians creating their own daring moments today," Cadillac Canada managing director Hossein Hassani said in a news release. "Cadillac will continue to inspire and help find the next generation of Canadians daring to drive the world forward."
In search of moment 151, Cadillac Canada recruited a panel of Canadian leaders from four different disciplines to lead a series of interviews with contestants to find moment 151.
On the panel sat, entrepreneur Michele Romanow, chef Nick Liu, architect Alex Josephson, technology entrepreneur Bryan Mahoney, and jewelry designer Jenny Bird.
The panel selected Vancouver entrepreneur Victor Straatman, founder and chief executive officer of Meatme, to receive Cadillac Canada’s $25,000 grant and a mentorship with panel member and owner of Toronto’s DaiLo restaurant chef Nick Liu.
Straatman’s innovative business supports local farmers and ethically raised meat by connecting urban residents directly to rural farmers selling meat, according to Cadillac Canada.
"It's one of those feel-good pitches. The thing I love about it is that he's supporting local farmers, which for me, is a very important industry. It's something that is dying," said Liu.
To view the panel of Canadian entrepreneurs reveal Straatman’s win click here.
Vincentric recently announced the winners of its the sixth annual Vincentric Best Fleet Value in Canada awards, where Ford Motor Co. took home 10 winning awards.
Mercedes-Benz and Toyota each had four winning vehicles in this year's awards.
The winning Ford roster included the six-time champion F-150 and four-time winner F-250 pickup trucks, as well as the Transit Connect and Transit 150 in the van segments, with both vans earning the Vincentric Best Fleet Value in Canada award for the third year in a row.
Among other winners, Mercedes-Benz’s Metris and Sprinter models won for the second and sixth year in a row, respectively.
Toyota’s Sienna model received an award in the minivan segment, the Tacoma in the small pickup segment, and the Prius C in the hybrid segment.
This year, Vincentric said it performed a detailed cost of ownership analysis on more than 2,000 vehicle configurations based on ordinary use within a commercial fleet.
Each car was graded in all 10 provinces using 24 various lifecycle cost scenarios and eight different cost factors, according to Vincentric.
Vincentric’s list of cost factors includes:
- Depreciation
- Fees & taxes
- Financing
- Fuel
- Insurance
- Maintenance
- Opportunity cost
- Repairs
To determine award winners, Vincentric identified which vehicles had the lowest fleet lifecycle cost in the most scenarios for its segment.
For additional information regarding Vincentric’s methodology and each 2017 Vincentric Best Fleet Value in Canada award winner, visit vincentric.com.
Management at Brian Jessel BMW Pre-Owned in Vancouver described what it’s like to be a part of select group of stores recently hailed by CarGurus.
The shopping website announced its inaugural list of CarGurus Canada Top Rated Dealers, a collection that includes more than 400 stores.
Awards are being presented to a select group of dealerships that have received the highest average ratings from shoppers who have submitted dealership reviews on the CarGurus platform. CarGurus uses shoppers’ dealership ratings as well as comprehensive valuation analytics to help shoppers search their local marketplace and find great deals from top-rated dealers.
“Brian Jessel BMW Pre-Owned is proud to be recognized as a Top Rated Dealer,” said Diana Zoppa, marketing manager for Brian Jessel BMW Pre-Owned.
“Providing exceptional customer service is a priority for us and since our separation from new car to be the first and only standalone pre-owned dealership in Canada,” Zoppa continued. “Our sales have accelerated year over year. We’re honored to be recognized by our customers and look forward to continuing to provide them with top-of-the-line service.”
CarGurus invites shoppers to review and rate dealerships with whom they have interacted during their car shopping experience. Dealer ratings and reviews are visible to the public on the site, and they are also factored in the algorithm that CarGurus uses to rank search results for shoppers.
According to recent CarGurus poll, 78 percent of shoppers say they will not buy a vehicle from a dealership without first seeking out reviews of that dealer from other shoppers.
The Top Rated Dealer program can help dealers leverage CarGurus' trusted and verified consumer reviews and provide their customers with independent validation that they are getting a good deal from a great dealer.
“CarGurus is proud to recognize Canadian dealerships who are prioritizing exceptional customer service and earning excellent ratings from shoppers,” said Sam Zales, president of dealer operations at CarGurus.
“Dealers receiving the Top Rated Dealer Award demonstrate exemplary practice of what is most important to customers, such as prompt response to inquiries, a deeply knowledgeable staff and a stress-free, no pressure environment at the dealership,” Zales continued.
CarGurus also helps dealerships connect with customers through programs that provide additional brand exposure and drive customer leads with high ROI. More than 22,000 car dealerships in the U.S. currently partner with CarGurus on such programs.
Canadian dealers wishing to activate their inventory on CarGurus and learn more about other advertising programs should visit https://ca.cargurus.com/signup/TopRatedDealer2017 or call (855) 534-5411.
Toyota Motor Corp. has won a total of nine Vincentric Best Value in Canada awards this year, including three for its luxury vehicle division Lexus.
Lexus received Vincentric’s brand award for best luxury SUVs and crossovers, in addition to model awards for best luxury hybrid, luxury compact SUV/crossover and luxury mid-size SUV/crossover.
Toyota’s non-luxury models took home Vincentric's subcompact, hybrid, mid-size SUV/crossover, large SUV/crossover and small pickup awards.
Following Toyota, Honda, Vincentric's second most awarded automaker this year, received the non-luxury SUV, crossover and van brand award and four model awards.
This year’s other brand award winners include Mazda, BMW and Ford. Each of the three brands claim brand awards for the second year in a row.
Vincentric Best Value in Canada 2017 Brand Award Winners
- Passenger Car Brand: Mazda
- Luxury Car Brand: BMW
- SUVs, Crossovers & Vans Brand: Honda
- Luxury SUVs & Crossovers Brand: Lexus
- Truck Brand: Ford
“We saw numerous repeat winners this year,” Vincentric president David Wurster said in a news release. “When manufacturers measure and manage a vehicle’s total cost of ownership, they are able to consistently deliver high value to consumers year after year.”
Vincentric uses a statistical model and considers eight ownership cost factors: depreciation, fees and taxes, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost and repairs.
“Each vehicle was evaluated in all 10 provinces plus the Northwest Territories using a range of annual kilometer intervals and insurance profiles,” the data provider explained.
For more information regarding all of this year’s Best Value in Canada award winners and Vincentric’s methodology, visit http://www.vincentric.com.
Mazda Canada recently named the recipients of its Dealer of Distinction award program, which recognizes dealers who have efficiently run all facets of their dealership's operations.
"The Dealer of Distinction award is one of the highest honors a Mazda Dealer can earn," Massey Kondo, Mazda Canada's president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. "Each of these 30 winning dealers have excelled in delivering outstanding customer experience and have demonstrated their strong commitment to the Mazda brand."
The evaluation process used to identify and enhance dealer’s operating efficiency according to Mazda Canada's strict guidelines has been in place since 1993.
Mazda Canada said it collects quantifiable data from all the aspects of a dealer's operations and evaluates them. Specific areas of operation include: sales, service, administration and facilities.
“The criteria required for a dealership hoping to earn the award is a continually moving target in order to challenge dealerships even after receiving the Dealer of Distinction designation.” Mazda Canada said.
Winning dealers will receive a commemorative award for display in their respective dealerships.
Mazda Canada is headquartered in Richmond Hill, Ontario and currently has a nationwide network of 165 dealerships.
The following dealerships listed are Mazda Canada's 2017 Dealer of Distinction award program recipients:
Courtenay Mazda, Courtney, BC
Destination Mazda Vancouver, Vancouver, BC
Metrotown Mazda, Burnaby, BC
Morrey Mazda of the Northshore, North Vancouver, BC
OpenRoad Mazda, Port Moody, BC
Pacific Mazda, Victoria, BC
Signature Mazda, Richmond, BC
VIP Mazda, Abbotsford, BC
West Coast Mazda, Pitt Meadows, BC
Wolfe Langley Mazda, Langley, BC
Kramer Mazda, Calgary, AB
Regina Mazda, Regina, SK
Highway Mazda, Steinbach, MB
Achilles Mazda of Milton, Milton, ON
Agincourt Mazda, Toronto
Carling Motors, Ottawa
Cobourg Mazda, Cobourg, ON
401Dixie Mazda, Mississauga, ON
Guelph City Mazda, Guelph, ON
Kanata Mazda, Kanata, ON
Kieswetter Motors Inc., Kitchener, ON
Leggat Mazda Burlington, Burlington, ON
Yorkdale Dufferin Mazda, Toronto
Baie Comeau Mazda, Baie Comeau, QC
Beauport Mazda, Beauport, QC
Dubé Mazda, Rivière-du-Loup, QC
Performe Mazda, Mont Laurier, QC
Sept-Îles Mazda, Sept-Îles, QC
Atlantic Mazda, Moncton, NB
Martin Mazda, Edmundston, NB
Auto Remarketing Canada has done it again! After a year of industry growth, they’ve built an innovative conference full of leaders and experts ready to share their knowledge and experiences.
With the conference broken into three tracks this year — remarketing, retail and finance — dealers and associates will find it easier to navigate sessions.
Personally, I’m most excited about sitting on a panel at the Women & Automotive: Canadian Leadership Forum on April 5. I recently connected with fellow panelists, Susan Gubasta (Mississauga Toyota) and Kim Miller (ADESA Toronto) to talk about the industry, career challenges and self-driving cars.
There is no doubt that change is constant, and something both women spoke to when asked what they like about our industry as a whole.
Susan Gubasta (SG): No two days, hours, minutes, weeks, months or years are the same. It is constantly changing and morphing. Just when you think you have seen it all, something else happens and you think, “Wow, didn’t see that coming!”
Kim Miller (KM): Without a doubt, the relationships. Despite all the incredible technological advances, the industry is still sculpted and driven by an incredible group of professionals. The automotive world is dynamic and fast-paced, which keeps me engaged in the constantly changing landscape.
With any career, I believe it’s natural when faced with challenges to question your path. I asked both women about their careers and challenges they’ve faced. Both women shared humble insights and advice.
SG: I’ve learned over time that we all have challenging periods in our lives and it is ok to question if what we are doing is right for us. I learned to not beat myself up and allow myself the time to figure out the answer. There is always a solution and I learned how strong I can be and finally gave myself some credit.
KM: Challenging decisions are a reality, although it may seem cliché I truly believe the best decision are the ones where you are true to yourself.
Self-driving cars, and technology is of course, a hot topic! It’s clear these women have a lot in common when I asked them what year they think they’ll buy their first self-driving car.
SG: That means I have to give control over to the car … Correct? I love to drive, so once I get past that, I can’t see myself getting an autonomous vehicle for at least 10 years. Maybe by then I will be tired of driving!
KM: For me…when I am unable to drive, until that time I enjoy driving too much.
Susan and Kim are great representatives for women in our industry. With recruitment continuing to be a challenge that we face, I’m holding an open casting call for all change-loving, self-loving, and drive-loving females out there!
I have to agree with them both when it comes to our industry, career challenges and love for the open road. I can’t wait to meet and connect with more women and men in our industry at the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference and Women & Automotive: Canadian Leadership Forum April 3-5! See you there!
Logan Keirstead is Accu-Trade Canada’s regional account director and an honoree in our Women & Automotive: Profiles in Leadership. She is also a speaker at that conference. Keirstead can be reached at Logan@accu-trade.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/logankeirstead.
For the fifth year in a row, OpenRoad Auto Group announced that it has been honored with a Gold standard requalification as part of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program, which recognizes Canadian owned and managed companies with revenues above $15 million that demonstrate strategy, capability and commitment to achieve sustainable growth.
“It is a great honor to receive this prestigious gold standard designation once again,” Christian Chia, president and chief executive officer of OpenRoad, said in a news release. “It’s validating to be recognized for the continued efforts of our entire team to ensure that we remain one of the premier dealership groups in Canada.”
The Canada’s Best Managed Companies program has recognized successful businesses since it was established in 1993 and has become one of the country’s leading business awards programs, according to OpenRoad.
Award candidates were evaluated by an independent judging panel comprised of executives from Deloitte, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums, according to OpenRoad
“It’s more than just financial performance,” Deloitte’s Peter Brown and co-leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies said. “The ingredients to success also include overall business performance and sustained growth. It takes dedication and commitment from the entire organization.”
On April 19, recipients of Canada’s Best Managed Companies award will also be honored at the annual Canada’s Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto.
New dealership opens
In the past year, OpenRoad announced it opened three new dealerships and acquired Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce in Bellevue, Wash.
The new stores include OpenRoad Volkswagen, OpenRoad Audi Boundary and OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary.
The latter is a Hyundai store in downtown Vancouver andis the newest addition to Hyundai's expanding Global Dealership Space Identity program (GDSI) that is being rolled-out throughout the country and globally, according to Openroad.
This store, in addition to OpenRoad Hyundai Richmond, are the first Hyundai dealerships in OpenRoad’s portfolio.
"We are pleased to bring the first GDSI Hyundai dealership and a landmark new facility that represents the maturing of the Hyundai brand to Vancouver," Christian Chia, dealer principal of OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary, said in a news release. "The entire OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary team worked exceptionally hard to open the doors and we're excited to be able to serve the Hyundai community at this incredible new state-of-the-art facility."
OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary, which is a $2 million and 30,000-square-foot facilities, has become one of the premiere automotive facilities in the region, according to the company.
"With the GDSI program, Hyundai dealers coast-to-coast are raising the benchmark for what a modern, welcoming dealership can be," Don Romano, president and chief executive officer for Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. said in a news release. "OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary is an immaculate facility that showcases the stylish, high-quality, well-equipped Hyundai vehicles in our line-up. I would like to congratulate the entire team at OpenRoad Hyundai Boundary for their successful opening."
Additionally, the new facility is dressed with a new vehicle showroom that displays 12 vehicles indoors, 18 bays to service customer vehicles along with a service drive-thru, car wash, and indoor vehicle delivery area.
Currently, OpenRoad said it has more than 900 associates and represents 17 brands at 20 full-service car dealerships.
It’s the chance to recognize some of the many folks in the industry who are making an impact and continuing to emerge as leaders.
Here is a rundown of the awards and honorees that will be spotlighted during the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference luncheon and awards ceremony, which is at 11:30 a.m. on April 4.
— Executive of the Year, Presented by Canadian Black Book: Alan Bird, President and Chief Executive Leader, SCI Marketview
“Alan is the perfect representation of the type of leader and innovator that our industry needs. His ongoing passion for team building as a step toward growing successful businesses continues today to help make positive change in the automotive space,” said Brad Rome, president of Canadian Black Book.
— CPO Dealer of Year Presented by NCM Associates: Performance BMW
— Remarketing’s Under 40 (in alphabetical order by first name):
Alex Kinney, Volvo Cars New Brunswick/Fredericton Mitsubishi
Brian Long, autoTRADER.ca
Claudio De Angelis, Foss National Leasing/LeasePlan Canada
Danny Lynn, AutoVIN
Doug MacIver, Ride Time
Esmond Park, ADESA Canada
Gerry Johnson, Manheim Canada
Heather Coy-Robinson, CARPROOF
Jeff Gallon, Dealertrack Canada
Joey Cappello, Autonum Capital Inc.
Karl Tremblay, TradeHelper
Karolina Strazewicz, Redline Auto Sales
Martin Douglas, TradeRev
Nevade Coombs, ADESA Canada
Nick George, Automotive Resources International
Nick Basile, LGM Financial Services
Nimalan Bala, Facebook
Patrick Huibers, Honda Canada Finance
Rosita Chakardan, Dilawrti Group of Cos./The Dilawri Foundation
Shim Mannan, White Clarke Group
Stephanie Mathon, Manheim Montreal
Stephanie Turner, Cox Automotive
Teresa Yeager, CARPROOF
— Independent Dealer of the Year sponsored by DealerSocket: HGregoire
Meanwhile, the luncheon and awards ceremony at the Women & Automotive: Canadian Leadership Forum will take place at 11:45 a.m. on April 5.
During that session, we will recognize the 15 women highlighted in our Women & Automotive: Profiles in Leadership features.
Those honorees (in alphabetical order by first name) are:
Alba Henderson, Bickley Ford
Jill Hadfield, TRADER/autoTRADER.ca
Julie Oliveira, Riverside Ford Sales
Karey Davidson, RSR Global
Kim Miller, ADESA Toronto
Leanne Kripp, Kijiji Autos
Liliane Dubois, Equifax Canada
Lisa Church, Honda Canada Finance
Logan Keirstead, Accu-Trade Canada
Lori Murtagh, SCI
Maria Soklis, Cox Automotive Canada
Michelle Mullins, Impact Auto Auctions
Mylène Pagé, CDK Global
Ruth McBride, Scotiabank
Susan Gubasta, Mississauga Toyota
