How did you get into the auto industry?

I’ve been in the industry for about 40 years. I started in an entry-level part-time position when I was in high school. My mother, Ida, was quite a trailblazer in the auto industry. She was the only woman Body Shop Manager in Central Florida back in the early 80s. The dealership she worked at needed somebody to do some filing and admin work. She suggested that I could work part-time during the summer of my sophomore year in high school. I started working there as soon as summer break began; I was very eager and always wanted to learn more

I worked that summer until it was time to go back to school. A few months back into my sophomore year of high school, the Controller offered me a job working after school and on the weekends. I was fortunate that the Controller saw potential in me and gave me a great opportunity at a young age. I went from working in the accounting office to helping the sales and service teams. I had a deep desire to understand how all the departments worked. That was the beginning of my passion for the automotive industry.

During college, I worked for an auto group that owned three franchises. I gained knowledge of different manufacturers and their unique processes. After college, I went to work at an Acura store and started to learn the financial side of the business. I remember the CFO at the Acura dealership always telling me, “You’re never going to be a great CFO if you don’t understand the trials, tribulations, and daily activities of every person and every department in the dealership; you’ll always see things black and white unless you see it from their perspective.” She had me go and work in every department. She wanted me to have an overall experience of how the dealership worked, from sales to parts to service. I worked with her side-by-side and gained a lot of great experience.

After that, I worked my way up and became an Office Manager, then a Controller. I worked for many years as a Controller gaining an abundance of knowledge along the way. I had the opportunity to take on the responsibilities of General Manager at several stores I worked at. Many colleagues were unaware of my tenure as a General Manager, as I continued to hold the position of Controller at the same time. I loved the double duty and was able to really put my years of experience and leadership into helping those dealers flourish.

I’ve currently been at Key Scales Ford for almost 14 years. After working for the family for eight years, my dealer principal made the decision to make me her General Manager. We shared a common vision for the dealership. Our motto at Key Scales Ford is TAAT (Together as a Team). Every one of our team members knows they are an important part of our daily life here at Key Scales Ford. We all work together and strive to be an integral part of our community and be a safe place where customers can come purchase and service their vehicles with no fear of being taken advantage of. We strive to have long-term relationships with our customers and our team members.

As a woman, you are in the minority; what are your thoughts about the auto industry as a career path for women? What’s your experience been like? What can be done to hire more women?

Women should not be intimidated to work in a male-dominated industry. I’ve had great mentors along the way, both men and women, and I think that women need to embrace the challenge and know what a fulfilling career you can have in the automotive industry. When I first got into the industry, it was unheard of to have a woman in any kind of position other than working in the office. In fact, this year, the dealer and I were out to lunch wearing our Key Scales Ford shirts, and a car guy from another local dealership asked if we worked in the office. He had a shocked look on his face when we politely told him no, we are the Dealer Principal & General Manager. From my first summer to today, we’ve jumped milestones. I see more and more women at the large auto shows, not just working for dealerships, but leading in all aspects of automotive.

Women are known for their exceptional skills in communication, multi-tasking, and cultivating interpersonal relationships. Women tend to be highly resilient in the face of rejection, failure, or hardship. An accomplished woman brings an immense value to the workplace. Providing leadership opportunities to create a culture where women want to work and can be valued for their input definitely helps increase women hires in this male-dominated space.

What do you love about the industry, and what would you change if you could?

I love seeing happy families buying the cars of their dreams and helping them maintain their vehicles. Sometimes we don’t realize the level at which a car makes a difference for a family. I like being part of that experience. When a customer buys a car, we like to make a big deal about it. We have a big gong in the showroom, and the salesperson announces the customer’s name and what they’re purchasing over the PA system. We then let the customers hit the gong, and then I get on the speaker and say, “Congratulations! Welcome to our family.” We make the car buying experience a big celebration for our customers and team members.

I love the fast-paced excitement of day-to-day challenges. You must grow and change and evolve every day to survive. I really love my dealer; she’s amazing. I also adore my staff and feel so blessed to have them.

If I could change one thing, it would be the poor image that some people have of the automobile industry. Because of years of unscrupulous practices by some people in the automobile industry, the reputation of car dealerships is tainted, and people are afraid of being taken advantage of. There are many amazing people in the industry that have excellent character, values and morals and want to do the right thing. I believe the unscrupulous dealers are few and far between, but the public still holds on to this sentiment. Dealers and their teams are generous and giving and do not get the recognition they deserve for all the good they do for their customers and communities.

What advice would pass on to someone entering the auto industry?

One of the most important things is to always live by your honesty and integrity. Work smart and be willing to consistently change and grow. To quote Henry Ford, “Be ready to revise any system, scrap any method, abandon any theory, if the success of the job requires it.”

Be present, be compassionate about what you do, and be persistent and steadfast in all that you do. Don’t ever compromise your core values. You get back what you put in. If you reach for the stars, you may not hit them, but you’ll fall into the clouds. It’s important to remember that we’re leaders; we’re going to make mistakes. Show your staff that you’re human, and if you make a mistake, own it.
Let’s talk about the EV movement in the auto industry. Ford is obviously a brand that has embraced this technology and is giving Tesla some competition. Tell us more about that.

Ford is committed to the EV. I’m not sure the transition to EV is going to be as fast as everyone predicts, but we need to be committed to moving forward. Key Scales Ford has been in business for over 50 years, and we want to leave a great legacy to the next generation. So, we’re all in when it comes to EVs. The dealership has signed the Ford EV commitment and ordered all the equipment. We are going to move forward as a Ford Certified Elite Dealer. As we progress, we will be good partners with Ford. We see their vision.

Just recently, Elon Musk mentioned that he couldn’t see his competition with a telescope. What are your thoughts?

My first reaction: don’t underestimate Ford. Before you know it, Ford could surpass Tesla. I think the greatest thing that Ford has, and Tesla doesn’t, is the dealer franchise network. We have the best distribution system, and we can surpass Tesla. I see that happening in the future.

What do you think will be some of the impacts of EVs on dealerships? There has been worry about dealership service departments and EVs. What are your thoughts?

I see changes coming, and we’re going to have to evolve with those changes. There will be a strong demand for maintenance that keeps a battery healthy. Dealers need to be experts in EV servicing needs. Automobiles have a lot of electronic components to them; they are not the simple car of yesteryear. They are very complex. There will always be a place for the service department. We are preparing for the challenges ahead, and we will be ready to evolve into the service department of the future.

Another question that is on everyone’s mind is the EV battery and range anxiety. We have invested in and ordered all the equipment to address this problem. We will have fast chargers and Level 2 chargers available for customers. We welcome all EV makes and models to come to the dealership. We hope they will see a Ford they love, and we can convert them to the Ford brand.

I think that the Ford BlueOval Network™ is going to be a great asset for the EV community. As soon as all the dealers get connected to the network, it will alleviate big concerns for consumers.

Any last thoughts?

I think one of the people that I look up to and would like to have met is Queen Elizabeth. Her wisdom was simply amazing. One of my favorite quotes from her is, “I know of no single formula for success, but over the years, I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together.” I think her advice is important for work and your personal relationships.

To evolve and be a better person, a kind, caring and loving person, is what life is about. If I could share anything, it would be to be human, to love, be kind, have good character, and know it’s OK to fail. Out of failure, you learn success. And sometimes, people don’t learn how to fail. If we could learn how to fail and grow from that, we could even be more successful in all areas of our life.