Cox Automotive presented its annual Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award to Corina Diehl, owner and president of Diehl Automotive, a five-dealership group headquartered in Butler, PA.
Named after Barbara Cox, the late co-owner of Cox Enterprises and daughter of the company’s founder, this honor is awarded to women who demonstrate business leadership and community advocacy, and a commitment to advancing the automotive industry. The winner was announced by Cox Automotive President Steve Rowley during the first-ever Cox Automotive Experience, a 10-day virtual event.
“With this award, we affirm the importance of inclusion, diversity and equity at Cox Automotive,” said Rowley. “We choose one of our clients to receive this award that reminds us of Barbara Cox and carries those same characteristics — a strong, skilled and determined woman who cares about people, her business and her community. It is my honor to recognize Corina Diehl as the 2021 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year.”
Diehl is a pioneer in the auto industry having started her own auto exporting company in the early 1990s. After she and her husband Matt bought their first dealership with a partner in 1995, the Diehls took sole ownership of that dealership and created Diehl Automotive in 2002. Shortly after purchasing the dealership, Diehl’s husband passed away unexpectedly, and she became sole owner and president of Diehl Automotive. Instead of giving up on their dream, Diehl drew on her experience working side-by-side with her husband in the dealership and took over the operations and turned Diehl Automotive into a trendsetter and one of the top-performing stores in Western Pennsylvania. She subsequently purchased other stores in Pennsylvania including Diehl of Robinson in Pittsburgh, CarRight Automotive in Moon Township, Diehl Volkswagen in Butler and Diehl of Grove City.
“What an honor and how humbling to receive the Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award,” said Diehl after receiving the award. “The fact that Barbara Cox was such as amazing woman and leader in our industry … for me to receive this award is truly humbling and such an honor in our space. The fact that a young woman is getting a scholarship through Northwood University and promoting women in this industry, which is what Barbara Cox did. I’m so honored and can’t thank you enough.”
Diehl is a strong supporter of the “successful community = successful business” theory, and Diehl Automotive supports numerous community giving projects throughout Western Pennsylvania, including sponsoring the nationally recognized Bantam Jeep Festival held annually in Butler, PA, and the First Niagara Pavilion, a large concert amphitheater. Diehl Automotive also gives donations to Karns City High School and its athletic departments and purchased the school a new scoreboard. Other community projects include giving tens of thousands of dollars for breast cancer awareness and research each October and raising thousands of dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In addition to many other events, the dealership group sponsors “A Night to Remember,” an annual formal event for special needs children and young adults.
In addition to presenting the award to Diehl, Cox Automotive will present on behalf of the honoree a $10,000 Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship to Angelena Brindley, a Northwood University sophomore studying automotive aftermarket.
Cox Automotive is accepting applications for the 2022 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award.
