As we approach the end of the year, it’s an opportune time for reflection. The past year has ushered in numerous changes for our industry, and the anticipation of what 2024 holds only adds to the excitement. Amidst all these shifts, one constant remains — the abundance of amazing individuals in the automotive world.
Throughout the year, we’ve had the privilege of showcasing outstanding individuals in our Women at the Wheel, Champions of Charity and Veterans & Vehicles programs. In our June, September and November issues, respectively, we featured the stories of 41 standouts who have made significant contributions to the automotive industry. If you haven’t had the chance to explore their stories, our digital editions are available on our website. As we bid farewell to this year, let’s extend another heartfelt shout-out to each of these remarkable honorees:
The 2023 Women at the Wheel are:
Beth Beans Gilbert, Fred Beans Automotive Group
Sheila Booze, PRO Consulting LLC
Lizz Callaway, Microsoft Autos
Melissa Cartagena, AutoNation Inc.
Edvie Castro, DOWC
Alyssa Cervantes, Konect.ai
Corina Diehl, Diehl Automotive
Kaylee Hobbs, Jack Ingram Motors
Foluke Houston-Gaddis, Cooper Standard Automotive
Darci Jahn and Nicole Perry-Morley, Perry Motors
Courtney Kim, AutoTrader.ca
Blair King, Quantum5
Susan Lovett, marketing specialist
Carol Marshall, ActivEngage
Sandy Moon, NextGear Capital
Robyn Murphy, Halton Honda
April Rain, Digital Rain Inc.
Johnna Stewart, Valvoline Global
Michele Stokes, Eagle Chevrolet of Riverhead
Connie Suozzo, Cox Automotive
The 2023 Champions of Charity are:
APCO Holdings
Bert Ogden Auto Group
CarNow
Craig Zinn Automotive Group
D-Patrick
Diehl Automotive
Jaguar Land Rover & Chase
Kunes Auto & RV Group
Market Doctors
Patriot Automotive Group
Petra Auto Products
Premier Automotive
Sansone Jr’s 66 Automall
Wise F&I
The 2023 Veterans & Vehicles are:
Floyd Alcorn | NextGear Capital, Navy
Mike Browning | Manheim San Antonio, Army Reserve
Ron Campione | DOWC, Marine Corps
Ed Cronin | Wendle Ford, Army
Michael Hobbs | Velocity Automotive, Air Force
Christie Jimenez | Enterprise, Army
In the AutoSuccess world, our champions extend beyond the individuals we honor; they include our esteemed cover and feature partners. Each month, our marketing partner of the month takes center stage, sharing compelling stories about cherished customers and illustrating how their products and services have propelled dealerships to new heights of productivity. They might also delve into in-depth insights about the evolving landscape of their industry niche, providing valuable knowledge for dealers to continuously learn and strive for success.
The 2023 feature solutions partners are:
January – High-Tech Redneck (Automotive Innovations)
February – Take Control of Your Lead Management & Follow Up (TECOBI)
March – How Fred Beans’ People-First Philosophy Sets the Standard for Automotive Retail (ActivEngage)
April – A Foundation of Trust (Dealer Teamwork)
May – Buzz, Bull & Automobiles (Wikimotive)
June – Mining Industry Experience & Data to Excel Today & Into the Future (Social Dealer)
July – Internalize Paint Repairs — Drive Savings and Boost Efficiency (Dr. ColorChip)
August – Germain Motor Co.’s Strategic Partnerships Drive Success Despite Market Turbulence (CallRevu)
September – A.I. & Automotive’s Last Stand: Is ChatGPT Friend or Foe? (Wikimotive)
October – SEO and AI, Who Needs It? (Remora)
November – Turn Clicks into Car Sales: Unlock the Power of the Online Shopper (TrueCar)
December – Scalpel or Machete? Cut Marketing Wisely (Wikimotive)
Thank you to all of the above participants, along with our numerous contributors and partners. Your valuable contributions and collaboration have played a pivotal role in making AutoSuccess successful.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year! Start working on those resolutions and your nominations for next year’s honorees!
