Vice President of Client Shared Services
Manheim (Cox Automotive)
What is one of your proudest accomplishments of your career?
One accomplishment that I am proud of is co-founding Women with Drive, the first employee resource group (ERG) at Cox. The organization was born in 2014 from an organic grassroots effort to engage women from our product and technology teams in local technology associations. Inviting women to networking and speaker events grew into hosting our own workshops, book clubs and speaker panels. I was a member of the Diversity and Inclusion council at the time and had tremendous executive support to formalize and establish an official charter for the group. Women with Drive expanded well beyond our Atlanta-based headquarters to become one of nine Cox Enterprise-wide ERGs positively impacting the lives of team members around the world today.
In what do you credit your success and/or what do you think makes you stand apart from your peers?
My work ethic and values are core to my success — my parents instilled the critical importance of integrity and going the extra mile early on. I purposefully seek opportunities to solve a problem beyond the task or role at hand. Of course, I ensure my primary job is successful before raising my hand and asking for more. As a result, I experienced many new opportunities that gave me visibility into other areas of the business, allowed me to learn a new skill set and enabled me to build new relationships, my reputation and my resumé.
What tools do you use to help you grow in the industry?
I think it is important to learn about different aspects and dimensions of the industry in order to grow. I would encourage getting close to the client and the teams on the front line to start. Exploring other areas within your own company through rotations, site visits or just a quick lunch can lead to new insights. I suggest getting involved in different industry associations, which are great to not only learn more but also build your network. The definition of the automotive industry is evolving to include technology and mobility; be careful not to narrow your focus when you think about your opportunities to grow.
What is your best advice to other women who want to excel in the automotive industry?
Be very intentional about building and nurturing diverse and meaningful relationships throughout your career. Give back, be a mentor, increase the investment others made in you by helping develop the next generation!