ATLANTA -

Manheim announced the winner of its eighth annual Barbara Cox Anthony Automotive Woman of the Year Award on Sunday, bestowing this year’s honors upon Rachel Richards, who is Sonic Automotive’s vice president of retail strategy and chief marketing officer.

Richards was given the award and honored at Northwood University’s annual breakfast during the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.

“Rachel is a passionate advocate for our industry, her customers and her community,” stated Manheim president Sandy Schwartz.

“In addition to her many professional accomplishments, she has been instrumental in developing innovative business solutions, demonstrating a commitment to automotive education and serving as a role model to women in this industry,” he added. “I’m looking forward to personally presenting her this award on behalf of Manheim and Cox Enterprises.”

The award recognizes Richards for the contributions she has made to both the auto industry and her Charlotte, N.C. community.

She has been with Charlotte-based Sonic since 2006, when she came aboard as director of retail strategy and project management. Before her time with the dealer group, Richards served in field, regional management and corporate positions at Ford and Ford Credit.

Richards was one of 10 women to be named to Auto Remarketing’s Women in Remarketing list in 2011. What’s more, she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry in 2010; and the year before that, she received a Top 25 Women in Business Achievement award in Charlotte.

Richards also belongs to the Women’s Automotive Association International.

Beyond her industry experience and accolades, Richards also reaches out to the community through a number of avenues. Among other volunteering efforts, officials noted that she is a Girl Scout leader and supports Habitat for Humanity, while also sponsoring CHAMP (Children Achieving Maximum Potential) each year.

Explaining more about CHAMP, the program provides an afterschool educational and mentoring program to underprivileged children.

“I am truly honored to receive this very prestigious award and be recognized for my accomplishments in our field. Upon entering the automotive industry, after my graduation from college, I would never have dreamed that my contributions and body of work would be recognized and honored in this way,” Richards noted.

“I am grateful for having the opportunity to have learned from many hard working and very smart men and women and that I continue to work with so many wonderful people in this great industry of ours,” she continued.

As part of the award, Manheim is providing a scholarship contribution for a junior or senior at Northwood University.

“Giving back to those that work and aspire to enter the automotive industry is very important to me. Knowing that in conjunction with this award, a scholarship is granted to a deserving college student makes it even more special,” Richards concluded.