CARY, N.C. -

To be a strong leader, Connie Suozzo said, one doesn’t always have to be at the front of the pack. Often, it’s about empowering the talent around you.

“It’s my belief that great leaders do not always need to stand on the front lines,” said Suozzo, who is senior director of operations at RMS Automotive and a 2016 Women in Remarketing honoree. “I believe in a very servant leadership style. 

“It is rather simple … surround yourself with great talent, provide them with the vision and tools to succeed and know when to get out of the way and let your team be great,” she said.

In addition to a servant and empowerment leadership style, it’s also evident from a Q&A with Suozzo that she puts a lot of reason and thought behind business decisions.

For example, we asked about her approach to problem solving.

“As it relates to problem solving, often we do not have all the data or facts and we have to balance this with our instinct. To do this, you need to take a step back from the problem and broaden the lens,” Suozzo said.

“More often than not, you will find these problems are truly opportunities to improve,” she said.

“So evaluate, make the best possible decision you can with the information present, never look back with regret, then move on to the next problem to tackle,” she added.

Or, another example would be her motivation to excel in the car business: “For me personally, it’s about rising to the challenge.  It’s the challenge of bringing life to an idea or solving a complex business problem.  The thrill, of course, is the idea or the problem at hand.  The challenge is executing against it to deliver the desired result.”

Suozzo has been in the car business for three years, having joined Manheim after more than a dozen years in healthcare technology. In that industry, she held various leadership roles in program management, product/technology operations and international business development.

Within a year of arriving at Manheim, Suozzo joined the team RMS Automotive, a Cox Automotive software startup that had launched out of Manheim’s UK operations.

“It was the perfect fit where I knew I could provide value with my software and international background while still learning the automotive industry,” she said.

Three years into her auto industry tenure, one area she has found to be at the “conversational forefront” is big data.

“In today’s world, there is no shortage of data.  From OEM to retail consumer, individuals and companies alike have access to more data and insights than ever before,” Suozzo added. “With the ever-increasing possibilities of predictive analytics, we have the ability to transform the approach to our products, our services and how we engage with our clients.”

Outside the car business

Lastly, we asked Suozzo about what interests her beyond the car business.

“Outside of the office, you will find me at my ‘other’ full-time job of being a mom to two amazing children under the age of 7.  The have taught me so much about being a leader and the importance of a proper work-life balance,” she said.

“On the weekends you’ll find us running between the baseball diamond, the ballet studio, a tennis lesson or a birthday party.  In fact, my husband and I started tennis lessons ourselves in hopes to find a family sport that we can all enjoy throughout the years.  When time allows, I enjoy traveling and exploring new places,” Suozzo added. “Sometimes that includes just getting lost in Atlanta and checking out new areas of the city.  And lastly, my personal love is for the American pastime.  There is just something magical about catching a baseball game in the stadium on a warm summer’s night.” 

Check out the April 15 edition of Auto Remarketing to learn more about the entire class of 2016 Women in Remarketing honorees.

These outstanding leaders will be honored at Used Car Week 2016, where we will be launching our National Remarketing Conference partnership with the National Auto Auction Association.

Used Car Week is scheduled for Nov. 14-18 at the Red Rock in Las Vegas.