Auto Remarketing is recognizing the 2022 Women in Retail honorees in the current issue of the magazine and at Used Car Week this fall in San Diego. 

With these awards, we specifically recognize top leaders on the retail side of the auto industry, including honorees from dealerships, dealer groups and third-party providers/vendors

Over the next few weeks, AR will be posting Q&As with each of the honorees on this website.

Next up is Jolene Ortiz, who is executive director of dealer sales & development at Edmunds.com.

Auto Remarketing: What do you enjoy most about working in retail automotive, and what would you change?

Jolene Ortiz: No two days are ever alike and I love that about this industry! It has been incredible to see the automotive industry evolve in the past 17 years. I started my automotive career in newspapers and to now be an integral part of the strides we have made digitally has been really exciting.

The last 2.5 years have demonstrated how fast the technology can pivot and adapt to the needs of consumers. We all (dealers, OEMs, vendors) have been forced to evolve to a different way of retailing vehicles to meet those needs.

AR: What is the top trend you’re watching in retail automotive this year?

Ortiz: The resilience of dealerships and manufacturers. Coming out of a global pandemic, then to be faced with a chip/industry shortage, is not anything anyone could have prepared for, much less dream of fi nding success in. To see so many of my dealer partners lean into digital retailing to make the buying experience easier for consumers has been an exciting trend to be part of.

Consolidation of single point dealers to regional and national groups at rapid speeds was definitely not a trend we anticipated seeing but a necessary one in many cases. In the last few months we have also had to layer the rising fuel prices into a challenging inventory problem.

A stronger interest in green vehicles is never a bad thing when it comes to making better earth conscious decisions.

AR: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self?

Ortiz: If you ask anyone that knows me well if I ever lacked confidence they would laugh and say, “most definitely not!” When I think back to the steps I have taken in my career to get where I am in my current executive director role, I definitely knew what I wanted but I also treaded lightly and was not as confident when approaching opportunities because there were not many women in leadership roles.

Like any sales person, I feared rejection. Now, I would tell my younger self to not let fear stand in the way of what I deserve. My voice deserves to be heard as much as anyone else’s. I would also remind myself to find a good work/ life balance. I dedicated a lot of myself to the success of my career and did not always give other parts of my life the dedication it deserved.

As I have gotten older, I am working on that balance more because it is equally, if not more, important to how successful I am in my career.

AR: What has been the top key to your success in retail automotive?

Ortiz: The key to my success in this industry and throughout my career has hands-down been my mentors. This industry can be incredibly challenging but if you find the right people to provide guidance along the way and combine that with your talents, you will find the recipe to success.

I have been fortunate enough to not only learn from my counterparts, executives in various departments outside of my own, my direct reports but my dealer partners as well. Many of whom have become lifelong friends. As a leader, I have utilized these learnings that I have acquired along the way to scale my team. Each member of my team brings a unique quality to the table and being able to showcase their talents and help them grow is what I take pride in every day.