Ed Peper GM General Manager of Chevrolet to present Pamela E. Rodgers with the prestigious Professional Achievement Award October 26, 2006.
Detroit, MI (PRWEB) September 13, 2006 -- Pamela E. Rodgers, owner of Rodgers Chevrolet, Woodhaven, MI., will be honored by the Women’s Automotive Association with a Professional Achievement award at the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI, on Thursday October 26th, 2006. Ed Peper, the General Manager of the Chevrolet division of GM, will be the honorary chairman of this prestigious event and present this distinguished award. Ed Peper was appointed Division General Manager of Chevrolet in March, 2005. Previously, he was Regional General Manager for General Motors Northeast Region since February 2004. He also previously held the position of Vice President of Sales for Saab Cars, USA.
“We are very pleased to honor Pamela E. Rodgers with our 2006 Professional Achievement award as her achievements, commitment to the community and contributions in support of women exemplifies the essence of this award,” states Lorraine Schultz, Founder and CEO of the Women’s Automotive Association International.
The event will be held October 26th, 2006, at the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, Michigan. There will be a 6 p.m. Cocktail Reception, the dinner and award presentation at 7 p.m. For tickets and table sponsorship information for this event, go to http://www.waai.com or email Lorraine Schultz for more information.
Established in 1997, the Professional Achievement Award is presented annually to a professional woman in the automotive industry in recognition of her Commitment, Professionalism, and Success in the automotive industry. Qualities that each recipient of this award has in common include: a) outstanding accomplishments in career, b) leader in business and community, and c) influence and support of other women in the automotive industry.
About Pamela Rogers:
Pamela Rodgers is president of Roger’s Chevrolet, Inc. of Woodhaven, MI. “Who said it’s a man’s world?” Not Pamela Rodgers, the General Motors female dealer. Armed with a Bachelor of Arts in economics from University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, North Carolina, joined the automotive industry in 1983.
After completing her graduate degree, she returned to her hometown of Detroit and joined Ford Motor Company as a financial analyst. After working for almost two years, she learned that the domestic automotive manufacturers had committed to developing diversity initiatives to increase their suppliers and dealers. “A light bulb went on, “she said.
Recognizing that she would need hands on automotive experience, Rodgers left Ford and landed a position with a local Buick dealer. In six months the job ended. Through networking, Ms. Rodgers was introduced to General Motors dealer, Chuck Harrell, who at the time owned a General Motors dealership in Flat Rock, another Detroit suburb. “I shared my goals and ambitions with him, and he took me under his wing,” says Rodgers.
In 1988, Rodgers was admitted into both the Ford and General Motors minority dealer programs after several attempts. She entered the Ford training program. Ms. Rodgers was one of only a handful of women being provided with such a training opportunity. After completing the two year training program in July 1990, she and a partner began their first dealership in Flint, MI, a GM factory town. Shortly after opening their doors, her 56 year old partner died suddenly.
In 1993, with the help of her mentor, Charles Harrell, Ms. Rodgers obtained the Flat Rock dealership with General Motors. Rodgers managed to increase the sales at the struggling Flat Rock facility to $19 million and earn the number one status of ‘service satisfaction’ in the Detroit area. In 1996, under the auspices of GM Project 2000 dealer consolidation program, GM closed the facility and moved Rodgers to the larger Woodhaven dealership and named it “Rodgers Chevrolet’.
Since that time, Rodgers Chevrolet has grown from 40 units per month to 210 units with a strong focus on customer service. In 1996 her dealership generated revenues of $37 million. By the year 2001, sales were over $80 million and sales continue to average in excess of $75 million.
A good attitude, attention to the client’s needs, and a strong work ethic are the keys to Ms. Rodgers success. “The client is the reason we come to work every day. In order for your client to be happy, you have to have satisfied employees. You can teach ability, but there is no substitute for attitude, “she says.
Ms. Rodgers believes it is important to invest in your community and be a responsible corporate citizen and is active in a number of civic and professional organizations.
About the Women's Automotive Association International:
The Women's Automotive Association International (WAAI) founded in 1995 is a non-profit, professional society comprised of women who are key players in all aspects of the automotive industry. Through your generous support you will insure that our scholarship fund and funding for our key initiatives continues to grow. To date over 30 scholarships have been awarded to deserving young women seeking careers in the automotive industry. Through the WAAI efforts the following women have been awarded honors at our annual events, to highlight women who have reached the highest level of professional achievement and leadership in the automotive industry.
For information on joining the Women's Automotive Association International, please visit: http://www.waai.com/membership.asp
http://www.autotrader.com. http://www.askpatty.com, http://www.gm.com, and http://www.carsmagazine.com are 2006 corporate sponsors of the Women's Automotive Association International.
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