AWARD \X
Woman o f the Yea
her decision
Chevrolet, her
Woodhaven, Mich.
Rodgers is the first recipient
Americans O n Wheels’ Urban
Award for Woman of the Year. The
gious award recognizes her efforts to
successful dealership that sells some 150
new vehicles per month and boasts annual
sales of $46 million. Rodgers ranked 54th in
1998 on Black Enterprise's Auto Dealer 100
list. Moreover, she is one
only a dozen or so
African-American
women who control a
major new vehicle franchise
out of more than 900 minority-
owned dealerships throughout the
country.
“The greatest recognition you can
have is to be recognized by your
peers,” said Rodgers. “When I
first started they thought this
business was too tough for a
woman, and there were stereo­
types. But as things evolved and
women became a dominant force
in the consumer market it became
apparent that women are needed in
this business.”
Interestingly, Rodgers never set out
to sell Chevys, much less own a dealer­
ship with her name on the marquee. Fresh
out of college, with an undergraduate
degree in Economics and a MBA in
Financing, the native Detroiter had her
sights set on a promising career as a finan­
cial analyst. Yet, even though she was a fast-
track professional, Rodgers was uncer­
tain about what she really wanted to
do with her life. Her transition into
auto retailing was an adventurous
ride. After leaving college, Rodgers
accepted a job with Ford as a finan­
cial analyst. Two years later, she developed an interest in Ford s
Minority Dealer Program. Rodgers felt she had the corporate
keen awareness
but lacked
not a deterrent.
IseUing cars. A
bit cavalier,” said
early days.
a Flint, Mich., dealer­
ship, formerly owned by Chuck Harrell. It
wasn’t easy and, after six months, Rodgers
was doing some serious soul-searching. She
decided to stick it out and accepted anoth ­
er sales position in Flat Rock, Mich.
“I have had a number of mentors along
the way and I don’t think it would have
been possible to make it without their help,"
she said.
Two years later, Rodgers was accepted into
Ford’s minority dealer program and began two
years of intensive training at Jack Demmer Ford in
Wayne, Mich. She learned all the aspects of the business
from parts and service to the administrative details of running a
dealership, from both a new and used car sales perspective.
Ford program managers paired Rodgers with the general
manager from Demmer, and the duo opened a Ford dealership
in Flint in 1990. Unfortunately, the dealership fell victim to bad
timing, as a result of the Persian Gulf War, and a weak market,
in a town dominated by GM employees. The combination
spelled disaster for the fledgling franchise, which was liquidated
less than two years later.
Rodgers rebounded in 1993, when she became a Chevy deal­
er. Rodgers has steadily increased the dealership’s sales since
then, more than doubling revenue from about $20 million in
1997 to more than $40 million last year.
“The greatest recognition you
can have is to be recognized by
your peers”
“Every dealer that was successful before me paved the way,
Rodgers said. "You have to give credit to the pioneers such as
Ed Davis (the first African American new car dealer) who really
broke new ground and made it possible for us to be successful,
Rodgers added. Her next goal is to open a second franchise,
although no date has been set. One thing Rodgers is certain of is
that she is a car dealer for life. Once you get into the business,
she contends, you never want to do anything else. ■
AFRICAN AMERICANS O N '» HEELS
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