Posted on

Member Spotlight: Nick Carimi, Service Director at Jaguar Land Rover DFW

“It’s nonstop around here, for sure,” says Nick Carimi with a giant smile, clearly expressing that he loves every second of it.

He’s on the phone one moment, then striding to confer with a colleague the next, then out on the service drive to make sure all’s well – it is – then back to his computer to shoot email replies, file reports, follow up service requests and tend to the myriad of things that a Park Place service director does.

His story was far different in 2008, when he arrived in big-city Dallas from small-town Geneva, Ohio, fresh from Edinboro University with a degree in sports management. He had two suitcases and a referral from his half-brother Tony – currently Park Place COO, then Service Director at Motorcars Dallas – about a position with Park Place Lexus Grapevine.

“The economy was tanking, so there weren’t a lot of jobs around that fit my major,” he explains. “And frankly, I didn’t really know what Tony was doing, but he was always talking about how great Park Place was, so I thought this would be a solid opportunity.”

He got the gig as an assistant service manager (ASM) and found that the position’s constant buzz of activity suited his high-energy personality. Then, a dizzying series of transitions throughout the organization saw him in a variety of roles. In 2011, he transferred to Park Place Motorcars Dallas as a service manager, then moved to Motorcars Fort Worth in 2014 as service director, and then to Motorcars Arlington in the same role.

Then he snapped up a sales manager position in 2018, eager to experience “the other side of the house.” And when a position as service director became available at Jaguar Land Rover DFW earlier this year, he grabbed it.

“The past 12 years have just flown by,” he marvels. “With all that movement, I’ve got an extensive network of expertise that I can tap into anytime day or night. That’s a huge benefit to me and to our clients.”

A Strange Find

That network came in handy when late one night, a service tech came into his office with news of an unusual find in a demonstrator vehicle.

“Our CEO, Neil Grossman, tells this story better than me,” Nick says. “But what happened is that a tech found a bag literally stuffed with cash — $50,000. We didn’t know who it belonged to or where it came from, so we quickly put it in the safe while I called around for advice on what to do. The next morning, a gentleman called, quite frantic, explaining that he’d accidentally left an important package in one of our cars and could we help? We took all of the rights steps in confirming his identity and reunited him with his money.”

“But to me, the interesting part of this story is the integrity of our members all down the line,” Nick asserts. “Nobody thought twice about doing the right thing when it would have been easy to do a bad thing and probably get away with it. It’s all about trust and in a nutshell, that’s Park Place.”

In His Spare Time

In his rare spare time, Nick likes to play a little golf. “I have a 30 handicap,” he laughs ruefully. But with a three-year-old boy and a five-month-old girl, he says, “It’s kids, kids, kids all the time. Throw in two absolutely crazy Labradoodles and it’s constant mayhem.”

But he also says he’s incredibly grateful for his home and work life. “There’s good work-life balance and the opportunities to grow at Park Place are remarkable. There’s a great atmosphere throughout the company, and the culture challenges and inspires members to stretch out of their comfort zone, show what they’re capable of and have a lot of fun, too.”

Nick Carimi and Mason Waddell, Valet

To apply for a career at Park Place Dealerships visit our Careers page.

Posted on

Ken Schnitzer, Founder and Chairman of Park Place Dealerships, To Sell 14 Dealerships

Asbury Automotive Group to Purchase Assets

IRVING, Texas (December 12, 2019) – Ken Schnitzer, founder and chairman of Park Place Dealerships, has announced his intention to sell 14 dealerships to Asbury Automotive Group, one of the nation’s largest automotive retail and service companies with 88 dealerships and revenues of $6.9 billion. The sale is expected be finalized by March 2020.

“The decision to sell the company that I have spent the past three decades building has not been an easy one,” said Schnitzer. “But now is the time to enjoy my family and friends, as well as explore new opportunities.”

The transaction includes the Park Place brand and the following dealerships: Mercedes-Benz stores in Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington, Lexus Plano and Lexus Grapevine, Jaguar/Land Rover DFW and an Austin location currently under construction, Porsche Dallas, Volvo, Bentley Dallas, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dallas, McLaren Dallas, and Maserati Dallas. Park Place BodyWerks in Dallas and Fort Worth are also included in the sale.

“I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished and the culture we have built at Park Place,” Schnitzer remarked. “I will keep my hand in the automotive industry by retaining two dealerships and a body shop in Grapevine. DFW is one of the strongest markets in the country, and Texas is a great place to do business. The future is very bright for Park Place Dealerships and the industry.”

Schnitzer will maintain ownership of the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche dealerships in Grapevine, as well as the body shop in Grapevine. He started Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn Avenue. He proceeded to create one of the largest luxury dealership groups in the country by hiring and training confident, passionate people to provide an exceptional ownership experience for clients.

“In the last 32 years, there have been many challenges, opportunities, decisions, and risks,” said Schnitzer. “But when you have a great team by your side, you can accomplish anything. The members of Park Place who’ve contributed their ideas and talents to the growth of the company are the best in the industry.”

In 2005, Park Place Lexus Plano and Park Place Lexus Grapevine were awarded the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award by the President of the United States in the small business category. Park Place was the first auto dealer to ever win the award.

For the past 10 years, the company has been named to The Dallas Morning News’ Top 100 Places to Work. Each of the individual dealerships are ranked among the best in the country with respect to sales and service.

Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,100 members and operates 17 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Karma, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Shiva Olumi, Finance Director at Park Place Lexus Plano

Self-described “misfit” marks nearly 20 years of a perfect fit with Park Place Lexus Plano

Unlike most of her generation, you won’t catch Finance Director Shiva Olumi endlessly twiddling her smartphone to update her social media status.

“I just think that if you’re on your phone all the time, you’re never really present in reality,” she says. “You run the risk of missing out on real connections. Then again, I’m a bit unorthodox anyway,” she admits with a laugh.

A first-generation Iranian-American, Olumi says that curiosity led her to accept a part-time job at the dealership while she studied for a pharmacology degree. But she credits her innate ability to look at life through a different lens that led her to consider an automotive career.

“My parents were a bit concerned because this industry didn’t fit into the career boxes of medicine or law,” she states. “But the work spoke to me and I was able to rise up the ranks. Plus, I really enjoy the industry.”

From receptionist, she moved through a variety of roles at the store, including loan car admin, ARAP, inventory specialist, new car biller, preowned biller, staff accountant, accounting manager, assistant finance manager and new car sales manager to her current role.

“Guess I just can’t stay in one place,” she smiles.

She credits mentoring by both Jordan Case (Park Place President) and Chris Brunner (her hiring manager, now Lexus Plano GM) as critical to her exploration of challenging new roles. “They helped me develop and provided me with growth opportunities. Park Place is incredibly committed to inclusion and opportunity for all,” she adds.

She sees her role as a founding member of the Women in Automotive group as a way to pay back their confidence in her.  The group’s goal, she says, is to afford opportunities and exposure to others who might not have automotive industry careers on their radar.

“It’s not just a women-only thing,” she says. “It’s an open forum to support those who might not have a mentor at their store or may just need guidance or a conversation to create hope. I’d like to see it become more inclusive but we have to start somewhere.”

She’s a travel fan, as much for the nature she enjoys getting back to, as well as the differing perspectives she encounters. Favorite destinations include New Mexico, Spain, Germany and the Middle East. Even then, she often “takes the path less traveled.”

Her motto? “Write your own manifesto about what you find as your normal.”

[picture caption — (l to r) Shiva Olumi, Finance Director, and Selena Villalobos, Business Coordinator, both with Park Place Lexus Plano.

 

Posted on

Supporting Our Superheroes with Children’s Cape Day

Cue your favorite superhero ballad or theme song- because that’s what the Park Place Dealerships team has been playing on repeat for the past month.  

It’s no secret that Park Place Dealerships is committed to the community. In 2019 alone, we have supported over 300 organizations and causes through the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. But, Cape Day was a ‘first’ for us and it’s certainly one we aren’t going to quickly forget. Now that it’s over, we humbly and fondly reflect on the super-success of this year’s Cape Day Challenge and Boardwalk Bash- benefitting the patients at Children’s Health.

All Heroes Should Wear Capes

As one of eight companies that competed in a friendly battle for the best design, Park Place created a cape that allows young patients to make a powerful and personal statement by finishing the heroic statement, “I am…” with their own words. Our design received the most votes during the Phone Bank on WFAA Channel 8, and was printed on this year’s cape and delivered to the patients at Children’s Health.

What made this extra special were the stories and support the Park Place family shared. Some have a personal connection with the organization, while others deeply support medical research and children’s advocacy on their own as well. So naturally, members were eager to sport their capes. 

For one of the first times in recent years, all Park Place Dealerships participated by taking a photo with their superpower, donating themselves and encouraging donations, and spreading the message on social media with #CapeDayNtx.

“This was a fun and creative opportunity to work with Children’s Health,” said Dave Evans, Chief Marketing Officer of Park Place Dealerships. “Everyone at Park Place is excited to see the kids proudly wearing our design on their capes. We hope our small part in this event brings a lot of joy to kids who have an illness or injury.”

The initiative ended with a Boardwalk Bash in Granite Park in Frisco, Texas. And using her own super-strength, Anam Ali, Experiential Marketing Manager managed to feature a stunning Lexus LC (famously used in the Black Panther blockbuster) and the Men In Black Lexus RC-F specification at the event. 

When it comes to community initiatives, and why supporting organizations like Children’s Health and Cape Day is integral to our mission, Anam says it best:

“The Children’s Health Cape Creation Challenge is a community effort supported by our entire dealer group,” says Anam Ali, Experiential Marketing Manager for Park Place Dealerships. “While we’re happy to win the design award, the best part of the event is seeing the smiles of so many wonderful, happy children.”

 

Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,100 people and operates 17 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, Maserati, and Karma. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

 

Posted on

#BalmoresPlace: Dreaming of a Brighter Future

El Salvador’s Balmore Salmeron Dreamed of a Brighter Future and Found it at Park Place.

Newest “My Place” video spotlights promote-from-within culture at Park Place Dealerships

Soft spoken, thoughtfully articulate and almost always smiling, Balmore Salmeron dismisses praise about his life’s achievements with uncharacteristic modesty.

“I’m not special,” he says. “I just did what I needed to do.”

But the facts are undeniable: When he came to this country from his native El Salvador in 2001, he had no official education degree, just some university computer science training. While he could read and write a little English, his speaking skills – and thus better job opportunities – were slim.

He was, however, eager to prove himself. And Park Place was just as eager to give the young man a leg up in his adopted country.

“My mother-in-law had a friend in the detailing department at Park Place Lexus Grapevine, so I was referred and hired,” he says. “I worked on cars during the day and on my communications skills at night.”

Three years later, his managers rewarded Balmore’s determination with a promotion to the dealership’s service drive, where a quick understanding of client needs along with a cheerful and professional demeanor are must-haves.

By this time, he was also taking accounting courses, since he’d always felt comfortable with the language of numbers and figures. And knowing that Park Place likes to promote from within, he kept his eye on potential internal opportunities.

“To be better than yesterday – that’s something we should always strive for,” he says.

Nearly two years later, he found what looked like a fit when an internal financial analyst position opened up. At each step of the interview process – and there were a lot of steps – he impressed managers with his gumption and positive attitude. But he worried that he didn’t have the necessary skills.

He didn’t need to.

“We hire for attitude and determination,” declares his manager, Park Place Controller David Orenstein. “If a great candidate has that, like Balmore, then we can provide all the training they need.”

“The Park Place philosophy is about helping members improve and move up,” confirms Balmore. 

Since then, he’s been instrumental in refining the company’s accounting processes to be faster and more accurate – always a good thing when it comes to numbers.

He became a U.S. citizen in 2010, completed his accounting degree at Richland College in 2014 and embodies the idea that, with hearty backing from your organization, you can achieve your dreams.

So all in all, it’s pretty clear why Balmore calls Park Place “My Place.”

“America is a dream of freedom, built around the idea that one person can make a difference,” he says. “For me, Park Place is my place because I’m a part of something great and they’ve helped me to achieve my dreams.”

To Apply for a Career at Park Place Dealerships, visit www.ParkPlace.com/Careers

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,100 people and operates 17 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

Posted on

Member Spotlight: Park Place Porsche Dallas’ Service Director

Meet Jenny Drummond, Park Place Porsche Dallas’ Service Director and Valued Member of the Park Place Family.

The first thing you might notice about Jenny Drummond, Porsche Dallas Service Director, is her ethereal calm. It’s a reassuring quality to have when discussing intricate service issues on the exotic German brand.

The second thing you’ll notice – her thorough expertise. A client needs to replace his worn-out manual clutch. She explains what’s involved, then suggests replacing the IMS bearings too, as long as the assembly’s already open.

If you’re a Porsche person, you already know that her suggestion makes great sense. She’s also a natural when talking about the benefits of N-rated tires and why brake squeal isn’t a big deal.

“I’ve been around these cars for a long time,” she smiles gently. “You learn.”

Jenny comes by her technical prowess naturally. The Dallas native grew up in nearby Waxahachie and from an early age, eagerly pitched in on home repairs with her dad, as well as hunting, fishing and skeet shooting. “I liked working with him and developed an affinity for activities like that. Even today, I’m the one who’s hanging flat-screen TVs and tearing out drywall around the house.”

She laughs, but her husband Joe surely appreciates such a handy partner. (They were high-school sweethearts, married in 1991 and have three children.)

And that leads us to one more thing to notice about Jenny. In her own quiet way, she enjoys demolishing stereotypes.

“There’s a big misconception about dealerships,” says the 19-year Park Place veteran. “People think the hours are terrible, that we live bell to bell, but we don’t, of course. Management knows that family is more important than anything. We do our best to ensure a good work-life balance.”

She also believes that a related misconception – “Automotive is a man’s game” – means that women are missing out on industry opportunities. To change that, she’s a founding member of the “Women in Automotive Council,” an internal group that organizes community events and activities to promote greater career awareness.

“It’s not just sales and service, although those are good fields, too,” she says. “The automotive field presents women with wonderful opportunities across the board to build a rewarding career doing something you like. The old stereotypes are long gone.”

“When I first started in the business, a co-worker told me that if I didn’t plan on doing this for the rest of my life, I’d better get out now,” she laughs. “I’ve been here ever since and haven’t looked back once!”

Learn more about career opportunities at Park Place by visiting us online at ParkPlace.com.

 

 

Posted on

Texas Serviceman Welcomed Home after Deployment

Park Place Lexus Grapevine embraces service tech and his family after deployment.

The story began last spring. In April 2018, U.S. Army Reserve Sergeant Joseph Rasey left North Texas for a deployment to Kuwait, leaving behind his pregnant wife Megan and two toddlers. While Sgt. Rasey was deployed, Megan gave birth to their third child, Hannah, last August, while the two older girls Josie-Anna and Martha-Eden celebrated their first and third birthdays, respectively.

On April 30, 2019, Rasey resumed his job as a service technician at Park Place Lexus Grapevine. But Park Place did much more than just hold Rasey’s job for him. They took care of his family while he was deployed.

“Joseph is part of our Park Place family,” said Gary Venner, Park Place Lexus Grapevine general manager. “So that makes Megan and the girls family, too. I can’t imagine how much this family has sacrificed for him to go and serve our country. We’re very proud of him. And we’re glad he’s home safe. We’re very happy to have him back in the shop.”

Before Rasey deployed, Park Place held a going away party for him at the Grapevine dealership

While Sgt. Rasey was deployed, Park Place Lexus Grapevine threw both girls a birthday party where the dealership gave them toys and books featuring their daddy’s voice so they could feel his presence while he was away. 

“Park Place has proven they’re family,” said Joseph Rasey. “They took such loving care of my family while I was gone. There was never a question where I would work when I got back. Without doubt, Park Place is MY place.”

Sgt. Rasey just finished his third deployment. He also served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Korea. He was active duty for more than eight years before joining the U.S. Army Reserves.

Located at 901 East State Highway 114, off Minters Chapel Road, Park Place Lexus Grapevine is has been recognized as an Elite of Texas dealer 11 years in a row, and received a number one national ranking for customer satisfaction. In 2005, Park Place Lexus was the first automotive dealership to ever be awarded the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place employs more than 2,000 people and operates 16 full-service dealerships representing luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

Posted on

Skyline High School Visits Park Place for Automotive Career Preview

Students from Skyline High School in Dallas ISD got a unique look into working at a luxury dealership upon graduation. Park Place Dealerships hosted more than 40 students from Skyline this morning for a tour of the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche dealerships on Lemmon Avenue.

The students were able to explore the service areas, showrooms, training rooms, and parts departments of both dealerships and learn about jobs within the company, including access to unique technician opportunities. Park Place regularly provides students with access to master technicians, general managers, human resources, service managers, and leadership from the company so students can personally see the opportunities that are available to them.

One of the most popular questions asked today was, “how much money can I make by working at Park Place?” Cam Mayfield, service director at Park Place, responded with an overview of pay for different jobs. The student’s eyes lit up when they heard a master certified technician has the potential to be paid upwards of six figures at Park Place.

Because of the company’s growth, Park Place is continually looking to develop the highest quality technicians for its 16 full-service dealerships located across Dallas-Fort Worth.  Park Place hired numerous high school graduates as technicians in 2018. 

To learn more on how to apply or refer a future technician to our DFW programs visit Park Place Careers.

 

Ken Schnitzer founded Park Place Dealerships in 1987 with a single Mercedes-Benz dealership on Oak Lawn. Today, Park Place Dealerships employs more than 2,000 people and represents luxury brands including Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and Maserati. For more info, visit parkplace.com.

 

Posted on

West Texas Roots Run Deep, a #MyParkPlace Moment

The intersection of education and sports
 forever changed two local men’s lives. From young athlete, to coach, to client, Dr. Nate Hearne shares his perspective on trust.

Dr. Nate Hearne grew up in poverty: one of eight children living in a small three-room house that lacked indoor plumbing. His mother worked as a domestic helper and his father a gas station attendant in a small West Texas town. He struggled with trust issues. But he left a lasting legacy on many young people along the way.

“I grew up wearing hand-me-down clothes with patches sewn on them,” says Dr. Hearne.  “I hated elementary school. I wanted to quit. But when I started seventh grade, I had a science teacher, Mr. Clyde Hague, who greeted me every day with a smile, a firm handshake, and an encouraging word. Because of his affirmations in the classroom, I came to a self-awareness that those C’s and D’s I made in elementary school were not an indication of my intelligence.”

Dr. Hearne met another strong influencer when he tried out for seventh grade football.

“Because of my football coach, Mark Wallace, who affirmed me on the field every day, I came to the awareness that those clothes with patches on them and holes in my shoes were not indications of who I was going to be.”

Athlete to Coach to Client

Hearne went from being a kid who hated school to wanting to be a coach and a science teacher.

“Those men saved my life.  I continued making good grades. I went to high school and made the honor roll. I attended college on an academic scholarship.  I coached football and taught science for 25 years. And the only reason I went into teaching and coaching was to live out those two men’s legacies. Every athlete that I coached, I wanted to give him that big Coach Wallace hug and tell them, ‘I knew you could do it.’ I wanted to affirm every student that came into my classroom as Mr. Hague had done for me.’’

Friday Night Lights

Dr. Hearne was an assistant coach in the Permian High School football program when they won six State Championships. In 1988, an author followed Permian through their football season and wrote “Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, and A Dream,” which made the New York Times “Top Ten Bestsellers” List. In 2004, the film was released. A few years later the television show became an Emmy-Award winning series.

“When my book, “Friday Night Lights: Untold Stories from Behind the Lights” was released, many former students reconnected with me,” said Dr. Hearne. “One of those students was Tony Carimi. I was his basketball coach when he was a 16-year-old high school sophomore. Recently, Tony invited me to speak at the annual executive leadership meeting for his company, Park Place Dealerships, and we reminisced about the good ol’ days.”

A Coach’s Impact

Today, Tony Carimi is the Chief Operating Officer at Irving–based Park Place Dealerships.

“Coach, do you remember that conditioning drill you had us do called snakes?” Carimi asked. “I said, “Yes, I definitely do.”

For this drill players would run out of the main gym and up into the stands. They would run up and down the stairs, snaking their way through the stands, across all the stands. And they’d have to do this before practice even began.

“Tony could run those snakes drill all day and never break a sweat. He ran his hardest and never quit… never slowed down. I remember one day hearing the upper classmen berating Tony.”

“Carimi, slow down. You’re making the rest of us look bad, if you don’t slow down we’re going to get you after practice,” his teammate said.

“I blew the whistle to end the conditioning, and called Tony over. I looked him in the eye. ‘Carimi, don’t you EVER let anyone else dictate your behavior on this team. You have been blessed with a special gift, and I want you to use that gift every single day,’ I told him.”

“You have individuals and experiences that leave an everlasting impression on your life,” remembers Carimi. 

“Coach taught me valuable leadership and character qualities.  He invested in cultivating and growing not only great athletes but even better humans.  He personally helped maximize my potential for the short-term goal of winning a game, while planting seeds to help maximize my potential in the larger game of life.”

The Right Touch

Dr. Hearne and Carimi recently teamed up to make a dream come true for Dr. Hearne’s wife, Callie.

“I wanted to do something special for my wife’s birthday,” recalls Dr. Hearne. “As I drove by the Park Place Motorcars store in Arlington one day, I remembered how Callie always dreamed of driving a Mercedes-Benz. But I absolutely hate the car buying experience. It’s just hard for me to trust.”

Park Place has just the right touch with its “One Touch” solution, providing clients with a single person to walk them through the entire purchasing process. This allows the sales associate and client to build trust to help with all of the client’s needs.

Dr. Hearne remembered Tony was in upper management at Park Place and gave him a call.  Carimi said, ‘Coach, don’t worry about it. Call your wife and have her meet you at the dealership.’

“When she sat in the car, I asked how she liked it, said Hearne. “Of course, she said she loved it. And then I told her it was hers. Even the receptionist was crying. It was a magical moment.”

An Honor to Give Back

“For me, it is an honor to be part of something so special in his life,” said Carimi.  “To help Dr. Hearne purchase Callie’s dream car was a role that was decades in the making. For me to be a member of an organization that reflects the constant striving for excellence that he helped impress upon me as a young man, brings the story full circle.  Through my role at Park Place, combined with the relationship I have had with Dr. Hearne for more than 30 years, I was able to leave an impression on his life.” 

“My wife and I had never been treated with such respect and professionalism before in the car buying experience,” concluded Dr. Hearne. “Park Place is ‘My Place’ because it’s all about the service.”

“It is more than just games won or transactions that business creates,” said Carimi. “To know that Dr. Hearne is able to look in his rearview mirror as he leaves our dealership and say, ”wow,” makes all of those snake drills worth it!”

Miss a story? Watch Dr. Hearne’s #MyParkPlace moment online at www.ParkPlace.com/MyPlace

 

 

 

Posted on

Mercedes-Benz Campaign Empowers Amazing Women Contributors

Mercedes-Benz joins the automotive world in making room for women with the She’s Mercedes campaign, beginning with the story of Bertha Benz.

As the automotive world continues to shift its efforts to make room for women, Mercedes-Benz has made an effort to highlight the amazing professionals who strive to be difference makers within their communities.

Flashback to the very first long distance car ride in 1886, as Bertha Benz – wife of Karl Benz – ensured that the automobile concept that her husband had would carry out the best or nothing principle Mercedes owners enjoy today. There are so many women that strive for excellence with their tenacious grit. Unfortunately, many of these women also go unnoticed.

 

Mercedes-Benz has other ideas. The brand has inspired an initiative to empower women all over the world who aim to achieve personal and professional success. She’s Mercedes is a hub where women can connect and exchange ideas, share experiences, and learn from one another. The networking circle aims to create conversation, develop new ideas, and drive determination. Women from several backgrounds and industries are encouraged to attend events where they engage in dialogue about their career achievements, mistakes, and goals.

On March 11, 2019, Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow was a VIP guest at the “She’s Mercedes Dinner” during the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas. During an interview session, Paltrow discussed with many professionals in industries ranging from business and fashion to creative and tech. The Goop founder also acknowledged the issues of balancing health, work and family life.

“It’s fantastic that we are able to welcome Gwyneth Paltrow as our guest at our ‘She’s Mercedes Dinner’ at SXSW,” said Kerstin Heiligenstetter, Head of She’s Mercedes. “As a successful actress, entrepreneur and mother she has been a role model for the power and skills of women for many years, so she embodies the objectives which we want to intensify and promote with She’s Mercedes.”

The platform has been a pillar of Mercedes’ “Best Customer Experience” strategy since 2015. The brand’s goal is to dive deeper into dialogue with women and increase the significance of the brand for the group. For more information on the initiative follow Mercedes.me/she and its social media channels on LinkedIn and Instagram. She’s Mercedes continues to grow and encourages women to join the She’s Mercedes Lounge and connect with fellow successful counterparts.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8th) during March, we must remember to appreciate the unwavering integrity our women achieve every day. Whether you’re a Golden Globe and Oscars award winning actress like Paltrow or new to the automotive industry, there are many opportunities for women to own during their careers.

If you have interest showcasing your people passion at Park Place, please visit www.parkplace.com/careers to begin or continue a career in automotive.  If you’re interested in learning more about Women in Automotive Council from a few council members, stay tuned as Park Place shares more about this dynamic initiative.  

For the Latest She’s Mercedes Campaign Visit:  Alondra De la Parra