Penske Automotive Group is proud to have female leaders at every level of the organization. This week we are featuring our final female leader for the Women in the Driver’s Seat series, Ana Lordeo, who is empowering women in the industry and paving the road for the next generation of female leaders.
Meet Ana Loredo – Service Director at BMW of San Diego, Penske Automotive Group
“Never give up, and don’t take no for an answer.”
Industry experience: 27 years
First automotive job: Receptionist at Infiniti store
PAG tenure: 5 years
Current role and responsibilities: I manage all service department employees at BMW of San Diego. I am also responsible for optimizing service department processes, handling client service interactions, forecasting goals and objectives, hiring and training department employees, monitoring performance of service department staff, developing and implementing marketing plans, and managing daily reporting. I strive to promote teamwork in our workplace and most importantly, I lead by example. My focus on a day-to-day basis is to inspire my team to be the very best they can be and provide a good work environment.
What attracted you to the auto industry: I honestly didn’t know what the automotive industry would bring me. The only thing I knew was that regardless of the role, I would always be stellar and give it my best all the time, and that has never changed.
Most satisfying part of your job: I love working with people, both customers and employees, but what I find most satisfying is resolving customer issues and mentoring, coaching, and helping my team reach their goals and grow within the company. Seeing happy thriving employees and clients gives me great joy. I feel very fortunate to work for such an amazing group who truly believes in growing their people.
Proudest professional achievement: Having PAG send me to NADA and graduating from the program was a huge achievement for me as I had always wanted to attend NADA to help further my understanding of the business.
Who has had the biggest influence on your career: Rich Achman, a General Manager I worked for at Towbin Dodge. Rich was great with people and had phenomenal leadership skills. He taught me a lot and really believed in my growth in the automotive industry.
Advice for young women considering a career in the auto industry: The automotive industry has so much to offer and can be very rewarding. If you love what you do, you can hold any position and be successful.
Favorite weekend activity: I write and read a lot, and I love hanging out with my husband doing nothing and everything. I also enjoy driving to Las Vegas at least once a month to visit my family.
Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years: As the General Manager of a Penske store, managing and leading an extraordinary team.
How have you seen the auto industry landscape change and evolve to engage more women: There has been a lot of positive change in the automotive industry. You now see more women than ever before holding positions like General Managers, Fixed Operations Directors and Parts Managers. I used to be the only woman in the room when I attended meetings or trainings, and now I see more women in those roles. I think that we are finally being given the opportunity to demonstrate our leadership and management skills.
