Pub. 2 2020-2021 Issue 2

wvcar.com 10 WVADA continued from page 8 Our culture is a very strong team atmosphere, and we treat our businesses much the same way as we treat sports. What is the work culture like at your dealership? Which principles are most important to creating a great work environment? Our culture is a team atmosphere, and we treat our businesses much the same way as we treat sports. We build relationships and have friendly competitions. We believe you win and lose as a team. Our team members have been with us for a very long time. We know them, we know their families and vice versa. We’ve watched each other’s children, and now grandchildren grow up. Great people work with us, and their excellence is absolutely the key to the success of Robinson Auto Group. I feel fortunate to work with such phenomenal people. Do you have plans to expand? We always look. We might expand if the right opportunity arises. What have you done as a dealer to improve diversity? I’m a woman in the car business, right? I am a dealer, and I hope that my example encourages other women to follow a similar path because my existence demonstrates a possible route for them. My family and our business keeps our focus on doing the right thing. We just hire the right person for the job. That’s how we’ve always done it, and that’s how it ought to be. It’s part of who the Robinsons are. Nothing about that changed or will ever change. What do you think other dealers could do to improve employee diversity? Do the right thing, hire the right person for the job, and provide opportunities for all people in your communities. What are your goals as the incoming chair? We had our annual convention June 13-16, 2021. We discussed a host of topics we would like to get accomplished during my tenure. I believe we will narrow it down in the coming weeks and have a more finite plan. These are challenging times. Post pandemic, there is going to be a lot of work for the association. One question is, how are we going to work with the manufacturers to get cars? The microprocessor chip shortage is a real issue because you need the chips to build new vehicles. Manufacturers stopped making the chips when COVID-19 shut down the country, including car manufacturers, and then General Motors Corp. started producing ventilators. Car manufacturers are currently getting their microprocessor chips from China, which leaves them at China’s mercy. How will your past experiences help you? I was the association’s chair in 2015 and 2016. I left the room after that, but they let me back in again, and I think I can draw from some of those previous experiences. I have good relationships with the other leaders in our association, and our dealer body is phenomenal. Jared Wyrick, the association president, is tremendous. Chris Miller, T.R. Hathaway, Mike and TimMatheny, Bill Cole, Paul Astorg, Richard Stephens, J.R. Toothman, Bob Moses, and Wally Thornhill are just a few who are always ready to jump in for anything and everything. Wherever I lack, those guys always pick me up. How did your dealership do during and after the pandemic closedown in March 2020? What lessons did you learn, and how did the many product shortages affect your business? We were very fortunate. We are thankful to Gov. Justice because he deemed dealerships as essential in West Virginia. We remained open throughout the entire pandemic. As a dealer body across the state, we discovered where we had some overlaps in our stores, and we were able to streamline processes in our dealerships. The pandemic made businesses pivot very quickly, and it was a new way to work. As a dealer body, we proved up to the task. It was quite impressive, really. The effects of the pandemic will linger for months to come. The product and personnel shortages are the main issues at this point. How does your dealership serve the community? Just to name a few, we support almost everybody who asks, even some who don’t. Some we sponsor are: • YMCA • WV Elite • Wheeling Symphony • Youth baseball • High School Basketball, coach and travel • WV Economic Development Board