AskPatty.com Announces New Automotive Expert Women
Thousand Oaks, CA July 23, 2008
AskPatty.com, Inc., announced today that four top automotive industry women will join the automotive advisory panel of industry-expert women. The Ask Patty website at www.askpatty.com, provides a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive related topics online.
Women looking for tips on car buying, selling, maintenance and repair or other related topics can submit questions to expert women via email on the AskPatty.com website and blog. Questions are answered within 24 hours.
Introducing the newest Ask Patty Expert Panel Members:
Barbra Watson, Controller- Dempewolf Ford, Lincoln, Mercury
Barbara Watson began her automotive career in 1971 as a title clerk for Dempewolf Ford, Lincoln Mercury. She has had many positions including stocking vehicles, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll and finally the controller position. Barbara has experienced many changes in the automobile business; from processing Ford's monthly financial statement manually to power workstations and even adding system administrator to her title. Barbara believes that being a female in the male world of the automobile business has been challenging, but she has always believed that knowledge is power and has worked very hard to help the dealership move forward. She is also very proud of her son who is tennis pro in Louisville, KY and has two wonderful grandsons.
Visit her online at http://dempewolf.dealerconnection.com/?lang=en
Brenda Ritzman, E-Commerce/BDC Director- Toyota of Chula Vista
Brenda Ritzman started her career in transportation for John Deere. She learned all about multi-tasking as she answered phones and reconciled bank statements. It wasn't long before she landed a job working for a dealership. In her 10 years there she worked every office desk job until she became the Assistant Controller. Brenda decided she wanted more. Her father had her take a psychological test that said she had strong leadership skills and would make an excellent sales person. After selling 28 cars in one month, they made her a closer. In 1997 she moved to San Diego where her car selling took her to a dealership that realized the importance of the Internet. Brenda now heads up Toyota of Chula Vista's Internet department where, since the year 2000, they have been featured on the eDealer 100.
Visit Brenda at: http://femalefriendlydealer.askpatty.com/?d=Toyota_Chula_Vista
Jennifer Streets, Director of Marketing - Swapalease.com
Jennifer Streets is the Director of Marketing for Swapalease.com. During her tenure at Swapalease.com Jennifer has held various positions with the company working her way up from her initial entry-level assignment. As a result, Jennifer has an excellent understanding of the business from various perspectives and continues to be an invaluable asset to the company. Jennifer graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2003 and holds a degree in Early Childhood Education. Her educational background has proven complimentary to her strong work ethic when dealing with individuals both internal and external to the Swapalease.com organization. This is because even though the basic premise of Swapalease.com is relatively simple, matching those who wish to exit leases with those looking to enter, the idea is new to most and initially appears sophisticated or complex to clients, colleagues, and vendors alike.
Visit her online at http://www.swapalease.com/
Patricia Algier, Owner- Valley Dealer Exchange Inc.
Patti started early with a fascination of cars, leaving Teen Beat behind to read the latest issue of Road and Track. She had her first car picked out and paid for before her 16th birthday and spent every weekend washing, waxing and accessorizing it. She learned how to do basic maintenance in the days when you were allowed to do that sort of thing in your driveway. She Spent Friday and Saturday nights rally racing with various car clubs.
In 1976 she started working full time at German Auto Garage, an independent Mercedes repair garage, where she learned all aspects of running a small automotive business. She also spent a lot of time in the garage with the mechanics under the cars learning in detail how they tick.
In Sept 1987 she left German Auto Garage to start a new venture, Valley Dealer Exchange, a used car dealer with a repair and body shop in Sun Valley, CA. Over the last 20 years she closed the body and auto repair side, scaled down and she now keeps 40- 50 hand picked used cars on her lot in Glendale, CA. She also offers a New and Used car finding service to her clients. Valley Dealer Exchange has stood the test of time because of honest and excellent customer service that has always been female friendly.
She also teaches classes for new car dealers for certification with CA DMV through Dealer Education Services. She also holds seminars at the local credit union for members on various automotive subjects, such as "How to Buy a Used Car", "Buying vs. Leasing".
Visit her online at http://www.valleydealer.com/
In their automotive advisory roles these top ranking automotive women will respond to questions from consumer women on automotive related topics via the AskPatty.com website.
\ "We are very excited to be adding these expert automotive women to our Advisory Panel," says Jody DeVere, CEO and President of AskPatty.com. DeVere continues, "Each of these women has great experience in the automotive industry and will provide added resources to the women who visit Ask Patty." According to DeVere, AskPatty.com provides a safe environment for women to get advice and information needed to feel empowered and confident when they go to their local dealership for car service, repairs, maintenance and to negotiate and purchase a new or used vehicle.
The AskPatty.com, Inc. website, blog and Second Life venue is a safe place for women to get advice on car purchases, maintenance and other automotive related topics. Women can shop for vehicles at our network of certified female friendly dealerships across the U.S.
AskPatty.com is a member and 2008 corporate sponsor of the Women's Automotive Association International, based in Detroit, MI, Chair of the UnitedSpinal.org Motorsports program, and Member of the California SkillsUSA.org board, BlogHer08 Conference Sponsor in Second Life, Ediotr of the Car Channel for BlogHer.com., serves on the Women's Board of the Car Care Council, is a SEMA member and a member of the SEMA Business Women's Networking Group.
Ask Patty Certified Dealer Program: Properly armed with the right tools and training your dealerships can increase its share of the largest and fastest growing demographic of new vehicle buyers in the US -- Women Consumers. The Ask Patty Certified Dealer program was designed specifically for car dealerships to attract, sell, retain and keep loyal women consumers.
What Is An Ask Patty Certified Dealer? An Ask Patty certified dealer is a dealer that creates a safe and comfortable environment where women feel welcome and a dealer that makes the experience of purchasing and maintaining her vehicle a pleasant one.
Ask Patty trained and certified dealers are held to a high level of customer satisfaction for women consumers.
Go here to learn more about becoming a Certified Female Friendly Dealership: http://hooktours.com/8003256/
Back to Articles
Other News...
