Throughout the 20-year history of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), we have driven industry sustainability by supporting and developing women. The Women’s Industry Network is devoted to becoming THE network that drives the future of collision repair by attracting, developing and advancing women through education and connections.
WIN offers education and leadership development opportunities to build critical skills for success. We recognize excellence, promote leadership, and foster a network among collision repair professionals, especially women.
Networking
With our vision driving our day-to-day operations, our network has created extremely valuable opportunities for anyone looking to enter collision repair and for those looking to advance in this field. In what has traditionally been a male-centric industry, we are dedicated to providing multiple opportunities for women, sharing career path options and supporting women who want to enter, move up and remain in collision repair. Through our networking and mentoring programs, our members connect with others throughout the country to share experiences, job opportunities, and best practices in their markets.
In order to further our mission and vision, WIN hosts an annual Educational Conference where members come together to discuss market trends, network, and to give back to the host community. Last May, our conference “Navigating Tomorrow Together” was held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Programming included “Change Your Mind to Change Your Results”, effective communication styles, industry trends, and “Technical Challenges for a New Generation of Technicians.” For our service project, we partnered with “Headbands for Hope” to create headbands for children that have lost their hair due to chemotherapy treatments. While making the headbands, we furthered our professional and personal relationships.
The 2020 Annual Conference “Driving the Future” will be held May 3-5 in Newport Beach, California – hope to see you there!
Leadership
WIN provides members a chance to take an active role in the organization by chairing committees and joining the organization’s Board of Directors. Through these valuable leadership opportunities, members further their careers and extend WIN’s reach by becoming an influential voice and recognized leader across the marketplace.
To recognize these leaders, WIN honors members who enhance the role of women in the industry with the Most Influential Women (MIW) Award. To date, WIN has recognized over 90 women for their professional accomplishments and for going beyond requirements of their positions to give back to their communities. Our 2019 winners are:
• Judy Folk, Collison Repair Design Service Manager, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes
• Yen Hoang, CEO of UYL Color
• Kathy Mello, CEO of TGIF Body Shop
• Erica Schaefer, Mopar Collision Marketing Manager, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Scholarship
At WIN, we recognize that we are paving the way for tomorrow’s professionals. WIN is active with high school students considering career paths in collision management and students who are attending vocational schools. Supporting today’s youth and showcasing the career advancement opportunities is critically important – to them and to our industry. WIN’s scholarship program provides tuition assistance and educational opportunities for students. Additionally, each scholarship recipient is connected with a mentor and receives a one-year membership to WIN to further support their journey and provide a sense of community as they pursue their professional goals. This process has allowed many young women to be more confident in starting their career in a primarily male environment and contribute toward their professional success.
Growing the Industry
We work with many women and men in management roles who want to learn how to improve retention for female employees. This shows us that the industry is continuing to accept women in many different positions and seeing their importance to the market. Even with this progress, there is always room for improvement and that is why WIN plays an important role in the overall structure of the collision repair industry. Through our focus of attracting and retaining women, we are able to sustain a dialog that will continue to enhance the marketplace as a whole.
Sponsorship
We have many supportive sponsors because we provide a unique industry setting where members connect with peers in the industry, share different perspectives, discuss challenges, and exchange ideas for improvement. WIN supports everyone from women starting in their careers to C-suite level executives. Our sponsors recognize the importance of continuing to develop women in the industry on all levels.
Overall, WIN has provided a platform for many women to advance. Our organization provides development opportunities to those who are collision repair owners and industry service providers by helping them understand the true value of women in this line of work. Women are an underutilized resource, and from a consumer standpoint, women influence the majority of buying decisions in households. Understanding this, WIN and its work with women plays an important role in promoting industry sustainability, addressing technician shortages and the shrinking traditional labor pool, as well as promoting and creating diversity.
To learn more, become a sponsor, apply for a scholarship – and especially join us as a member – please visit https://thewomensindustrynetwork.site-ym.com.
About the Author
Cheryl Boswell
Cheryl Boswell is the president of the Women's Industry Association (WIN). She also serves as the Corporate Chief Financial Officer and Managing Partner of DCR Systems.