LAS VEGAS — Women in Auto Care (WAC) honored three recipients for its 2018 Women of the Year Awards, including the "Female Shop Owner of the Year," "Auto Care Woman of the Year" and "Auto Care Woman of Excellence," for their contributions to the automotive industry.
The three awards were presented during the WAC press conference and awards ceremony Oct. 30 at the Venetian Hotel, during the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) show in Las Vegas.
The winners of the 2018 Women of the Year Awards are:
Female Shop Owner of the Year: Kathleen Jarosik, owner of Xpertech Auto Repair in Englewood, Fla., who is involved in leadership and volunteering initiatives in her local community to increase awareness and spark interest in young women to choose a career in the automotive field.
Auto Care Woman of the Year: Dawn Zieren, senior vice president, global and strategic initiatives, NPD Group Inc. She has served on the WAC board of directors as membership chair, as well as a speaker at various events, including WAC conferences, the Auto Care Association's (ACA) Leadership Days and at the University of Houston.
Auto Care Woman of Excellence: Nicole Huard, manager, category management and consumer insights, Robert Bosch L.L.C. She is a founding member of the [email protected] business resource group in North America, with over 1,500 members, that promotes gender diversity and inclusion while focusing on recruitment, retention and professional development of women at Bosch. She also is an active member of the ACA where she serves as the chair of the Auto Care Category Management Committee.
The Woman of the Year is chosen based on her significant leadership and contributions to the auto care community throughout her career. Female Shop Owner of the Year is given to a woman who has a proven record of excellence in the automotive service industry, and the Woman of Excellence is a WAC associate who has provided recent outstanding contributions to the auto care industry.
The group also awarded Christina Schneider, a post-secondary student at Mount San Jacinto College, a $10,000 scholarship to continue her education and prepare for a job in the auto care industry.