Volvo dealer aims to boost presence of women in auto industry

Kennedy has been on an intentional journey to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in the store.

Last October, Kennedy implemented a policy of redacting applicants’ names on resumes, so no inferences can be made about the applicant’s ethnicity or gender. This allows managers to focus entirely on who is most qualified, she said.

But hiring more women is just one piece of the puzzle. The real work is creating an environment that makes them want to stick around, Kennedy said.

“The industry still has the ‘good old boys club’ feel where women don’t necessarily feel comfortable,” she said. “It doesn’t matter even if you hired a female, but you don’t have the right culture — they’re not going to last.”

Kennedy has bonded with several other female leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The women quickly realized they each had male mentors. So in 2021, the Price Simms Women’s Circle was born to create woman-to- woman mentorships.

The circle is now active across all of the group’s 14 stores and has 80 members. Quarterly meetings can include empowerment discussions, skills training, personal development or even a book club. Some members, including Kennedy, are both a mentor and a mentee.

Members make an effort to encourage diversity and learn about cultures different from their own, Kennedy said. During Hispanic Heritage month, Hispanic female employees shared stories of their lives and family traditions. During Pride month, LGBTQ+ employees spoke about their experiences.

“We really try to celebrate the different ethnicities and cultures within our group to help educate, because some of us don’t know much about the other cultures and also to really pay tribute to them and who they are,” Kennedy said.