Spotlights: Iseña Garcia

Bio: I was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ and naturally attended Arizona State University. I graduated in May of 2003, with a B.S. in Marketing, a Certificate in Dealership Management, and a minor in Spanish. During college, I worked at Scottsdale Jaguar under the United Auto Group Organization and had the opportunity to experience automotive retail from the high-end part of the business. As I near the end of my third year at Apple Ford, I have performed nearly all positions at the dealership. If and when I have free time, I love to travel. Any opportunity I get to travel and experience somewhere new, I try to take it. Travel is one of the things I have enjoyed most about relocating for this position. I have experienced a whole new culture with the change from West coast to East coast living.

An Interview with Iseña

Q:: What would you recommend to incoming students?
A:: Make sure you have an open mind and are flexible to change, as your position requires a lot of change. This may be stressful at times, but remember that you are there to learn and understand the concepts and processes. You are not expected to be an expert at everything. Also, make sure to be humble and respect the positions of all the employees, because they are the ones who will teach you and help you grow. First impressions are important!

Q:: How are you going to use what you have learned in future career endeavors?
A:: I have become very flexible to change and I have learned to pick up new concepts rather quickly. In many instances, I have been able to fill in for positions when left short-handed. This has not only improved my multi-tasking ability, but has also significantly improved my communication skills by forcing me to adapt to various customer situations and concerns. This skill is always important in any career endeavor pursued.

Q:: Why did you originally become interested in the CAEL or ADEPM?
A:: I thought it was a great opportunity for not only gaining the experience and knowledge in the business, but also owning my own dealership. I was unaware of the multitude of opportunities available in the auto industry until I was exposed to ADEPM.