Thanks for trusting us with some of your time and story today, Stephanie! You've been friends with the ASOTU Crew for a while, but for the readers who may not know, what is your role at Classic Chevrolet and how did you get into the industry?
I am the Community Events Director. My main role is reaching out and building relationships within our community. It's a bit of an unexpected journey. Twelve years ago, I came from working at a local coffee shop. My husband's family has always been involved in the automotive industry. Soon to be married and looking for a change, an opportunity came up to start as a cashier in the service department at a dealership. I took it, even though I hadn't really decided what I wanted to do with my life and I hadn't stepped foot in a dealership until that point.
I worked as a cashier for many years before the dealership, Classic Chevrolet, decided to expand into the Business Development Center. I was one of the first people introduced to that new area, a space where nobody really knew what to do, but there was a desire to grow it.
Throughout my time at the dealership, I've mainly stayed in the service department, venturing into being an assistant service advisor and transitioning into a full-time service advisor. However, when my daughter was born she was sick, I needed to be with her, which meant having to put my work on hold.
During a crucial time in my career, I had to tell my leadership that I couldn't continue working due to my personal circumstances. But to my surprise, they didn't accept my notice. Instead, they chose to work with me and accommodate my needs, something I didn't expect after being in the industry for five or six years.
Around the same time, I was part of a small committee within our dealership aiming to help employees who were going through hard times. We even held parking lot cookouts to raise money. Tom and Susan Durant, the owners of Classic Chevrolet, saw the need to expand this help to the wider community. So, they challenged me to grow this effort. And here I am today, extremely grateful for the opportunity.
Can you help us understand your day-to-day duties? Do you regularly organize events or is it more spontaneous?
This year is a fresh start for us. We've always been under the namesake of Classic Chevrolet, but this year we've become the Tom and Susan Durant Foundation, a 501(c)3 within our dealership.
At the beginning of each year, we sit down with local nonprofits in the DFW area, following Tom and Susan's directive to help our local communities. We go through all the details and financial aspects, then choose who we're going to support.
Now that we're a nonprofit, we can expand our relationships with community members. We have new events coming up and small pop-ups where we can invite the community in. But the biggest event we organize is our annual golf tournament. We're heading into our 12th annual charity golf tournament this year, which is always a hit with our car-loving, golfing enthusiasts.
Have you always had a passion for this kind of community work, or did you fall into it and develop a love for it?
I think it's a mix of both. I've always loved meeting people from different walks of life, even during my time working at a coffee shop. The opportunity to do this kind of work came up in conversation and I thought, "I really want to do this." I never expected it to happen through a car dealership, but now it feels like I'm working my dream job.
That's fantastic. Sometimes it's not about reaching a distant goal, but rather delving deeper into what you're already doing. And it seems you've found joy in that.
Exactly, and it's interesting because when I tell new people or friends about what I do and for whom, they often say, "Like, the car dealership in Grapevine?" It's unusual, but I love it and the fact that it became a possibility is even better.
Are there any specific moments when you were on the frontlines of the charitable work, witnessing the impact of the kindness you're helping to distribute, that have stuck with you over the years?
Definitely, we've known many of these charity groups for over 10 years and it's always a joy to meet the people who benefit from the donations. Our annual Thanksgiving luncheon, where we distribute the funds raised, is particularly heartwarming. Hearing stories about veterans re-acclimating to society or people who didn't have a home or enough food is truly inspiring.
Now that you can operate as a non-profit from within the dealership, how do you think your work will change?
Lately and into the future, the main task is communicating about it. Our goal is to show other businesses, especially dealerships, how they can have a larger impact in their communities beyond selling cars. I hope this idea catches on. Tom and Susan, the dealership's owners, have always remained humble and focused on the real cause: bringing employees together for the greater good. We aim to encourage others to join us in this mission and learn from one another to improve our collective efforts.
So many dealers leave the story half told by shying away from self-promotion when doing this sort of community work, so we are glad you are helping the story get to people! Do you also connect those dots for your team in the story? Do you all see this as part of the team's culture?
Absolutely. I handle most of the foundation-related responsibilities, but our team is made up of various professionals across the dealership. Everyone has a say, and everything is transparent. We have a committee of 10 people, and the foundation board consists of 5 members. Everyone plays a crucial role, we couldn't do any of it without every person in the store.