During the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers' (NAMAD) annual conference, Erikka Tiffany Wells of Walser Auto Group was presented with this year's "Ally Sees Her" award.
Ally established the award with NAMAD five years ago to recognize the next generation of influential minority women leaders who also are highly involved in their communities.
"This award celebrates women of color who are not only automotive leaders and innovators, but who are committed to doing it right for their communities and promoting diversity in the industry," said Natalie Brown, director of corporate citizenship at Ally. "We are proud to recognize the contribution of women leaders like Erikka who have excelled in automotive retail while also being an inspiration and advocate for the next generation of minority dealers."
In celebration of Wells' accomplishments and commitment to giving back, Ally will donate $10,000 to the Newgate School, a nonprofit technical school that offers tuition-free auto body and auto mechanic training for unemployed or under-employed adults. In addition, the Newgate School has a transportation assistance program, which donates the cars refurbished by their students to single working moms.
Wells' selection of the Newgate School and its Wheels for Women program was personal. She notes her first-hand experience struggling with unexpected car repairs as a young single mom. Wells also believes the automotive industry can help uplift and support low-income young adults who are searching for opportunities to be self-sufficient.
"Having access to reliable transportation is imperative to help low-income families get out of poverty," Wells said. "The auto industry is responsible for employing millions of people and that number will only grow as we welcome more engineers, technicians, computer software developers and customer specialists into this growing, ever-evolving space. Change is happening at a rapid pace, and I am committed to helping others see the incredible, endless opportunities available for the families we employ as well as the guests and clients we serve in our dealerships and service facilities."
Wells began her career in the automotive industry as a service writer for a NAPA Auto Care repair shop creating branding and marketing campaigns that drove both traffic and reviews.
Over the course of her career, she has obtained an independent dealer's license, developed a single-point business development center for three dealerships and created inspiring and educational material for the auto buying advice radio and TV show, AutoScoop. She also developed the first pilot business development center for Audi of America.
In 2020, she became the co-founder and vice president of Women of Color Automotive Network, a nonprofit organization that attracts, connects and empowers minority women in the automotive industry.
Source: Ally Financial Inc.
Abby Andrews