CMA's Moving Lives Forward Podcast

45: The Woo Factor: How Jason Mahoney is Redefining Automotive Marketing

In this episode of CMA's Moving Lives Forward podcast, host Chris Heinz sits down with Jason Mahoney, Senior Director of Marketing for Carter Myers Automotive, to explore what it takes to market a 27-location automotive group with heart and strategy. Jason traces his career from waiting tables and selling cars to working for American Honda alongside COO Matt Walsh, eventually landing at CMA after a fateful encounter with Liza Borches at NADA. He unpacks the evolution of automotive marketing — from batch-and-blast direct mail to precision data-driven campaigns — and discusses CMA's "Care Keys" brand initiative, which brings the company's employee-ownership story to life for customers. Drawing on his CliftonStrengths profile of Woo, Individualization, Context, Ideation, and Positivity, Jason reflects on how his relationship-first mindset, love of history, and creative energy shape his leadership approach.

44: The Operational Heartbeat: Leading Parts & Service with Purpose with John Housley

In this episode, host Chris Heinz sits down with John Housley, Parts and Service Director at CMA's Hyundai of Winchester, to explore what it takes to lead a high-performing fixed operations department. John shares how he structures his technician teams around focused skill levels, why eliminating friction — for both customers and employees — is central to his leadership philosophy, and how the opening of a brand-new facility became a rare opportunity to reset the culture and raise standards across the board. Drawing on his CliftonStrengths profile, John reflects on how his top themes of Restorative, Arranger, Strategic, and Belief shape his day-to-day decisions and long-term vision. He also offers candid advice for aspiring automotive leaders: learn the whole operation, bring solutions not just problems, and never stop growing — because the moment you drop anchor, the tide moves on without you.

43: Behind Every Great CEO with Laura Campbell

Laura Campbell is the Executive Assistant to CMA's CEO Liza Borches. In this episode, we explore what it really means to support the top seat of a 1,300-person automotive company. Laura shares how her career path — from directory assistance and telecom management to the Chamber of Commerce and eventually CMA — equipped her with the skills, credibility, and heart her demanding role requires. Through the lens of CliftonStrengths, Chris and Laura unpack how talents converge to keep a fast-moving executive office running without missing a beat. Laura also opens up about her passion for giving back, including how she pitched and now leads CMA's four quarterly philanthropic initiatives that rally associates across all 27 dealerships around causes that matter.

42: Measuring What Matters: How KPIs Drive Three Years of Success with Charles Camp

What if the secret to three years of record-breaking success isn't working harder—it's measuring smarter? In this episode, Charles Camp, general manager and managing partner at CMA's Valley Subaru, shares his secret to success in winning the General Manager KPI Award for three consecutive years (2023-2025), earning him the title of "KPI King" among CMA's 26 dealerships. He was once a seven-year-old who dreamed of leading General Motors and then worked his way through retail sales at Lowe's to automotive leadership. Charles explains the five KPIs that matter most and how he has created position-specific KPI scorecards for every associate, with roll-ups to company-wide goals. The result: record-breaking performance year after year and a blueprint for sustainable dealership success.

41: Building Trust One Service at a Time with Jeanine Bayne

What does it take to go from healthcare to winning a national automotive leadership award in just three years? In this episode, we interview Jeanine Bayne, Service Manager at Volvo of Charlottesville and recent winner of NADA's Rising Star Award for Women Driving Vehicle Retail. Jeanine shares her remarkable transition from nursing to automotive, rising from service advisor to service manager while bringing calm problem-solving and genuine care to leading her team of 17. She reveals what makes exceptional service experiences, the hidden complexities of the service department, and how she uses her strengths to manage daily pressures while building lifelong customer relationships. Whether you're in automotive or any leadership role, Jeanine's story offers powerful lessons on authentic leadership and seeing people as more than just numbers.