By Ashley Reyes
Diane Levine is this week’s SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) #SheIsSEMA spotlight member.
Levine is a sales and marketing coordinator at RepairPal Inc., a provider of auto-repair and maintenance information for consumers. Get to know what Levine enjoys about the industry in her interview with SEMA below.
SEMA: What do you enjoy most about working at your current company?
Diane Levine: I love that the company is for the consumer and the repair shop equally. The staff is amazing and collaborates for the greater good.
SEMA: What is the most challenging part of your job?
DL: This is the first time I have worked exclusively remote. Acclimating to not going over something in person took a little getting used to. I don’t know if it’s really a challenge; it’s just different. As I continue to take on new projects, the challenges ebb and flow.
SEMA: How many years have you been in the industry, and what was your first industry job?
DL: I have been in the industry since 1978, when I took a job at a gas station.
SEMA: What are three qualities that got you to where you are today?
DL: I am project driven, I love variety and I am passionate about this industry. I am not afraid to jump into a new experience. I have been blessed with a huge automotive family.
SEMA: Being a woman in the industry, what have been your biggest challenges and accomplishments?
DL: When I started working in parts houses, there were times when male customers wouldn’t let me look up their parts. I was told, “I'll wait for one of the guys” on more than one occasion. For a while, I actually left the industry. I did not feel supported. When I worked for Flowmaster, I revived their Custom Car Builder program that had not been maintained and was well received by shops.
SEMA: Who are your role models or mentors in the industry?
DL: Charlene Bower offered me the opportunity to think outside the box even more than I was and stick with it! Bogi Lateiner invited me to join the Chevy Montage adventure. It rejuvenated my passion for getting greasy and reminding me of my inner warrior.
SEMA: What is the best career advice you have received?
DL: If something sparks a fire inside you, don’t give up! I had left the automotive industry a few times and won’t leave it again.
SEMA: Have you always wanted to work in the automotive industry?
DL: I have loved cars since I was a teen. Once I got a job in it, I felt at home. When I am not working in the industry, I have a longing in my heart.
SEMA: Who was the most influential person on your career/goals?
DL: My sister. She was by no means a car person, but she knew how much I loved the industry. She worked hard, even while battling cancer. Her mantra was to “Dream Big.”
Do you know, or are you, a woman with a career in the automotive industry? Fill out a #SheIsSEMA spotlight form to submit a self-nomination or nominate a colleague and highlight how you or she is contributing to the specialty-equipment industry. Selected candidates are automatically eligible to be considered for SBN’s #SheIsSEMA Woman of the Year award, featured on SBN’s social media, SEMA News and recognized on the www.sema.org/she-is-sema website.