Page 42 - Australasian Paint & Panel March-April 2022

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WOMEN IN COLLISION
PAINT&PANEL
MARCH / APRIL 2022
WWW.PAINTANDPANEL.COM.AU
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INDUSTRY SUPPLIER
REPRESENTATIVE
SARAH MARTIN
SALES MANAGER ADVANTAGE SOLUTIONS, WELSHPOOL WA
Sarah Martin’s journey in the automo- tive industry started over seven years ago, when she joined the Car Craft Group as part time administration assis- tant. Over time Sarah’s appetite to learn more saw her growth within the com- pany increase to a point where an op- portunity came up for a position within Car Craft Group’s paint and consuma- bles business.
Her passion and
drive is absolutely amazing.”
Sarah is now the sales manager and oversees the supply of automotive prod- ucts including the Finixa range and Oc- toral paint products. She manages a small but dynamic team that services both Car Craft members and the general automotive industry in WA.
She has been an incredibly loyal em- ployee, to the point where sometimes we need to hold her back, and she is con- stantly seeking to expand her skill set and knowledge. Sarah’s thirst for knowl- edge can be judged by how she regularly undertakes training with Finixa. Body- line, 3D, Octoral and ICAR.
“Sarah’s passion for the Car Craft Group and its members is second to
none. She regularly goes above and be- yond to service all the members’ needs as well as attending after-hour func- tions, meetings, AGM’s and training courses,” says her nominator Peter McMahon, CEO, Car Craft Group. “Her passion and drive is absolutely amazing. She has long been an un sung hero in the industry and her down to earth caring nature stands her apart from all others. Sarah’s mindset is about the relationship not just a sale”.
“She genuinely cares for our members and always ensures their best interests and outcomes are met. There is no more rewarding female recipient for this award in my opinion.” Clearly, the judg- es agreed.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
JULIE THOMAS
MANAGING DIRECTOR CAR-O-LINER, UNANDERRA NSW
Julie Thomas has been in collision re- pair industry for more than 30 years. As managing director of the company, she and her professional team always be- lieve that customer satisfaction is their top priority in their daily business. Good customer service is the key to a success- ful business.
Julie loves meeting the wonderful and inspiring people in the industry and ris- ing to the challenges of technical inno- vation. Her sense of accomplishment comes from helping clients to solve their problems.
Julie is always active ensuring her team stay ahead of the curve and attend Car-O-Liner new product and technical upgrade training, as well boning up on all the OEM’s latest repair information.
What speaks volumes is how long her team members have worked for her. Sales manager Liam Hugo is a bit of a
lightweight at just 15 years. The Victori- an sales manager has been there around 22 years and Fritz Pfeffer recently retired after being on the team for over 25 years. Hugo says: “She is a dedicated boss and very generous. The sales and service guys travel a lot but she always wants you to get back home to the family. Our family life is important to her.
“It’s just a really easy place to work for because Julie is always there for both cus- tomers and staff alike. You can go to her with any question or problem and she al- ways works with you to find answers and solutions. It’s always obvious that she loves the job and she loves the industry.”
Her sense of
accomplishment comes from helping clients to
solve their problems.”
As an international brand, Car-O-Lin- er has gained a stellar reputation in Aus- tralia with Julie and her team’s efforts. Julie’s stock is also high internationally and her Australian distributorship is one of the most successful globally.
“Her knowledge, capability and com- mitment to continuous improvement and customer training have contributed greatly to advancement of the industry. 30 years of dedication on one brand – and being the best – is unbeatable.” That’s not just according to the nomina- tion and the judges who agreed, but also the Paint & Panel team which has huge respect and admiration for Julie.