DEALER LEADERSHIP - SPOTLIGHT
Women in the Driver’s Seat: Pamela Pearson, Director of Internal Operations, Sentes Automotive DARCY NYBO, SIGNALS CONTRIBUTOR
In 2002, Pamela Pearson moved to the Okanagan from the Kootenays so she could attend UBCO to become a teacher. After graduating, she taught for a year, but something wasn’t quite right. In 2008 she realized that as much as teaching had been her dream, it wasn’t something she wanted to do for the rest of her life. “My family suggested I try working in the automotive industry,” she said. “I was in my early 20s and applied at Kelowna Mercedes-Benz to be a finance manager. They said they couldn’t hire me for that position as I had no experience, but they were willing to interview me for a sales position, and if I proved myself, I could move into training for finance. After several interviews I was hired as the very first female sales consultant ever hired at the dealership.” Pamela worked in sales for a short time, and although she did well—selling 12 cars in six weeks—she discovered that sales was also not what she wanted to do long term. That’s when she took matters into her own hands. “I had a conversation with my boss, Adam Rich, and told him I felt wasn’t suited for this position….Sentes had recently acquired three new dealerships in the Okanagan (Penticton Honda, Penticton Hyundai and Vernon Nissan), so he asked me to work with him to help bring the dealerships together. I agreed,” she said. “I did anything that anyone needed and learned a lot about the business and the company. Over time, my position evolved into what it is today, which is Director of Internal Operations. Basically, I do what I can to keep our dealerships across the Okanagan working as one organization—one team.” Sentes Automotive consists of dealerships in six different locations, including three in Kelowna (Kelowna Mercedes-Benz, Lexus
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Signals Magazine July–September 2020
of Kelowna, and Kelowna Infiniti Nissan). Pamela’s job includes community involvement and sponsorship. “Among many other initiatives we’re involved with, the BC Cancer Foundation’s Discovery Luncheon is something we’ve been doing for nine years now,” she said. “Several years ago, Margot Sentes was diagnosed with breast cancer. And since we knew that cancer affected every one of our employees in one way or another, we made this our signature sponsorship initiative.”
The first year they donated $10,000, she recalls, adding that the fall lunch gala had a patient and doctor as the main speakers. This informational luncheon gave people a lot of exposure to the great work being done at BC Cancer–Kelowna. “In our second year, they asked for someone to be part of the committee,” Pamela said. “I volunteered and we’ve continued to
