Auto Care Insider Volume 108 - 18

2017 AUTO CARE
WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE

2017

INDUSTRY
NEWS

JILL TROTTA
JILL Trotta's professional career can be
summed up with one word: service. Her
passion to serve others is what originally
drew her to becoming a recreational
therapist, and it was that same
passion to help others that lead her
to a more than 25-year (and counting)
career in the auto care industry.
How did you get your start in
the auto care industry?
"I was watching TV one night after
being unhappy in my current career
(recreational therapist at a home for
adults with long-term development
disabilities) and I saw an ad for an
automotive technical trade school.
It said, 'You too can become an
automotive technician.' At the time, I
had a VW Bug that was breaking down
constantly, I also had an amazing uncle
with an auto shop who refused to fix
it for me, and he gave me an idiot's
guide to VW repair and guided me in
repairing my car. This showed me that
I could do it, and I liked working on my
car, so I decided in that moment to
pack up and head off to trade school
to become a mechanic. This was not
a popular decision with my father,
who was ultimately supportive, but
back in the day having your daughter
become an auto mechanic was totally
out-of-the-box and not the norm."
How long have you been a
Women in Auto Care member?

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AUTO CARE INSIDER | VOL. 108

"Since 2013, and I attended my
first meeting in North Carolina in
2014. It was an amazing experience.
I met Becky Witt, Diane Larson and
Robbie Adison and I was hooked.
They took me under their wing at that
meeting and made sure that I was
included. I currently set my career
goals from meeting to meeting."
What do you feel are the
rewards for being a part of the
association/auto care industry?
"I like helping people. Our mission
at RepairPal is to bring trust and
transparency into the automotive
industry. Our estimator and certified
shop program are the ways we
work to do this. Highlighting the
accomplishment and investments
that independent shop owners make
in their businesses is so rewarding.
These are the people who drive this
industry forward. They are hardworking
people who are constantly fighting
against outdated stereotypes every
day. I work hard to shine a light on
the owners who are doing it right!"
In your opinion, what is/are
the biggest issue(s) facing the
auto care industry today?
"The biggest challenge is the
rapidly changing technology and
amount of training it's going to take to
successfully repair today's vehicles.
Also, the changes in the amount of

Director, Automotive Group at RepairPal
YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY: 25+
PHONE: 510-788-5549
EMAIL: jill@repairpal.com
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/RepairPalJill
TWITTER: @RepairPal_Jill
FAVORITE APPS:
Venmo, Facebook, Twitter
WORDS TO LIVE BY:

"Only dead fish go
with the flow!"

information that is available to the
consumers in terms of information
about vehicle pricing and repairs, lots
of shops are resisting these changes
and holding on tightly to the status
quo. The industry has changed more
in the past five years than in the
previous 20, so shops who aren't
embracing and working to engage
in the new landscape - in terms of
amount of training for their technicians
and service advisors - are going to
be left behind. Training is key!"
https://www.womeninautocare.org/2017/10/women-auto-care-announces-2017-women-year-award-winners/ http://www.facebook.com/RepairPalJill
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Auto Care Insider Volume 108
