CA Dealer Hilary Haron on Facing Inventory Concerns and Encouraging Women to Work in Automotive

As one of the earliest hotspots of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., the state of California adopted some of the strictest business regulations and guidelines in hopes of quickly curtailing the spread of the virus. Dealers like Hilary Haron, owner of Haron Motor Sales in Fresno California, had to hastily adapt to a whole new way of conducting business while trying to keep her employees and customers safe. 

After a very quiet March and April, Haron sales associates were allowed to return to the dealership in May and ended the month in a strong position. June went on record as one of the best months that Haron has ever seen. However, now concerns loom over a potential industry-wide inventory shortage. Hilary says inventory is particularly tight with Land Rover. This pressure, of course, means that auctions and trade-ins are becoming ever-important and Haron is not taking that lightly.

Our conversation with Hilary then turns toward women in automotive. Encouraging women to join the automotive industry workforce is an area that Hilary is passionate about. In recent years, women have made progress towards gaining better representation in the auto industry. Female leaders like Mary Barra and Cheryl Miller have opened new doors to consider what’s possible for women in the automotive world. At Haron Motor Sales, Hilary has substantially increased the number of women on her staff and plans to add even more in the future.

Haron Motor Sales was established in 1945 and represents three franchises: Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo. In addition to her job as owner, Hilary is an Automotive News 40 Under 40 Honoree for 2020, and a member of the California New Car Dealers Association’s board of directors since January 2019.

Did you enjoy this interview with California dealer Hilary Haron? Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic with host Jim Fitzpatrick at jfitzpatrick@cbtnews.com.