Talent Profile

“As the auto industry evolves and pivots into new innovative spaces, investing time and resources will be the key to attracting the right diverse talent.”

About:

Dwain has been working in the auto industry for 25 years starting in the Leasing/Financing sector before migrating to digital marketing and the software and data sector for the past 9 years. Having the privilege to work with many OEM partners, Lenders, Dealer Groups and more has provided Dwain an opportunity to understand and support many business verticals within automotive.

Currently serving as Director of Sales, Data Licensing at Canadian Black Book has opened up additional partnership and career leadership opportunities by supporting partners with critical data insights to optimize their strategies and reach their goals.

How did you end up in the automotive industry?

At a very young age I always had a passion for vehicles. One of my first jobs as a teenager was a Car Jockey for Formula Honda. After graduating from college, I applied at a company called Municipal Leasing within their Credit/Collections department. Municipal Leasing specialized in financing equipment, vehicles and heavy motorized equipment. This was the start of my journey as I had an opportunity to learn the “ins and outs” of the financing industry from initiating an agreement to full resolution and disposal of an asset.

My career developed as municipal leasing merged into a larger organization known as FinanciaLinx, providing me the opportunity to support our OEM's and partners within different roles while growing my career path to an Account Executive role. Special thanks to the Flinx Leadership team for all your support as many core values and work ethics I have learned are the fundamentals I still follow today.

Who did you look to for inspiration throughout your career?

Being blessed to have two very strong supportive parents who installed values and hard work ethic in everything that I did. From a very young age my parents laid a foundation that nothing comes easy, if you want it you have to go and get it as nothing will be handed to you. My wife has also been a strong inspiration throughout my career, always being supportive and sacrificing to keep our family unit strong in every way possible.

Beyond family I have had the opportunity to work with strong leaders that have provided advice, shared best practices and experiences and took an interest in supporting my career development.

What do you think about the current state of diversity in the industry?

It is great to see diversity increasing in the auto industry as it is a true reflection of our cities and communities. The great thing about the automotive industry is there are so many options based on your interest. Whether it is with Dealerships, Banks/Lenders, OEM's, Manufacturing, Import/Exports, Marketing, Web/Digital, Consulting and much more… diversity is growing. With that being said there are opportunities to improve on ensuring we have the best qualified workers in our industry combined with growth and leadership opportunities.

What change would you like to see in the auto industry when it comes to increasing diversity?

The auto industry provides many opportunities for everyone as educating the public is a key start to providing career pathing for the coming generations. When I first started my career path, I was not aware of how impactful the auto industry was to the economy and how many services/businesses rely on the auto sector. Providing resources and tools to educate the public on the vast number of options and how to start is key to ensure we have the talent to support all these verticals in the future.

As the auto industry evolves and pivots to the EV space, investing time and resources will be key to attract the right diverse talent especially within Automation, Web, and Data space. Greater partnerships with High Schools, Colleges/Universities, Co-op programs, Business partnerships, Community programs and more will increase awareness, education, and interest for everyone.

What words of advice would you give to your younger self or someone just getting started in automotive?

For someone getting started in the automotive sector one recommendation I would offer is do your research in advance of where you would like to focus your skills and talents. There are so many options you can pursue in that just a few years ago, were not as prevalent. As the world becomes more technically advanced so does the auto industry as consumers expect and demand this. Learning and understanding current and future market trends for the next 10-20 years will prepare your skill sets to be a highly valued asset to any organization. Additionally, networking and learning from others in combination of leader and mentor support provides a path of positive results.

Beyond what the Auto industry can offer and opportunities for improvement it really comes down to yourself. What can we control within ourselves to help reach our goals? Nothing will come easy and it takes time, strong work ethic, self-motivation and drive. Having these fundamentals as a starting point will direct your opportunities and career path to address challenges, overcome objectives and reach your career goals in the automotive industry.