Nancy Elrod, one of the owners of Geweke Ford in Yuba City, was just recently elected to lead the Northern California Ford Dealers Advertising Fund Board (FDAF) for 2023. This accomplishment marks the first time a woman has occupied this position for Ford dealers across California.
Elrod was also the first female to ever serve on the board, a position she has maintained for the past four years. Since establishing herself there, two other women have joined the board and Elrod said she has felt very supported by her peers.
“It's a great time to be a female in the auto industry,” said Elrod. “I think women can bring things to the table that men don’t. … The things that we think of versus what men may think of are just different. We have different mentalities, so it kind of rounds itself out.”
Geweke Ford is currently in its third generation of family ownership, manned by Elrod and her siblings. She is also the third generation of her family to sit on the FDAF board, following her grandfather and her father who served two terms as chairman himself.
The responsibility for this position spans from the top of Northern California down to Tulare and represents 70 Ford dealerships. Elrod explained that the board’s focus is to target both digital and traditional forms of marketing and offer incentives that work to diversify the dealers clientele and its products.
“All the advertisements you see between digital and traditional media with offers and incentives like APR or bonus cash, we have final say on all of that,” said Elrod.
Historically speaking, the automotive industry has been a male dominated field. But Elrod feels a woman's perspective, particularly those with children, can help communicate the nuances of a product to consumers that will help make their everyday lives easier and more efficient.
“Probably what I've brought to the table most is just making sure modern day conveniences are played out and that the small details of our products aren’t overlooked,” said Elrod. “For example, one of the original features in our Ford Expedition model was an adjustable second row which helped fit car seats properly and made it easier to access the third row. As a mom, that was a big deal especially if you wanted to utilize that third row.”
In addition to being the first female, Elrod said she was the youngest member to come onto the board and has helped encourage the adoption of new modern forms of advertising such as working with influencers and establishing a social media presence.
“It’s really about thinking outside the box,” said Elrod. “One of the reasons I love being in this industry is just being able to build relationships with others and to be able to see people grow both within my business as well as the people I've gotten to know in and through the Ford corporation.”
According to Elrod, one of the corporation's biggest initiatives this year will be to grow its Hispanic share and make Ford products more accessible. With the inventory and financial issues brought on by the recent pandemic, Elrod said Ford is shifting its focus on producing things that people can afford and want to buy.
“We should be seeing more Broncos soon,” said Elrod. “The Maverick, which is Ford’s newest truck, all the accessories for it have the ability to be 3D printed so that you’re not necessarily having to buy them at the dealership. A lot of people are able to work on them themselves or have them done by a third party and really be able to customize it to their life.”
In addition to this, Elrod mentioned the pending demand for more hybrid and electric vehicles and said she is interested to see where the company will go with those technologies in the coming years.
