Revolutionizing Automobile Financing

Patty Turner has successfully navigated a rewarding career, both as an automotive remarketing professional and as an outstanding community advocate.

As senior director of Corporate Services at Cox Automotive’s NextGear Capital, she builds corporate responsibility while serving over 17,000 auto dealers and 1,000 auctions across North America. The company revenues last year were about $5 billion.

At the inventory financing powerhouse, Turner is helping to revolutionize the automotive finance industry through innovative solutions for vehicle dealers. Earlier in her career, Turner ran a successful business in the Indianapolis market prior to partnering in the automotive industry. That passion and entrepreneurial spirit helped fuel the creation of three major automotive inventory financing companies.

“Building a company from the bottom up was a once in a lifetime experience, and 11 years later I still find the challenges as exciting as I did on day one,” she said.

Turner has overseen 18 facility build-outs for Cox’s NextGear Capital, including the Indiana headquarters and offices in Canada and the United Kingdom. Her colleagues say her confidence and forward thinking make her a valuable asset to the company, where she consistently delivers projects on time and under budget. They say she brings a servant heart and team member perspective that drives engagement and corporate culture.

She says the most important quality a woman leader should have is determination: “Most successful women rise to the challenge, embrace change and never give up!” She said one of the most defining moments in her career was a former boss telling her “You’ve got the right to be in the room, so act like it.”

In addition to her professional obligations, Turner embodies the true meaning of servant-leadership. She has served on four boards and 16 committees in just the past three years. Her commitment to service is evident throughout Cox’s companies, where she spearheads corporate volunteer programs aligning with worthwhile causes. Earlier this year, during Cox Automotive’s annual philanthropic No Excuses campaign, there was a 50 percent year-over-year increase in volunteerism. Her colleagues say she is an innovator at heart and the kind of leader that influences and inspires those around her.