ATLANTA – Manheim North America Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Janet Barnard was selected by Women in Technology (WIT) as the winner of the 2014 Woman of the Year in Technology Award. Barnard was presented with this honor ─ that recognizes the accomplishments of Georgia’s top women leaders and the impact they’ve made in their communities ─ last night during the annual awards gala and dinner held at the Georgia Aquarium. Barnard was selected as the winner in the Enterprise/Large Business categor y.
“Janet is a valued member of the Cox Automotive leadership team, and we congratulate her on this well-earned achievement, said Sandy Schwartz, president of Cox Automotive. “ She is a passionate advocate for our industry, her customers and her community. Janet has been instrumental in developing innovative business solutions, delivering a great experience for our customers and serving as a role model to women. We are extremely proud of her and the contributions she is making at Manheim and within the c ommunities we serve.”
Each year, WIT recognizes the accomplishments of Georgia’s top women leaders in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and the impact they’ve made in their communities. Only one winner from each category, representing Small/Emerging, Medium/Mid-Size and Large/Enterprise businesses, is selected.
In her role, Barnard is leading the evolution of the company’s core vehicle auction business into a model that seamlessly incorporates an expanding digital and mobile strategy with a large brick-and -mortar footprint of 78 locations in North America. Barnard oversees a team of 18,000 employees and has responsibility for strategic business functions such as Operations, Sales, Customer Experience and Product Development.
“I am truly inspired and honored to have been selected by Women in Technology as the winner of this leadership award,” said Barnard. “This award not only recognizes the important business strides we are making through innovative technologies, but also puts a spotlight on the positive and meaningful differences that women are making in their businesses and communities.”
Barnard is a member of the Metro Atlanta Clean Tech Leadership Council, which focuses on growing the clean tech economy, attracting and growing clean tech jobs and positioning metro Atlanta as a leader in sustainability. She was recognized in 2010 as a Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Fellow which honors the most successful female leaders in the cable and telecommunications industry.
In addition to her dedication to the automotive industry, Barnard gives back to her community as a supporter of and participant in the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America (KPCRAA), which raises funds and awareness for Victory Junction and other charities supporting ch ronically ill children. In addition, she has been involved in All Our Kids, acting as a board member and mentor for this organization that serves at-risk youth by providing mentoring and college scholarships for upholding certain behavioral and performance standards in the program.
About Manheim ( www.manheim.com )
Manheim is the leading global provider of vehicle remarketing services, connecting buyers and sellers of used vehicles to the largest wholesale used-vehicle marketplace. The company helps dealer and commercial customers achieve results by providing physical and digital auction channels, data analysis, financing, transportation and mobile products and solutions.
Manheim pioneered in-lane vehicle auctions and has been an innovator in both digital and mobile auction platforms. Manheim registers nearly 7 million used vehicles annually, facilitating transactions representing nearly $46 billion in value. Manheim’s research and consulting arm, Manheim Consulting, provides industry-leading market in telligence and publishes the widely recognized annual Used Car Market Report. The company offers dealer financing through NextGear Capital, Inc. , and transportation services through Ready Auto Transport . Headquartered in Atlanta, Manheim has more than 20,000 employees in 121 worldwide sites and generates annual revenues of more than $2.5 billion. A subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Manheim participates in “Go Green with Manheim,” the company’s sustainability program.
About the Women of the Year in Technology Awards
Since 2000, Women in Technology has celebrated female technology executives for their accomplishments as leaders in business, visionaries of technology and women who make a difference in their communities. Qualifying nominees hold business or STEM leadership roles within a technology organization in Georgia or they maintain STEM leadership positions within a non-technology organization. Winners are selected in three categories: Large/Enterprise business (companies with more than 2,500 employees); Medium/Mid-Size business (companies with 251 to 2,500
employees); and Small/Emerging business (companies with 250 employees or less).
About Women in Technology
With a vision of making Georgia the state with the highest percentage of women in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workforce by the year 2020, Women in Technology (WIT), an Atlanta-based organization, passionately supports women at every stage of their STEM careers – from the classroom to the boardroom.
The organization enables women to build strong networks, develop leadership skills and advance their careers. Through the WIT Foundation, the organization educates and encourages girls and young women to pursue STEM careers with programs like Girls Get IT and WIT on Campus. Reaching more than 1,000 professionals annually through its programs and with 100+ volunteers, WIT has become the largest, most active organization of its kind in the region.