Director, Meeting & Events
Auto Care Association
Jessica Finnerty’s initial introduction to the Auto Care Association was a written job description that said the CEO at the time (Kathleen Schmatz) liked to ride around the office on her yellow and white scooter. “And I was thinking, well that sounds fun,” she says. “Then I got to the office, and I just instantly loved it.” Since then, Finnerty said, “I never really looked back.” That was nearly 18 years ago.
Finnerty says she is most proud of her three years as administrator for Women in Auto Care, which began in 2020, during the height of the pandemic. “I think that was such a critical time to be able to offer community and support,” she says. “That was not something I did in a vacuum, but we accomplished a lot. We broke a lot of records, and started a lot of new programs and initiatives, none of which I did all on my own. It was me supporting the greater vision of the group, but it meant a lot and did a lot of good for the industry. I am proud of what we accomplished.”