Carla Cosenzi 2013 Professional Woman of the Year

Carla Cosenzi grew up in the family business, but never had any intention of making that her life’s work.  She earned a baccalaureate from Northeastern and masters from Columbia in Clinical Psychology.  After graduation, her dad invited her to work in the business for a while.  She fell in love with the automobile industry and enjoyed working alongside her dad.  

She attended Dealer Academy and learned the business by working in every facet from parts/service to sales to gain experience within the company.  During this time, she fought to earn respect in this male dominated world. She says that facing that challenge made her into the businesswoman she is today.

In 2007, her father, Tom, was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor. With her brother, Tommy, the two of them worked together with their father to prepare the business for the transition ahead. Tom fought a courageous battle for over two years. Unfortunately, he lost the battle on Sept 3, 2009 and it was then that Carla and Tommy became the new owners. 

Carla and Tommy work together through respect and communication to grow their father's legacy. She credits their success to the employees who helped grow the business into the successful one it is today.

Carla is actively involved in the community and also started the Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament in memory of her father.

Her favorite quote is from Lee Iaccoca, “To succeed today, you must set priorities and decide what you stand for.”