Meet Stephanie Clark

Marketing Director, Bob Ruth Ford

The Start

"I never would have thought, passing by every day as a child, that I would one day head up marketing right there." 

Leadership came quickly to me; I have always been into sports and have had the privilege of captaining several sports teams. My father was my coach during the youthful years, and the impact he and my family, in general, had on my want and need to perform became more apparent the older I got. I grew up with a competitive older sister, we were always extremely close, and so much of what she did influenced me. 

We recently ran a ten-mile race and committed to crossing the finishing line together, but, I should have known better. She sprinted off ahead of me as we drew close to the finish line, just a few yards away! My sister both intentionally and unintentionally has taught me how to push myself in all areas of my life, and my parents held me to a high standard, which elevated the sense of responsibility I have always felt. 

Growing up in such a close-knit family unit, all really into sports, fostered a foundation driving how I interact with people today. I am that person in group projects that will make sure we get it across the line and perform to the highest standard. I have learned that leadership is key, but delegation and allowing others to take ownership through that process is a large part of that. It’s something I have had to learn, and as I build teams, I remain focused on this. 

 The Foundations

In high school, I was part of DECA, which is a business club. We worked as teams on business initiatives, and I was fortunate enough to travel to Atlanta, Georgia and Orlando, Florida to compete nationally. I enjoyed working with people and working on business concepts; this is what guided me in terms of what I wanted to focus on in college. 

After school, I had always planned to play soccer in college but tore my ACL in my senior year. (And have since torn the other…) That setback did not entirely kill the plan, and after playing my freshman year at a school that I had decided wasn’t for me, I knew I needed to transfer. After joining West Chester University in their Business Program, I found Greek Life, and in a way, the sense of community and commitment became a replacement for being on a sports team. We had to maintain good grades; we had to attend events and do charity work, a lot was always going on, and I loved being immersed in all the activities. 

I graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, and by early 2020, as COVID was beginning to take hold, I found myself in an interesting position. 

A friend I grew up with contacted me and introduced me to the dealership. The pandemic and, consequently, all the restrictions in place had severely impacted the automotive retail industry; everything was going digital, and the marketing landscape shifted drastically. The opportunity was there, I met with the management team, and I decided to take on the role of Marketing Representative. 

The Wins

“I packed up my life in Philadelphia and moved back to my hometown.”

It was a time of self-discovery and learning, filled with excitement and uncertainty. I remember feeling overwhelmed. Everything seemed new, but I took it upon myself to navigate the unknown.

I must admit there were moments of fear and nervousness. This was a completely foreign experience for me. In the beginning, my focus was on the small details, the little tasks that gradually built my understanding of the bigger picture. Looking back, it’s astonishing to realize how much I have grown since those early days.

What kept me going forward was my genuine passion for the work. I found great joy in what I was doing, which fueled my determination. I poured my heart and soul into honing my skills. I enrolled in various courses and embraced the opportunity to learn. I knew that my dedication would pave the way for future growth.

And it did. Today, I am entrusted with more responsibilities and focused on constantly expanding my knowledge. This May rounded off my third year in the Automotive Industry, now as the Marketing Director. So much has happened and so much has changed. 

The Future

I am invested in continuing to drive digital marketing for the Dealership and am specifically interested in social media. I realize that life has a way of leading us down unexpected paths. Through perseverance, discipline, willingness to learn, and hard work, I am transforming an unconventional start into a meaningful and fulfilling career.