Cox Automotive Presents Diane Maher with 2025 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award
Diane Maher, president and chief strategy officer of DP Fox Ventures LLC and president and chief operating officer at Fox Motor Group, has been honored as the 2025 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year.
Maher is recognized for her leadership in the automotive industry, community advocacy and notable philanthropic efforts.
The Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award includes a $10,000 donation to a charity of the winner's choice and a $10,000 Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship for a Northwood University student.
ATLANTA, Jan. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive announces Diane Maher, president and chief strategy officer of DP Fox Ventures LLC and president and chief operating officer at Fox Motor Group, as the 2025 Barbara Cox Woman of the Year. 2025 marks the 20th presentation of the award, named in honor of the late Barbara Cox, a trailblazer in the business world and a director of Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Automotive. The annual award recognizes women who have made outstanding contributions to the automotive industry, championed community advocacy and demonstrated leadership.
'Recognizing and celebrating remarkable women leaders in the automotive industry is deeply rooted in our values at Cox Automotive,' said Steve Rowley, president of Cox Automotive. 'Barbara Cox, the namesake of this award, was a true pioneer – an entrepreneur, philanthropist and advocate for women in business. Diane Maher embodies that same spirit. Her success in leading DP Fox Ventures and Fox Motors, her unwavering commitment to improving her community, and her example of hard work and humility inspire us all, especially women aspiring to leadership in this industry.'
The honor was presented during the Northwood Dealer Education Awards on Jan. 25, 2025, at the NADA Show. Along with the prestigious recognition, Maher will designate a $10,000 donation to the charity of her choice. Furthermore, Cox Automotive will award a $10,000 scholarship to Brooke Englehardt, a junior at Northwood University, home to the nation's leading Automotive Marketing and Management program.
'Barbara Cox was not just ahead of her time – she was a trailblazer whose passion for cars, business, family, and community continues to inspire countless others, including me,' said Maher. 'Like Barbara, I have always believed in making an impact through my passions. These donations continue Barbara's legacy by providing financial support and encouragement to Brooke at Northwood and supporting a charity that is important to my community – One Starfish Foundation. These enduring gifts reflect her ideals and remind us all of the power of a life well lived. Cheers to Barbara Cox, her family, and the lasting impact they continue to make in our industry!'
A Visionary Leader with a Legacy of Excellence
Maher oversees operations at 43 locations and 51 brands at Fox Motors, a division of DP Fox Ventures LLC, a diversified management company with interests in transportation, sports and entertainment, fashion and retail, resort management and real estate. With a workforce of 2,175 under her leadership, Maher has played a key role in shaping her organization's growth.
Joining DP Fox as vice president of Finance in 1993, she oversaw the acquisition of all Fox Motors dealerships since 2000. Before her role at DP Fox, Maher built a strong financial foundation at Deloitte & Touche LLP as an audit manager and consultant.
Her expertise extends beyond professional accomplishments. Maher founded the One StarFish Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to dismantling stigma and providing resources for individuals impacted by mental illness, homelessness and incarceration. She also lends her leadership to boards such as Our Daily Bread Ministries and the West Michigan Policy Forum.
Maher, a certified public accountant since 1987 and a Ferris State University graduate, has impacted both the automotive sector and her local community in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
DP Fox Ventures and Fox Motors
DP Fox Ventures LLC, home to Fox Motors, represents an extensive portfolio across multiple industries. Fox Motors stands out as a retail automotive leader recognized for innovation and growth. With over three decades of leadership at Fox Motors, Maher's strategic insights have driven lasting success for both the organization and its employees.
Northwood University Student Receives $10,000 2024-2025 Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship
In addition to presenting the award to Maher, Cox Automotive will also award the 2024-2025 Barbara Cox Memorial Scholarship of $10,000 to Brooke Engelhardt, a marketing major from Saline, Michigan, on behalf of the honoree. Engelhardt is currently in her junior year and served as the chief marketing officer for the 2024 Northwood University International Auto Show. Furthermore, she is recognized as one of Northwood's Fresh Air ambassadors, a role that highlights her embodiment of the university's values, which include freedom, respect, empathy, spirituality, honesty, achievement, integrity and responsibility.
About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive is the world's largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, auto manufacturers, dealers, lenders and fleets. The company has 29,000+ employees on five continents and a portfolio of industry-leading brands that include Autotrader®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, vAuto®, Dealertrack®, NextGear Capital™, CentralDispatch® and FleetNet America®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-based company with $22 billion in annual revenue. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Car buyers should shop these brands for the best tariff deal
So far, 2025 has been a great year for car buyers. Because of the uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's trade war, car buyers are flocking to dealers to take advantage of current prices before vehicles imported after Liberation Day hit dealer lots. Those vehicles will be subject to the 25% tariffs Trump has placed on foreign car imports. This, plus the 25% additional tariff on auto parts, has motivated potential car buyers. Related: Car buyers notice a disturbing trend at the car lot U.S. car inventory rose during the pandemic, reversing a decades-long decline. Inventory had remained elevated, until this year. Car buyers looking to take advantage of dealers who were also motivated to sell off inventory before the tariffs hit snatched up as much inventory as they could. "Dealers have a front-line view of the U.S. auto market, which appears to be at an inflection point," said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke last month. "The recent sales pace has been a positive, lifting current market sentiment higher for franchised dealers." Auto dealers' customer traffic index rose to 37 from 33 in Q1 last year. Franchised dealers reported a 10-point increase in in-person visits, the largest increase since the metric was introduced in Q3 2022, according to Cox. "People are buying cars because they think tariffs are coming," one Mazda dealer said. Now, a new report from Kelley Blue Book suggests the buyers' market will last a while. Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images To get customers through the door, car dealers offered nearly every incentive under the sun while also keeping base prices steady. The average transaction price of a new vehicle (ATP) remained steady at $48,799 in May. Last May, ATp rose 1%, according to Cox Automotive's KBB. However, new vehicle sales did slow in the month. Dealers were on pace to sell 15.6 million vehicles at an annualized rate in May; that number is down from 17.3 million in April. Some dealers offered incentives to combat declining demand. KBB estimates that new vehicle incentives increased slightly to 6.8% in May ($3,297). However, the majority of automakers reported reducing incentive spending in May. Dealers like Volkswagen, Mazda, Land Rover, Volvo, and BMW all reduced incentive spending by more than 10%. Incentives were also notably lower month over month for Stellantis. However, other car companies ramped up their incentive programs. Tesla, Toyota, and Nissan all significantly increased incentive spending in May. Toyota increased its incentive spending by over 20%, but its 4.1% May reading is still well below the industry average. Meanwhile, Tesla's average transaction prices fell 1.5% in May to $55,277. Year over year, Tesla prices are down nearly 3%. Two models did buck that trend, as the Model 3 and Cybertruck both saw price increases during the month. Related: New car prices are rising; here's where to get the best deal EV incentives were especially generous last month, jumping to 14.2% ($8,225) from 11.6% in April. "While tariff policy is adding uncertainty to the new-vehicle market, prices are holding remarkably steady, a reminder that auto industry change is often slow," said Cox Automotive Executive Analyst Erin Keating. "We are still expecting prices to move higher through the summer, as the inflationary impact of tariffs begins to hit." Cooler-than-expected inflation data has some economists scratching their heads. It has been over two months since Trump rolled out his tariffs, but the inflation expected from the import taxes hasn't hit yet. The consumer price index rose to 2.4% this week, short of analyst expectations of a 2.5% increase. If consumers aren't feeling the pain, producers must be. "Right now, we believe dealer profitability is being squeezed, as costs on many products are going up, but raising retail prices in this environment is a real challenge," Keating said. So consumers can enjoy the buyers' market for now, but shouldn't expect producers to bite the bullet for much longer. Related: Car dealers are worried, and it could be great news for car buyers The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
CNBC
13 hours ago
- CNBC
Planning to buy a new car? It may make sense to act now—before tariffs push prices higher
If you're shopping for a new car, you might want to act now before tariffs push prices higher. That's because sticker prices are still hovering near pre-tariff levels, in part because many models on dealer lots were built before the new rules took effect. "There's a lot of uncertainty, but retail prices are holding pretty steady," says Mark Schirmer, a spokesperson for Cox Automotive. In May, the average transaction price for a new vehicle was $48,799, virtually unchanged from April, according to Cox's data. "We're not quite seeing the full impact of the tariffs yet," says Joseph Yoon, consumer insights analyst at Edmunds. The automotive research firm's data shows monthly payments on new loans for both new and used vehicles rose slightly in May — an increase in line with typical month-to-month changes. As of June, the Trump administration has imposed a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and many foreign-made auto parts. The policy includes temporary exemptions for some components from USMCA countries, announced in April, but most imports still face added costs. These new auto tariffs come on top of metal import duties — including steel and aluminum tariffs as high as 50% — that are already driving up costs across the auto supply chain, even for vehicles assembled in the U.S. "There are significant tariffs on the auto industry right now," Schirmer says. "The reality is, tariffs are inflationary," and with those added costs, car prices will increase "unless something changes drastically in the near term." Instead of raising sticker prices, automakers have largely absorbed costs through scaled back rebates and financing deals since April, according to The Detroit News. "We believe dealers and automakers are getting squeezed a little bit on pricing," with dealers reporting lower profits in the second quarter compared with earlier this year, says Schirmer. So far, they've mostly held the line on retail pricing, but it's not clear how long that can last, he says. And while there was a tariff-driven buying surge in March and April, sales declined in May, according to Cox Automotive data, suggesting that many consumers may be holding back on big purchases amid economic uncertainty. That slowdown has helped keep prices flat, says Schirmer. Another reason prices haven't soared: Most vehicles currently on dealer lots were built before the tariffs took effect. But that inventory is running out, says Schirmer. As dealer inventory turns over, newer models are more likely to reflect higher costs. Ford and Subaru have already raised prices on some vehicles by as much as $2,000, and more increases are likely to follow. Depending on the model, tariffs could add anywhere from $2,000 to more than $15,000 to the cost of a new vehicle, according to estimates from the Anderson Economic Group. Uncertainty is a recurring theme when it comes to tariffs — and the auto market is no exception. It's still largely unclear how prices might change or when that might be, says Yoon. But with auto loan interest rates expected to stay relatively stable through the rest of the year, buying now can make sense if the financing works for your budget, he says. Used cars or leases could also be smart alternatives to buying new models, especially if they help lower monthly costs. Either way, "if the car you want to buy is available, you should just go buy it," Yoon says.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
EV Connector Market Size to Surge to USD 12.39 Billion by 2031, Driven by 25.3% CAGR
NEW YORK, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new comprehensive report from The Insight Partners, the global EV connector market is observing significant growth owing to increasing integration of electronics and infotainment systems in automotive vehicles. The report runs an in-depth analysis of market trends, key players, and future opportunities. In general, the EV connector market comprises a vast array of type, connection type, application, propulsion type, and voltage which are expected to register strength during the coming years. To explore the valuable insights in the EV Connector Market report, you can easily download a sample PDF of the report – Overview of Report Findings Market Growth: The EV connector market size was valued at US$ 2.58 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 12.39 billion by 2031; it is estimated to record a CAGR of 25.3% from 2025 to 2031. Government incentives for electric vehicle (EV) purchases are driving global demand for EV connectors. For example, the Chinese government is actively promoting the adoption of electric vehicles over traditional fuel-powered cars through substantial investments and subsidies. Similarly, countries such as the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, and China are pursuing ambitious goals to transition to zero-emission vehicles. As electric vehicles gain popularity worldwide, there is a direct correlation between this shift and the growing demand for fast-charging EV connectors. Increasing Integration of Electronics and Infotainment Systems in Automotive Vehicles: The increasing integration of electronic and infotainment systems in automobiles is a major driver for the EV connector market. Modern infotainment systems equipped with features such as high-resolution displays, navigation, internet connectivity, and advanced audio systems require a high data transfer rate to function precisely. EV connectors are specifically designed to transmit data at faster speeds, ensuring a seamless user experience and optimal system performance. The automotive industry is constantly innovating by integrating more and more electronic features into vehicles. This includes advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous driving features, and telematics, all of which rely on high-speed data communication between various components. EV connectors play a crucial role in enabling these features by providing reliable and efficient data transfer between sensors, cameras, control units, and other electronic systems. Regional Overview: The EV connector market in North America is segmented into the US, Canada, and Mexico. The market growth in this region is attributed to the growing electric vehicle sales and production in the region. According to the report by Cox Automotive, ~300,000 new electric vehicles were sold in the US in Q1 2025, which was an increase of 11.4% compared to Q1 2024. In Q1 2025, General Motors brands sold over 30,000 EVs, nearly doubling the volume from 2024 and surpassing both Ford Motor Company and Hyundai Group. In addition, Honda and Acura sold more than 14,000 EVs in the US market in Q1 2025. This increase in EV sales and production is boosting the demand for EV connectors in the region. These connectors are critical components in the EV charging infrastructure, as they enable electric vehicles to connect to a power source (charging station) to recharge their batteries. Thus, the growing sales and production of EVs in the region are expected to fuel the growth of the EV connector market. Geographical Insights: Asia Pacific dominated the EV connector market in 2024. Europe is the second-largest contributor to the global EV connector market, followed by North America. For Detailed EV Connector Market Insights, Visit: Market Segmentation Based on type, the EV connector market is divided into sealed connector system and unsealed connector system. The sealed connector segment held the largest share in the EV Connector market in 2024. In terms of connection type, the EV connector market is categorized into wire-to-wire connection, wire-to-board connection, and board-to-board connection. The wire-to-wire connectors segment held the largest share in the EV connector market in 2024. On the basis of propulsion type, the EV connector is segmented into battery electric vehicle, plug-in hybrid vehicle, fuel cell electric vehicle, and hybrid electric vehicle. The battery electric vehicle segment held the largest share in the EV connector market in 2024. Based on voltage, the EV connector market is divided into low voltage (110V to 240V), medium voltage (240V to 400V), and high voltage (400V to 1000V and above). The high voltage segment held the largest share in the EV connector market in 2024. On the basis of application, the EV connector market is categorized into ADAS and safety system, body control and interiors, infotainment system, engine management and powertrain, battery management system, vehicle lighting, and others. The ADAS and safety system segment held the largest share in the EV connector market in 2024. Stay Updated on The Latest EV Connector Market Trends: Competitive Strategy and Development Key Players: Major companies operating in the EV connector market include Aptiv Plc; TE Connectivity Ltd; Molex LLC; Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH & Co KG; Guchen Electronics; Amphenol Corporation; and Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, Ltd.; Yazaki Corp; Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd; and KYOCERA Corporation. Trending Topics: EV Charging, Charging Infrastructure, and Fast Charging, among others Global Headlines " Rosenberger launched the high-voltage product series HVU 48, HVU 50, and HVU 400 are specifically developed for modern EVs, shaping the future of electromobility. Cost-effective and tailored to the use case, these connectors are reduced to the purpose of transmitting power while maintaining high-voltage safety." "JAE expanded its MX80 Series of compact, waterproof inline connectors for automotive applications by adding a 12-position option to the existing lineup of 2, 3, 4, and 6-position lineups. An 8-position option is also under development and is scheduled for future release." Purchase Premium Copy of Global EV Connector Market Size and Growth Report (2021-2031) at: Conclusion The increasing focus on road safety and the rapid advancement of autonomous driving technologies are driving a higher demand for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. These systems rely on a network of sensors and actuators, which in turn require dependable, high-performance EV connectors to function smoothly. Additionally, developments in lighting technologies, such as adaptive headlights and LED systems, are creating a need for more compact connectors. Alongside ADAS and advanced lighting, battery management systems (BMS) require various connectors to effectively monitor and control the complexities of modern battery packs. Moreover, high-voltage systems require specialized connector designs to ensure both safety and efficiency. The report from The Insight Partners, therefore, provides several stakeholders—including raw material suppliers, component providers, EV connector manufacturers, EV connector distributors, and end users —with valuable insights into how to successfully navigate this evolving market landscape and unlock new opportunities. For More latest Electronics and Semiconductor Research Reports - Trending Related Reports: About Us: The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We specialize in industries such as Semiconductor and Electronics, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Biotechnology, Healthcare IT, Manufacturing and Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Media and Telecommunications, Chemicals and Materials. Contact Us: If you have any queries about this report or if you would like further information, please contact us: Contact Person: Ankit MathurE-mail: +1-646-491-9876 Logo: View original content: SOURCE The Insight Partners
