Kimberly Shults shares her life/career journey as a guest on The Savvy List’s People Pursuing Passions podcast, hosted by Beverly Smirnis.
Kimberly notes that the word “plug-in” was left out when talking about the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It’s the #1 selling PHEV!
And since the time of taping and publication of the podcast, the Chrysler Pacifica is no longer the only minvan with a hybrid engine with the recent introduction of Toyota’s Sienna hybrid.
How it All Started
Kimberly was the child of native Texan parents who moved to Colorado, where she grew up. Their family vacation choice in Colorado was always an off-road adventure. But it wasn’t immediately obvious that she would later find her ideal career path in the automotive industry.
After majoring in Political Science and History at Colorado Christian University, while finishing up her masters degree at Baylor, she was tasked with going to various events and gatherings to represent the university to prospective students. Kimberly so enjoyed this experience that she became enamored with the field of Public Relations.
A Position with Quaker State Brings Two Passions Full Circle
From there, her proactive career search led her to an interview with Quaker State Motor Oil. “When I heard that Quaker State was moving their headquarters to Dallas, I reached out to them to see if they needed someone in a communications position to acclimate them to the Texas culture,” Kimberly recounts. In her job interview, it came up that she knew how to do an oil change, which helped sell Quaker State on hiring her. So, it was in that position with Quaker State that Kimberly was first able to combine two of her passions.Her love of all things automotive and her natural gift for communicating and promoting began to come full circle.
Kimberly Still Enjoys an Exciting Career in PR for the Automotive Industry
For the past 19 years, Kimberly has served as a media intelligence expert, company spokesperson and community relations liaison. And she transitioned along with the various transitions of the Chrysler Corporation that she started with. Chrysler became Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) before becoming the American subsidiary of the multinational Stellantis automotive company.
Kimberly is now charged with conducting the regional press activities for Chrysler, Jeep®, Dodge, Ram, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Mopar brands for Stellantis across 11 states. This entails product launches, executive-speaking engagements, media desk-side briefings, auto show introductions and social media, and overseeing the Stellantis press fleet and the company’s relationships with over 400 automotive and consumer media throughout the region.
An Industry that Champions Passion and the Work-Life Balance
“It has been wonderful to be part of an industry and a company that champions passion. Its employees are doing what they love. And each of its brands have a passionate following of enthusiasts,” Kimberly said in her podcast interview with Beverly Smirnis.
Kimberly also talked about the work-life balance that she has enjoyed along the way, long before the work-from-home concept was mainstream.
Advice for Young Adults Starting Out in Their Education and Career Pursuits
“Pay Attention to What Drives Your Passion! Give 110%. And be observant and assertive.”
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