If you spend enough time around Paula Lombard, there are a few regular sayings you may pick up on. The president of Wexco Industries and the parent company of AutoTex Windshield Wipers is known for insightful messages. “Always remember where you came from,” “Do great things and great things will happen,” and “always be fair … at all costs” are just a few in her repertoire.
Living by these types of lessons may be the reason that the entrepreneur was named the Automotive Aftermarket’s Woman of the Year by the Car Care Council’s Women’s Board. The Woman of the Year is chosen based on her longevity in the aftermarket, her career accomplishments, her leadership capabilities, and dedication to the automotive aftermarket industry.
“To say I am taken aback is an understatement,” said Lombard, the 23-year veteran of the automotive aftermarket industry. “I know so many great women in the automotive aftermarket, that it is beyond special for me to even be considered. I am, however, very proud of this accomplishment because of the tireless effort by everyone in our company. This is a testament to our dedicated employees.”
In 1991, Lombard began selling windshield wiper blades out of the trunk of her car in New Jersey. Since then, Wexco Industries has grown into one of the nation’s leading suppliers of windshield wiper blades to both the automotive and heavy-duty aftermarkets, according to the company. In 2009, Paula created the AutoTex PINK brand of wiper blades as a way to give back to the community, donating a percentage of sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) for sales in the United States and the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. Due to its many contributions, AutoTex PINK has achieved gold sponsorship with the NBCF in 2013, with a Platinum sponsorship for 2014 in their vision.
“Growing the AutoTex brand has been a very fun and rewarding experience. We have great products and a great team. On top of donating to the breast cancer cause with AutoTex PINK, we feel we can change our fans’ thoughts on basic car care, maintenance, and safety by making it fun and un-intimidating. That is our goal.”
For more on AutoTex, visit http://www.autotexwipers.com/.
