Alyssa McKeown began her career in 2000 as a funding analyst with AmeriCredit with no thoughts of working in the automotive industry.
Her next job was as an area sales rep at Wells Fargo Auto Finance, where she called on dealerships and was responsible for generating sales for Wells Fargo in a designated territory. “A dealer principal [Rick McCall] at one of the stores offered me a job in the finance office,” says Alyssa, General Manager and Managing Partner at Forbes GM in Waterloo. “He guaranteed my salary and so I made the leap, in 2006.”
Alyssa soon learned the F&I side of the business and hasn’t looked back. In 2009, Alyssa was approached by a dealership in Guelph to join as its first Finance Manager. Again, this was new territory for Alyssa, but she embraced her new role with optimism and confidence in her abilities.
“Becoming a Finance Manager was a turning point in my career,” says Alyssa, who is the proud recipient of the Women Driven Influencer and Advocacy Award for 2024. “I’ve always enjoyed a challenge, and working as a Finance Manager and seeing positive results from my efforts fueled my confidence.”
In 2015, Alyssa accepted an offer to become a General Sales Manager, at Kitchener Ford, and in 2019 she was promoted to General Manager at Kitchener Hyundai. In 2022, Alyssa accepted another position, this time as Managing Partner at Forbes GM in Waterloo.
“It’s been a long road to Managing Partner,” says Alyssa “I’ve had the privilege in learning from great mentors and seizing opportunities as they became available. The one constant in my career has been embracing change, and helping my teams embrace change as well.”
Throughout her successful, storied career, Alyssa has led her teams with empathy and fairness. “I have tried to create a positive, supportive working environment for everyone, and encourage those individuals who want to advance their careers,” she says.
When Alyssa first began working in the retail auto industry, it was primarily a male-dominant industry. “We’ve seen tremendous rise in the number of women working at dealerships in the past two decades, and today women are working and excelling in all areas,” says Alyssa. “As an industry, we need to keep that momentum going.”
Alyssa adds that more work needs to be done to encourage more women to consider a career in automotive. “The Women Driven events are great at promoting the successes of women and the career options available to women,” she says. “I’ve attended several of these events which are terrific for networking and hearing from women leaders. It would be great to see women curious about joining this industry attending these events, too.”
Alyssa’s knows firsthand the importance of striving for greater gender parity inside dealerships. At Forbes GM, women occupy several senior positions, including GSM, Pre-Owned Sales Manager, Financial Services Manager and Assistant Collision Centre Manager. “Women tend to bring a different chemistry to their roles, and it’s no secret that companies with a diverse workforce perform better in the marketplace.”
For Alyssa, creating a positive environment extends to the community as well. In 2023, she introduced free weekly yoga classes at Forbes GM on Sundays, which provide a range of health benefits and brings people together. “The yoga classes have become extremely popular – it’s great see so many people enjoying and benefiting from these classes.”
What advice does Alyssa have for younger women who might be considering a career in automotive? “Jump in and try it,” she says. “There are many opportunities in a dealership where you can have a long and fulfilling career and earn a very good living as well.”
Alyssa points out that success in automotive requires hard work and dedication. “Some days will be harder than others and you’ll need a thick skin,” she says. “But my advice would be to power through the tough days and don’t give up.”
When she isn’t working, Alyssa enjoys spending time with her Fiancé, travelling and reading. “It’s important unplug and recharge from time to time,” she says, “otherwise you’ll burn out.”
Nominations for the Women Driven Leadership Awards is now open!
Help us celebrate the amazing women in automotive who have helped guide, mentor, support, and care for our industry. The 2025 MVRO Women Driven Leadership Awards are segmented into five categories. Using the nomination forms below you will have 2,000 characters to outline how your nominee fits the leadership award criteria.
You are allowed to submit more than one nomination per award category. Dealerships are allowed to submit more than one nominee per award. Winners will be announced at the 2025 Automotive Conference & Expo on October 16.
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