It all began with a ‘help wanted’ classified ad in a local newspaper.
“In 2010, my husband saw an ad for a job at a car dealership,” says Ashley-Rose Brown, General Sales Manager at London Honda. “He said, ‘You like cars. Why don’t you apply?’”
From a young age, Ashley-Rose has always been interested in cars, and being around cars. So, she applied for the advertised job, and was hired as a Leasing Administrator at London Honda. One of the requirements of that position involved calling lease portfolio clients.
“Sales has always come naturally to me,” says Ashley-Rose. “When I was younger, I sold T-shirts, midway passes, gym memberships and airplanes. I’ve been able to apply my passion for sales to the auto industry, and it’s developed into a fulfilling career.”
After two years, Ashley-Rose moved into the finance department, where she worked in various roles for the next ten years. “I credit our former dealer principal, Peter Johnson, who believed in me and gave me opportunities to work in other areas. His mentorship has been pivotal to my career.”
In 2018, Ashley-Rose was promoted to Senior Finance Manager, and in 2022 she became the Fixed Operations Manager at London Honda. “I’ve always sought new challenges, and being a fixed op manager was a challenge that I aspired to and readily accepted,” she says. “I saw opportunities for growth, especially in the service department.”
More recently, Ashley-Rose was promoted to General Sales Manager after the former GSM moved into the General Manager position. “I’m enjoying this new position immensely,” she says. “I like being part of the morning huddle, working with an outstanding sales team and making decisions that improve our performance.”
Ashley-Rose is happy to provide mentorship for anyone who wants to advance in their career. “I take my mentorship role quite seriously,” she says. “I have an open door policy, and I offer guidance and support for all of my co-workers anytime, regardless of their age or gender.”
Ashley-Rose admits that women are still outnumbered at most dealerships, but it’s slowly changing. “We’re seeing more women in leaderships positions all the time, which sends a message for women entering the profession that advancements and opportunities are available to them.”
To encourage more women to work in automotive, Ashley-Rose believes that more needs to be done at the high school level. “Teachers and guidance counsellors need to make students aware of the diverse career opportunities that exist in automotive.”
Ashley-Rose applauds the MVRO for organizing and hosting Women Driven events throughout the province. “I’ve attended several of these functions, which are great for the quality of speakers, for networking and for showcasing the achievements of women in automotive,” she says.
At the 2025 ACE Conference in Niagara Falls, Ashley-Rose was presented with a Women Driven Leadership Award in the category of Fixed Operations. “It’s an honour and a thrill to receive this prestigious award,” she says. “Congratulations to the winners in the other categories, and to all of the women who were nominated.”
What advice does Ashley-Rose have for young people considering a career in automotive? “Show up on time, be willing to learn, be consistently great, and have patience,” she says. “If you apply these basic principles, you can have a great career in this industry.”
When she isn’t working, Ashley-Rose enjoys spending time with her family (husband, two boys), being part of the Catholic Women’s League of Canada, participating in various fundraising initiatives, volunteering at long-term care facilities, following the NFL, travelling and reading.
“I’m blessed to have the life I have,” says Ashley-Rose “Every day is an adventure, on the home front, at the dealership and volunteering in the community. If there’s one thing I would change, however, it would be more collaboration between OEMs and dealers!”
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