In celebration of Earth Day, our Green Team consultant Mike Kruse sat down with Judi Anderson for a special interview highlighting her passion for sustainability and the environment. Take a moment to read their conversation and get inspired by Judi’s commitment to CMA’s sustainability efforts!
Since the Green Action Team’s inception in 2021, Judi Anderson has played a key role in leading the group, under the direction of CMA’s CEO, Liza, and in close collaboration with Laura Campbell and many other team members. I’m continually impressed by how well Judi organizes and leads our monthly meetings, she’s truly the glue that keeps our team connected and moving forward. I recently had the privilege of interviewing Judi in honor of Earth Day and the four-year anniversary of CMA’s Green Action Team.
Judi, how did you get started at CMA?
“From 2011 through 2020, I was the Marketing Director for another automotive group, but I knew it was time for a change, and the pandemic really pushed me to rethink what I wanted. I reached out to Tim Cosgrove to ask about CMA. Was the culture as incredible as it seemed? Would it be the right fit for me? Tim didn’t hesitate; he gave me a very loud yes and helped set up a conversation with Matt Walsh. At the time, there wasn’t a position exactly like the one I had in mind, but customer experience is where my passion has always been. Over the next six months, I made my case for creating a role focused solely on retention, which Matt and I both saw as the holy grail. In September of 2020, I officially came on board as CMA’s Brand Engagement Manager, and since then, that role has grown into Senior Manager of Customer Experience.”
How do you like the job?
“I absolutely love it. This role is truly my passion, getting to focus every day on the customer experience, on building relationships and loyalty, it’s exactly what lights me up. I feel so fortunate to have a role that aligns so perfectly with what I believe in: putting people first, creating meaningful connections, and constantly finding ways to make things better for our customers and our teams. It’s more than just a job to me — it’s something I genuinely love doing.”
How did you get started with the Green Team?
“It all started when Liza mentioned that her husband, Pete, wanted to create a Green Team. I met with Pete, and from there, we hit the ground running. We started by surveying everyone across CMA to gauge interest, and then Pete and I traveled to all the different markets hosting lunch-and-learns to share the vision. We had about fifty people step up right away who were excited to get involved. Liza helped us by putting together our mission statement, we made T-shirts, started holding Zoom meetings, and just like that, the Green Team was born. I believe our very first meeting was in May of 2021.”
What was the first goal of the Green Team?
“Our very first goal as a Green Team was to eliminate plastic water bottles at CMA. We knew we wanted to start with something tangible, something that would make an immediate impact. It was a great first win that set the tone for everything we’ve worked on since.”
What did you discuss during the first Green Team call?
“During our very first Green Team call, we introduced our mission statement and focused heavily on our first major initiative, eliminating plastic water bottles. In those early days, I think we were only meeting quarterly. It was a hands-on effort, but it really helped build momentum and show what the Green Team was all about.”
How big was CMA when the Green Team got started?
“When the Green Team first got started, CMA wasn’t as big as it is today. Lynchburg and Rocky Mount weren’t part of CMA yet, and Martinsburg and Winchester were just in the process of joining us. It was an exciting time of growth, and the Green Team launched right in the middle of it.”
How has the Green Action Team changed over time?
“The Green Team has really evolved. In the beginning, we were passionate but a little overwhelmed, trying to do too much. With the help of Laura Campbell, and by mirroring her philanthropy template, we narrowed our focus to four key initiatives each year: our Sustainability Audit, Earth Day, Drive Electric Week, and National Recycling Day. Now, the team is smaller but mighty, we’re more organized, getting more done than ever, and even seeing people ask to join. It just keeps getting better.”
What do you see as some of the Green Action Team’s biggest accomplishments?
“As mentioned, one of our biggest accomplishments is eliminating plastic water bottles. We’ve made a lot of progress there and with recycling. Another major achievement is the annual sustainability audits, which have really grown in importance over the years. TV monitors in our dealerships are also a big win. These monitors are a public-facing platform where we can showcase our goals, share our progress, and lead by example. Dave Davis has been instrumental in making this happen, he’s our tech ‘Wizard of Oz,’ managing the software and pushing content to all CMA dealerships from his desk. And of course, launching our first EV boot camp and having certified EV Champions is another exciting milestone for being leaders in sustainability”
How can we create more big accomplishments, and what would you like to see moving forward?
“I believe sticking to four projects per year is the right approach for us. It allows everyone the time and space to focus on each initiative. Looking ahead, I’d love to see all our locations participate in a Green Dealer Program. While not every automaker has their own program, something like Plug Star Direct would be a good solution. I also think it’s important to highlight our team leaders to give them the recognition they deserve. Looking forward, I’d like to develop a Green Learning Lab or a user-friendly training program at CMA to help our associates learn more and inspire them to get involved.”
Anything else you’d like to share?
“People might not know this, but I wasn’t always passionate about sustainability. When I first took on this role, my passion was simply to learn and make a difference, that was enough to get started. Over time, that passion for learning has grown into a genuine love for this work. Now, sustainability is something I’m truly passionate about, and I’m proud to be part of this incredible team. The most important thing I want everyone to take away is that you don’t have to be the greenest person at CMA to make a difference. Anyone can get involved and contribute — together, we can all make an impact.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.