Robert Pena Travels to California as Mazda Spotlight Challenge Finalist

Robert Pena with President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations Masahiro Moro

Mazda wants consumers to start looking at them as a more premium type of car company. This change in direction begins with the way they treat their employees, and the programs and incentives they are offering to them. 

Robert Pena, sales associate at Hall Mazda Virginia Beach, took advantage of the Mazda Spotlight Challenge and received the star treatment when he was chosen as one of 10 nationwide winners for an all-expense paid trip to California to compete at the national level.

The Mazda Spotlight Challenge was a video submission of the employee going through the delivery process with a customer. This 10-minute video started with a customer leaving the finance department and walking through the steps that the Mazda employee needed to do to make the experience the best it can be. 

Out of the entire country, Mazda chose 5 winners from sales and 5 winners from service to converge on Irvine, California and the Mazda North America Headquarters to compete in another delivery process mock-up, this time in front of a panel of judges.

While in Irvine, Robert received royal treatment from the corporate offic. Mazda took them on excursions, including dolphin watching, introduced them to the President of Mazda North America and let them tour the Mazda North America HQ.

“It was an honor and a privilege to be a part of this program and to win this special trip,” Robert said. “I was interested in staying through the weekend after the competition, and Mazda changed my flight at no extra cost with no issues. Mazda is really stepping up their game and I’m excited to see what direction we’re going in.”