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Women's Leadership Conference prompts Lithia's own version Event patterned after Southern Oregon Women's Leadership Conference Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:44 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:44 PM » Social News Lithia Motors' Barbara Perkins found so much to like about the annual Southern Oregon Women's Leadership Conference that she decided to start her own version. While the regional event is scheduled Friday, May 15, at Rogue Valley Country Club, Perkins, assistant vice president for human resources, is conducting a four-day conference at Lithia aimed at furthering women's professional skills. "The leadership conference is a full-day event, so it prohibits many women from coming," Perkins said. "We can't have all of our women gone for a full day. I wanted to take some of the benefits and share it with more women." With that in mind, Perkins set up Lithia Leadership Week for Lithia's headquarters and local dealership staff. While the auto industry nationally is heavily dominated by men — some measures report as much as 97 percent — women account for about 25 percent of the Medford auto retailer's 10,000 corporate-wide staff. Perkins got her start in the industry with FirstAmerica Automotive in the Bay Area in 1998 as a human resources director before the company was absorbed by Sonic Automotive. "Historically, the automotive industry has not necessarily attracted women," Perkins said. "We find talent where it is. Anything we can do to see that women consider Lithia, or the auto industry overall, as a possible career option, we certainly want to encourage it. We want to see more people in the dealership side, sales, service and management positions." Susan Scarola, former vice chair for DCH Auto, and Rebecca Clark Carey, voice and text director at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, will be live presenters. Video content will come from several business leaders, including Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer at Facebook; PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, and BBC World News America anchor Katty Kay. Although the live interaction is limited to 70 participants daily, materials will be available for distribution throughout Lithia Motor's coast-to-coast operations, which include between 2,000 and 3,000 women. "I want everyone who comes to be inspired by at least one of the things covered for their personal development," Perkins said. "We'll challenge participants to pay it forward and share what they want to develop with other women in their team." This go-round is internal, because of space limitations, she said. "But I'm open to what a future event looks like." The Southern Oregon Women's Leadership Conference is sold out. The event features motivational speaker and author Susan Ershler, who has scaled the highest peaks on seven continents, and Geneva Craig, AARP Oregon’s chair of the Diversity Advisory Council and clinical program coordinator of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Center at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at www.mailtribune.com/EconomicEdge By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 4, 2015 at 5:23 PM Updated May 4, 2015 at 5:44 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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