Dan Kuegeman grew up working on cars with his dad, which naturally led him to tech roles at various automotive shops.
“I’ve always been interested in understanding the mechanics, ingenuity and engineering behind cars,” he explained.
So, when a friend told him about a job opening at Cox Automotive, Dan jumped on the opportunity. He’s now been with the company for more than four years.
Here, Dan talks about his upward growth at Cox, the value of learning to lead and the significance of pursuing passions beyond the workplace.
From fundamentals to future leaders
Dan started out as a condition report (CR) writer at Cox, where he was responsible for inspecting vehicles to determine if they were in top condition — or if they had any structural or mechanical issues — before they went to auction.
But Dan’s supervisor quickly recognized his abilities and believed he could do more — and soon he was moved to the commercial services department as a commercial services specialist.
“I was picking up on things pretty quickly,” Dan explained. “My knowledge as a CR writer gave me a solid fundamental understanding and helped me transition to this department, which is the jack-of-all-trades in the auction department.”
Then about two years ago, Dan’s manager suggested he apply for the future leaders program, a six-month development curriculum focused on building business and leadership skills. This experience helped Dan sharpen his communication and presentation skills, both of which have been essential for working with clients and teammates.
“It teaches you everything from recognizing character traits of coworkers and colleagues and how to lead with a purpose,” he explained. “It’s made our relationships 100 times better.”
Perhaps most importantly, the program helped Dan gain confidence in his abilities.
“It sparked a fire in me and made me believe I could move into more advanced roles,” he said.
Living a full life outside of work
When Dan is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his fiancée and their two dogs, especially hiking outdoors. Last year, they took a remote mountain cabin trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, where he popped the question in front of their pups.
“I thought it was just the right moment,” he said.
Both Dan and his fiancée come from large families in the Atlanta area, so they also enjoy spending a lot of quality time with their loved ones, including Dan’s five nieces and nephews. Dan said that while he is open to new opportunities within the company, he’s happy to have found such an amazing job right in his hometown.
Dan continues to fuel his passion for cars in his spare time as well; he likes restoring older cars — especially SAABs, a Swedish brand that was acquired by GM in the 2000s.
“Growing up, my dad always had a SAAB and was working on one, so they’re just a passion of mine,” he said.
Dan credits his leaders not only for encouraging him to grow, but also for providing him with flexibility to thrive in and out of work.
“They are super supportive and really open to adjusting our personal schedules, which is amazing,” he explained. In fact, he’s even been allowed to work part of the time from home, “which is incredible,” he said. “The work-life balance is the best I’ve had in any job.”
