Jane Vaden Thacher, president and dealer principal of Vaden Automotive, was named one of the 2025 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by "Automotive News."
As president of Vaden Automotive, Thacher leads one of the largest woman-owned dealership groups in the country, with 13 dealerships across Georgia and South Carolina, including Vaden Hyundai in Statesboro.
According to a release, the company has not only expanded its footprint under her leadership, but invested in digital innovation and been consistently recognized for both customer satisfaction and workplace culture.
Thacher began her career in the family business and has held a range of operational and leadership roles before taking the helm. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and an active civic leader, serving on numerous boards and supporting initiatives in education, workforce development, and the arts.
The Vaden Automotive Group purchased the Nissan dealership in Statesboro from Cleve White in 2011. The dealership became Vaden Hyundai of Statesboro in May 2024 at its current showroom on Brannen Street, across from the Walmart Supercenter, in 2012.
At the Hyundai dealership's grand opening last year, Thacher said: "We knew it was going to be a great opportunity here when we made the switch to the Hyundai brand, but it has exceeded our expectations.
"We have entered a whole new chapter here at Vaden and we are excited about it," Thacher said. "We have been a part of the Statesboro community for a long time and have gotten to know so many folks. And we look forward to growing the opportunities here at Vaden in Statesboro.
The Statesboro location is Vaden's second Hyundai dealership in its group, with the other in Brunswick. Also, Vaden operates Chevrolet dealerships in Pooler, Savannah and Brunswick, along with a Chevrolet-GMC dealership in Beaufort, SC. It has Nissan dealerships in Hinesville, Savannah and Hilton Head, S.C. A Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealerships in Brunswick and Savannah and Infiniti and Genesis showrooms at separate locations in Hilton Head.
Thacher and her fellow honorees were featured in the May issue of Automotive News and celebrated at a gala at The Henry in Dearborn, Michigan.
100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry recognizes female leaders in the automotive field — those who make major decisions and have significant influence at their companies. Automotive News has published the list of the industry's top female executives every five years since 2000.
"Over the last 25 years, on six lists of Leading Women, Automotive News has honored 442 executives. This year's group of Leading Women has 24 presidents and CEOs and nine other C-suite executives; the first group, in 2000, had 14 presidents and CEOs and five others in the C-suite," said Mary Beth Vander Schaaf, Automotive News senior director of editorial operations.
The 2025 class of Automotive News' 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry was selected through a months-long nomination and judging process that attracted hundreds of entries from the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
"Our selection committee made many difficult decisions—it gets tougher every time," said Vander Schaaf. "The talented, powerful executives on this list are at the forefront of thousands of successful women in the auto industry."