Growing Together

Tina Le oversees operations across the CARSTAR locations owned and operated by the MK Auto Group, drawing on more than 15 years of experience that spans bookkeeping, customer service, auditing and leadership roles within collision repair. 

In her current role, she works with CARSTAR managers across 13 CARSTAR Collision and Glass locations and other automotive service locations to review performance, support staffing decisions and guide long-term operational planning.

After graduating with an accounting diploma, Le worked in the accounting department of a motorcycle dealership before spotting a bookkeeping posting on Kijiji in 2010. The role brought her into collision repair, where she worked in a small shop environment that required flexibility. Alongside accounting work, she handled customer service duties and stepped into detailing when the shop needed additional support.

"As I moved into accounting and auditing roles, I began to see the bigger picture. Auditing allowed me to travel between locations, learn different operations, identify opportunities for improvement, and understand what separated high-performing teams from those that struggled."

Those visits across multiple facilities gave her a practical view of how operational consistency and leadership style can directly influence cycle time, customer experience and overall performance.

"Success is rarely about systems alone — it's about people, culture and leadership." Her career progressed into area management and then director of operations, where her focus shifted further toward coaching managers and supporting the development of internal leaders across the organization. That includes working with location leaders on performance metrics, workflow efficiency and team development, as well as identifying gaps in training and operational alignment. CARSTAR multi-store franchisee and president of the MK Auto Group, Mark Kharfan, played a key role in that progression, encouraging her move from accounting into operations. Unsure about leaving her finance background, Le asked whether she could return to accounting if the transition did not work out. She was told yes.

"I don't look for perfect people — I look for people with the right mindset, the right attitude, and the willingness to grow. Everything else can be built from there."

When identifying future leaders, Le focuses on accountability, curiosity, consistency and how individuals interact within their teams across 13 CARSTAR locations. She places particular emphasis on whether employees take ownership of outcomes, adapt under pressure and support the people around them. Technical ability, she notes, can be trained, but behavior and mindset tend to determine long-term success.

While advancing her career, Le completed both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA while working full time. The experience strengthened her understanding of organizational strategy, leadership structure and business planning, while also deepening her interest in how culture impacts performance across multi-location operations.

Her MBA research focused on women in the automotive industry, including barriers to entry and advancement. In particular, she examined how visibility, mentorship and access to early exposure influence whether women pursue or remain in automotive and collision repair careers.

"When I first entered the automotive and collision repair industry, I didn't see many women in leadership or technical roles. Over time, I realized it wasn't because women couldn't do the work — it was because there weren't always clear pathways, visibility, or encouragement for them to enter the industry in the first place."

At CARSTAR, Le says she has seen more women move into estimating, administrative, operational and leadership roles over time, supported through internal development and hiring practices aimed at building long-term career pathways.

She also spends time outside operations working with schools and students exploring careers in collision repair and automotive trades. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she helped organize complimentary vehicle detailing for frontline workers across the communities the organization serves. She describes those efforts as part of a broader responsibility to remain connected to the communities that support the business.

Within operations, she emphasizes accountability as clarity. Defined expectations, consistent communication and support structures allow employees to take ownership of their roles while understanding how their work contributes to broader performance outcomes.

"The biggest challenge of leading an organization at this scale is balancing growth while maintaining the culture and values that got us here," she said. 

At CARSTAR, that balance sits alongside expansion planning, leadership development and ongoing efforts to strengthen internal training and retention across locations. Today, Tina supports multiple CARSTAR collision repair centres across Calgary and surrounding area.

Looking back, she describes her career as a progression built through exposure to different parts of the business, each role adding context to how operations function at scale. Asked what advice she would give her younger self, she points to patience and a willingness to take on roles before feeling fully ready.

When asked about legacy, she returns to people.

"If people can say that I led with integrity, held people accountable, cared deeply about others, and helped make a difference in their lives, then that's a legacy I would be proud of."