Podcast 31: Inside Automotive Accounting with Melissa Rourke and Jessica Butler
From career beginnings to leadership insights, Jessica Butler and Melissa Rourke show how strong accounting leadership powers the CMA engine.
Hosted by Chris Heinz
How do two women go from vastly different beginnings to leading accounting across multiple automotive markets?
In this episode, we sit down with Jessica Butler and Melissa Rourke, two newly promoted regional controllers at CMA, to explore the essential role accounting plays in the automotive industry. They share what a typical week looks like, how they support multiple stores, and the leadership lessons they've learned along the way. From Jessica’s journey starting as a nanny to Melissa’s deep family roots in the car business, their stories highlight diverse paths to success. They also discuss how their personal strengths shape their leadership styles and how they balance people management with financial precision. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the people who keep the numbers—and the business—running smoothly.
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Accounting might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the automotive business, but behind every sale, service, and operation is a team keeping the numbers straight and the business accountable. In a recent episode of the CMA podcast, we sat down with Jessica Butler and Melissa Rourke, two recently promoted regional controllers, who offered a rare glimpse into their world. With a combined 27 years at CMA, Jessica and Melissa share not only a deep love for the work they do but also a thoughtful approach to leadership, operations, and growth within a fast-paced industry.
Both Jessica and Melissa oversee multiple markets and dealerships, coordinating accounting operations, managing teams, and ensuring accuracy across the board. Their weekly routines involve site visits, staff support, financial reviews, and navigating miles of highway—often accompanied by true crime or self-growth podcasts. As Jessica says, “Ultimately, I feel like I’m responsible for anything that happens in this region,” a sentiment Melissa echoes as she balances oversight with mentorship and precision.
Their paths to leadership couldn’t be more different. Jessica began her career as a nanny—including for CMA’s CEO—before entering the accounting world at CMA. Her growth from assistant to regional controller is a testament to dedication, aptitude, and organizational trust. Melissa, on the other hand, comes from a long family history in the automotive industry, having worked nearly every role in a dealership except turning wrenches. With a strong foundation in operations and a drive for continuous improvement, Melissa thrives on solving problems and meeting challenges head-on.
Despite their different backgrounds, both women share a commitment to people. Jessica leads with harmony, development, and consistency, aiming for a smooth, fair, and encouraging work environment. Melissa, with strengths like responsibility and restorative problem-solving, focuses on executing tasks with excellence and helping others do the same. Together, they reflect two sides of great leadership—building strong systems and nurturing strong teams. They also model how professional strengths, when understood and applied well, can complement any role.
What do they love most about their jobs? The people, the impact, and the sense of family at CMA. From being respected for their opinions to participating in an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), both Jessica and Melissa say they’ve found something unique in CMA’s culture—an organization that values its people as much as it values performance. As Melissa says, “We are truly moving lives forward in more ways than one.” And as Jessica reminds us, even in the background, accounting plays a central role in driving success.