Life at OPENLANE: Q&A with Timothy Hladon, Group Product Manager, PAR
In this Q&A, Tim shares his journey at OPENLANE, what skills aid in his success and what he’s most proud of.
What has your journey at OPENLANE looked like?
During my four and a half years at OPENLANE, I have served as Manager of Product Management/Group Product Manager, focusing on PAR North America’s digital product strategy. In this role, I’ve significantly contributed to transforming our technology and culture, leading to improvements in application reliability and speed, as well as the successful launch of new products. Specifically over the past year, the technology team has excelled at developing innovative solutions to long-standing issues and advancing new products that are coming soon.
What’s something you are most proud of during your time here?
During my time here, technology and business leadership have worked together to overcome the challenges of our legacy technologies by creating a culture and environment of true collaboration. Close collaboration has created end-user enablement and allowed innovation to flourish.
What do you like most about working at OPENLANE?
I can genuinely say that I have never experienced such a profound sense of excitement and eagerness to come to work each day. The dynamic collaboration between operations and technology consistently presents a stimulating array of challenges, ensuring there is never a shortage of opportunities for growth and problem-solving. This continuous influx of newness, coupled with an inherent environment of innovation, provides me with a platform to not only expand my knowledge and skills but also to consistently deliver exceptional results. The fast-paced nature of our work, combined with the supportive and forward-thinking culture, fosters a sense of purpose and accomplishment that makes every day rewarding.
Which one of your skills assisted you the most with your success?
I firmly believe that success is driven by leveraging one’s complete set of skills and experiences. However, coming from a non-traditional background marked by numerous disadvantages, I can confidently say that my refusal to give up and my strength of perseverance have consistently kept me focused on achieving my objectives.
What is a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
The song Punkrocker by Iggy Pop which plays in the last scene of the new Superman movie. The scene really stands out as a great way to encapsulate what Superman stands for which is hope and having hope is punk rock!
