Tossing the name Kitty Van Bortel around conjures up wonderful, romantic notions. Could she be a European baroness? Traversing Europe in a private jet with assistants at her beck and call all hours of the day and night? Or a famous romance novelist traveling the world in search of rare, sensual pleasures and a delicate twist of a phrase with which to begin her next best seller? Or the Meryl Streep of the Genesee Valley with kind eyes which speak for her and the ability to warm a roomful of people almost instantly?

In reality, Kitty Van Bortel is none of those things, yet more enchanting than the sum of all of them. At a quietly seductive 53 years old, the wife, mother and owner of two famously successful Rochester automobile dealerships (Van Bortel Subaru and Van Bortel Ford, both located in Victor) employs 140, has survived breast cancer and has won more sales and service awards than Ms. Streep, at 58, has received nominations for Academy Awards.

Romancing the Notion from Home
Subaru's own slogan couldn't say it any better: Think. Feel. Drive. Kitty thinks and feels like her customers do when considering how she can help them select a vehicle which is driven by their individual needs. In 1985, she began conducting business from the doorstep of her home. Cars lined the driveway and the customers soon followed.

A savvy sales rep turned business owner, she could surely teach the most privileged baroness, nubile romance novelist or aspiring celebrity a thing or two about life, love and success with humility-and empathy. That last trait, Kitty says, is one she began romancing at an early age.

"I can remember when we moved into this little house on a corner lot," she reminisces. "I was 8 years old. This woman used to walk by every morning while I was sitting outside. One day I said to her, 'C'mon in and have coffee with my mother.' They became great friends!"

She says a degree in psychology, a love of communicating and time spent "figuring out what makes people tick" have all contributed to her ability to help people buy cars with confidence. But philanthropic acts in support of the community and a reputation she's worked hard for more than 20 years to establish can become construed as, "Well, she's all set!" When, in reality, even established businesses need to attract new customers.

"One thing that's kind of funny about being what you can call, I guess, 'successful' is that you really feel-at least, I do-exactly the same on the inside. You know? You don't feel any different but, as you progress, people from the outside treat you differently. When you first start a business people are very interested in helping you because you're new. And then it seems as though it's almost the opposite. It's not that people are cruel or unkind but they don't recognize that you still need their business and that every year expenses increase."

One way she combats that shift in mindset is by ending public speaking engagements with a playful but serious invitation: "If you're buying a Ford or Subaru, come on down!"

"There's always a fine line, especially being a woman," she says of that kind of assertiveness. "When you are aggressive, you're construed as being (talking now in a hushed tone) a bitch. If you're passionate, you're construed as being weak or emotional. 'Why do you have to be so emotional?' How many times have I heard that in my lifetime?

"It's hard to build a business unless you're just absolutely, totally into it. One thing that's really helped is being successful; when you become successful people will listen. The hardest part is when you're young and passionate and a woman," Kitty says. She tosses her head back and lets out a cautionary, don't-go-there "Nuh-uh! Basically speaking, you do, by 53, start to develop some clout, if for age alone."
Two years ago, Kitty was diagnosed with breast cancer. She considers herself lucky for having found out while the disease was still in the early stages of development.
"Since I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I've taken a lot more time off…it really does change your life-there's no question about that! Women often don't take the time to care for themselves. They're busy taking care of everybody else. But if they don't take care of themselves, they're not going to be able to take care of the people they really care about."

Or take care of business.

It's a Family Affair
Kitty shares ownership of Van Bortel Ford with her brother Howard G. Van Bortel, who is three years her junior. "Kind-hearted" is how he sums his sister up before adding, "She has always worked really hard at whatever she did or was into." Kitty oversees the fleet and service divisions of the Ford dealership. Howard passes most of the credit on to his big sister.

"We always wanted to have a business together. We talked about it years ago. Then I got involved in buying and selling aircraft and ended up moving my business to Dallas. I came home in 1999 and right about that time Ford came to my sister and asked if she wanted one of the dealerships they owned in Rochester."
The way he places his emphasis is telling; there's no disguising his pride.
"By 2001, Ford had decided to put the dealerships back into private hands. We were working on another business venture at the time. Kitty said, 'Why don't we do it together?' I told her she should do it on her own but she said, 'No. No. I won't do it unless you do it, too.'"

Though they both grew up around the automobile industry (he working in their father's dealership), Howard insists that Kitty is "the car person" and that he has spent most of the past 20 years in the aircraft business promoting his own vehicle of choice.

"We both-back and forth-have come to each other for advice. One thing that's great about a relationship like ours is that we compliment each other very well, though more times than not I'm usually the one going to her…she makes everything easy."
Howard asserts that his sister's strengths have always lain in her ability to show concern for how other people are feeling and take a genuine interest in how they're getting along. He describes her as real, human, warm and welcoming.
"She does all of the philanthropic things I suppose a lot of people do. But it's how she approaches every day that's different. Even if she's never met you she's concerned about you."

That, he says, is what makes Kitty unique-the ability to extend herself personally and professionally.

Paying it Forward
"People like to do business with people they like," Gary Mervis says of his organization's alliance with Kitty. "She's been a good friend and her people have been really great. Our professional relationship started years ago, when she had just the Subaru store."

Gary founded Camp Good Days and Special Times, Inc., in Mendon. The 501(c)3 not-for-profit residential camp offers programs free of charge for children like Gary's late daughter Teddi who are living with cancer. It hosted its first program in 1979 when, Gary says, information and treatment were both scarce. Donations from individuals and businesses were and still are a crucial part of the organization's success.

In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the camp sold $50.00 raffle tickets and raised $35,000.00.

Gary says 100% of the money went straight to Camp Good Days because of help from The Van Bortel Group and others. The prizes?

"A Ford F150 series truck and a Subaru station wagon," Gary explains. "Kitty sold them to us at bare bottom prices and with incentives that only she could have known about. She sold tickets at her dealerships and helped spread the word. Then she got diagnosed herself.

"In the days when Kitty first opened her Subaru business, it was rare to see a woman in the automobile business-let alone in sales. I admire her. She was a pioneer. When we bought the camp's vans and trucks we shopped around, but Kitty always gave us a good price and, more importantly, always made good on service."
Gary's relationship with the Van Bortel business model began decades earlier.
"Like many boys, I had fallen in love with the only true American sports car-the Corvette. I went to Kitty's dad's dealership," he says, marveling, "The way he did business was unheard of in those days. There wasn't a lot of haggling. He simply said 'Here's what I paid for it; this is what you can pay for it.'"
With that statement, Gary revealed the groundwork beneath Kitty's own success. She and her sales staff are known for their transparency and ability to bond with their customers-an enchantingly romantic notion if ever there was one.

Life at Home
Kitty grew up in Palmyra and attended Wells College for women in Aurora, N.Y. Her husband, Roger Garrett, manages the Used Car Division of Van Bortel Subaru in Victor. Her daughter, 9-year-old Patricia, "loves horseback riding." Her father (a retired automobile dealer) and mother (a retired college professor and CPA) live in the Rochester area. She has three younger brothers: George, in Dallas; Howard, who splits his time between Dallas and Rochester and John, in Albany.

Christine G. Adamo is a freelance writer who lives and works in Rochester, N.Y. Her e-mail address is christine@savemyresume.com.