Executive Krystal Roberts driving change in auto industry at Advantage Chevrolet in Hodgkins

HODGKINS, Ill. (WLS) — We continue to celebrate Women’s History Month by spotlighting a trailblazer in the auto industry.

For more than two decades, Krystal Roberts has been smashing through barriers in her role as an executive. It’s no stranger to her that she often stands as one of the few women in a room dominated by men, but she doesn’t let that stop her from instigating change.

Roberts challenges the stereotype that women can’t reach higher management positions in the automotive industry. Determined and resilient, she refuses to accept defeat. At corporate gatherings where she finds herself among a handful of women amidst a sea of male attendees, she asserts herself by introducing, “Excuse me, Hi, I’m Krystal Roberts.”

Roberts is the executive manager at Advantage Chevrolet in Hodgkins and a trailblazing woman in the auto industry..

Serving as the dealer advisory president for Chevrolet’s commercial division, Roberts proudly represents commercial dealers nationwide. Standing out as the sole female member on the board, she epitomizes leadership and resilience in a male-dominated industry.

Val: How hard would you say it was for minorities to break into this business?

Roberts: Extremely difficult. And the reason being is dealerships are extremely expensive to purchase.

Val: And when you say expensive, we’re talking 15 to $30 million.

Roberts: That’s correct. General Motors actually had a program though that would invest with minorities.

An opportunity her father took advantage of in the 1980s. Now, the Roberts family owns six dealerships across the Chicagoland area.

Val: How did you get into the family business?

Roberts: Filling vending machines, then I cleaned cars, was a sales assistant, worked in parts, service, the office, administration, sales. So I basically walked, walked in every position in order to get to the position I’m at today. And I wouldn’t have any other way.

Val: Why do you think your father made you do those things?

Roberts: He didn’t want any of us to feel like something was handed to us, that we’ve earned those positions. We would appreciate and respect it even more.

Krystal’s brother, Jason Roberts, the chairman of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, always knew she was a tough fighter..

“I think it was Mayor Daley at the time, here, they had like, a boxing exhibition and I’m watching the news and I’m like, wait a minute, that’s my sister boxing a man,” Jason Roberts said. “And all you saw was the guy’s head going back….don’t mess with this one!
But Jason says its her woman’s touch that’s made a difference in the family business..

“She really kind of had us shift our thought process and she studied metrics,” Jason Roberts said. “She found ways for us to improve, but really she kind of forced us to rethink things. And one of the things that she really kind of keened in on was work-life balance, showing people progression plans and we really kind of rethought how we how we went about our business, not just driving sales, but personal growth for our team.”

Now, she’s making space for more women to be in the room.

“Currently, today, I have 25% of our workforce in this location are females,” Roberts said. “For a lot of women, they don’t see people that look like them represented in the store. So it’s hard for mentorship and leadership and to see people that look like you. So I continue to do that because I want to be an example for women to be encouraged to get involved in this industry.”

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

You May Also Like
Revealed: The chilling words the OceanGate CEO's wife said with a smile when she unknowingly heard the Titan sub imploding - before trying to radio down to doomed ship

Unveiled: The unsettling remarks made by the OceanGate CEO’s spouse, who smiled as she heard the Titan sub collapsing, not realizing the situation, and then attempted to contact the doomed vessel.

During the fatal incident on the Titan submersible, OceanGate’s CEO’s wife casually…
‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Stars India Fowler and Fina Strazza Break Down Their Epic Dance Battle: “We Were Dancing for Hours”

India Fowler and Fina Strazza from ‘Fear Street: Prom Queen’ Share Their Experience of the Intense Dance Battle: “We Spent Hours Dancing”

The movie Fear Street: Prom Queen doesn’t revolve around a queer love…
Unbelievable: Springsteen Making a Cash Grab Over Insulting Overseas Rant on Trump Already Backfiring

Springsteen’s Controversial Remarks on Trump Lead to Unexpected Consequences

Last week, musician Bruce Springsteen, known for his liberal stance, expressed strong…
New footage shows Milwaukee judge confronting ICE before allegedly helping illegal immigrant exit

Milwaukee judge filmed confronting ICE before reportedly aiding undocumented immigrant to leave

A recently released video shows Judge Hannah Dugan from Milwaukee apparently talking…
‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Sets Premiere Date – And It’s Sooner Than You Think

Release Date Announced for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ – Coming Sooner Than Expected

It looks like the sequel for The Devil Wears Prada is not…
Illinois, Indiana families announce new lawsuits against Crown Cremation, Chicago Heights Crematory for mishandling remains

New legal actions filed by families in Illinois and Indiana against Crown Cremation and Chicago Heights Crematory for mishandling of remains

CHICAGO (WLS) — Attorneys announced more civil lawsuits Thursday against crematoriums in…
Eco-experiment that 'blacked out entire country': Spanish scientists 'were experimenting with how far they could push renewable energy' before country-wide chaos

Spanish scientists conducting sustainability experiment cause nationwide blackout in Spain.

Spanish authorities had been experimenting with how far they could push their…
Harvard's News Cycle Just Got Worse As Medical School Morgue Director Pleads Guilty to Disgusting Crime

Director of Harvard Medical School Morgue Admits to Horrific Crime

But it just got worse: A former Harvard Medical School morgue manager…
Where Was ‘Fountain of Youth’ Movie Filmed? Discover the Filming Locations for the Natalie Portman Movie

Where did they film the ‘Fountain of Youth’ movie? Explore the locations where the Natalie Portman movie was shot

If you’re a fan of action-adventure movies like Indiana Jones, National Treasure,…
Satellite images reveal North Korea's mangled naval destroyer after failed launch

Failed missile launch exposes damaged North Korean warship in satellite images

Satellite imagery captured what remained of a mangled 5,000-ton North Korean naval…
Ringleader of 'grandpa gang' who tied up Kim Kardashian in gun-point Paris robbery is found GUILTY along with seven others - nine years after jewellery heist

Leader of ‘senior citizen criminal group’ involved in Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery convicted along with seven accomplices – nearly a decade after the crime

A Paris court has declared the ringleader and seven accomplices responsible for…
Haunting new emails show very different side to Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who shot Trump at Pennsylvania rally

Newly revealed emails shed light on the lesser-known side of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who shot Trump at Pennsylvania rally

Haunting new emails show the gunman who tried to murder Donald Trump…