Emile Korkor’s 24 years at Acura culminated as a pivotal product planner behind the Acura Integra, the 2023 North American Car of the Year.
Emile Korkor is wearing a broad smile these days.
Less than two years into his term as assistant vice-president of Acura national sales for the United States, Korkor was in Michigan in January, accepting the 2023 North American Car of the Year award for the Acura Integra.
"Canadians Abroad” is an occasional feature that spotlights Canadians working in the auto industry in other countries.
It was a heady moment for the 45-year-old who grew up in the Toronto area and spent much of his career there.
A 24-year Honda/Acura employee, his years of product planning helped position the redesigned Integra for the North American market.
Korkor’s drive lifted him from humble beginnings. His first job with Acura was in 1999, in collections and repossessions, which is “not where you want to start,” he said. But within a year, he was promoted to product planning, which required him to visit Acura’s North American headquarters in California. And a taste for the California lifestyle followed.
“I always said, ‘I’m going to work here one day.’”
Korkor’s rigid daily schedule begins at 4 a.m. at the gym, where he occasionally works out with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Korkor is in the office by 7:30, checking in with his 100 direct reports in the United States.
Each day, Korkor sets aside time for his four “buckets” of responsibility: retail pace, strategic planning, employee priorities and motivation, and dealer relations. He oversees the financial and sales performance of the 271 Acura dealers in the United States.
Korkor oversees the financial and sales performance of the 271 Acura dealers in the United States and the 51 in Canada.
Constant contact with field staff — the employees who act as his dealership liaisons — is essential, Korkor said. “The more distant I become, the less passionate they are in the day-to-day operations.”
Team development is also a priority, but that’s a skill he developed through years of experience.
CANADIAN ADVANTAGE
“I started off very authoritarian,” Korkor said. “People just followed you out of fear.” But he learned that when he gave his staff more independence, they blossomed with new energy and creativity.
His Canadian upbringing is an advantage in the U.S. management structure, Korkor said. “Canadians are a lot more patient. It has helped me to be more level-set,” to get people on the same page in the United States. “That has gotten me a lot more acceptance upfront.”
California remains a powerful magnet for Korkor, who spends his days off driving the coastline and hanging out on the beach.
“I still wake up each morning and pinch myself.”
Yet his bonds to friends and family in Canada remain strong. Korkor sees a potential to return one day.
To borrow a Schwarzenegger phrase, “I’ll be back,” he said.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story overstated Korkor's North American responsibilities. He oversees the financial and sales performance of the 271 Acura dealers in the United States.
