Claire Moore graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, English and Irish Studies. She went to work at public relations firms briefly before moving to higher education and ultimately found her way to International Carwash Association through an opening for the Director of Education in 2004. Moore has been the Chief Operating Officer since 2011 and is still loving every second.
Q: What is a typical day like for ICA’s COO?
I joke that, as COO, I’ve had 100 careers – I’ve served as the director of The Car Wash Show, I’ve had responsibility for the WaterSavers program and I’ve been a resource and advocate to promote professional car washing to water regulators and utilities. I’ve been responsible for the association’s operations, technology, human resources and financial management.
Q: Not so different from car washing … a little bit of everything! I understand you’re changing things up a bit though?
I’m moving in to a role that will have me focused on curating and aligning all of the content for the Association – everything from what you might experience in the education sessions at The Car Wash Show or what you might see at a specialty education program to what you might find in CAR WASH Magazine. I’m excited about this next chapter as I believe providing education and training to the industry is a core value of the Association.
Q: So, you have a passion for education opportunities in the industry … tell us what the industry taught you.
I have learned a considerable amount from this industry, but mostly, I have learned the value of hard work, perseverance and creativity. It seems as though every operator I’ve encountered has their own unique origin story of how they happened to become a part of this industry. They’re all different, but they all have common threads – the importance of working in your business (not on your business) and a strong desire to strive for excellence.
Q: What trends are you watching right now?
I think there’s a significant shift happening – where more women are in positions of leadership, are owning retail companies and have real buying power. Creating an environment to help that diversity thrive is something I’m watching and am really excited about.
Q: ICA’s recent schedule of events would suggest you’re doing more than just watching that trend, right?
We just finished the inaugural Women’s Leadership Experience event in November, which was an area of work that was a long time coming for ICA! We have spent years trying to determine whether there was enough unique content for women, versus content that would be applicable for all operators or all vendors. The number of women in this industry is growing, and their experiences are all over the board. We welcomed nearly 100 women (and several men!) to the event in Chicago and had some incredibly dynamic conversations about what it means to be a woman in this industry and what it means to support, grow and retain women in the industry.
Q: What do you do when you’re not ‘on the clock’? What do you do to refill your tank?
Getting an hour of exercise every day keeps me focused and full of energy … which is extra important since I spend a lot of time running after my two young boys! I also really enjoy cooking and entertaining.
Q: Tell us something we’d be surprised to learn about you.
I’m a dual citizen! I was born in the UK and lived there until I was 9 years old. I became a US citizen in 2006, and recently also obtained my Irish passport.
Q: Anything else we should know?
Serving this industry has been a true privilege. I feel lucky and fortunate for the career I’ve been able to build with ICA.