Member Spotlight: Sandy Austell | Driven by Continuous Improvement

For Sandy Austell, continuous improvement isn't just a business philosophy; it's a way of life.

Throughout a career spanning luxury automotive, business ownership, community leadership and now public sector technology, Sandy has been guided by a simple belief: there is always an opportunity to learn, improve and create a better outcome. It's a mindset rooted in Kaizen, the Japanese principle of continuous improvement, and one that continues to shape both her personal and professional life. 

Today, as a Strategic Business Manager with TD SYNNEX Public Sector, Sandy works closely with vendors, channel partners and internal stakeholders to help accelerate growth in the public sector market. Whether she's identifying new opportunities, navigating procurement complexities or connecting the right people, her end goal is straightforward: remove obstacles and create momentum. 

This problem-solving mindset started early. Growing up in Greenville, South Carolina, Sandy spent countless hours helping friends work on cars, sparking a lifelong fascination with understanding how things work and, more importantly, how to make them better. Years later, she still describes herself in simple terms:

I'm a fixer.

Before joining TD SYNNEX Public Sector, Sandy spent more than 30 years in the automotive industry, including 18 years with Lexus. Along the way, she served as owner of Lexus of Riverside, president of the Riverside Auto Center and a Lexus LFA specialist. She is especially proud of her time as an LFA specialist, where she successfully led regional sales initiatives, contributing to the sale of a substantial share of the 500 Lexus LFA supercars produced globally. 

But ask Sandy what she learned most from those experiences, and she'll talk less about cars and more about trust. 

"Once you've lost someone's trust, you're never going to get it back," Sandy believes. That philosophy continues to shape the way she works with her vendor partners. Clear communication, accountability and delivering on commitments aren't just good business practices; for Sandy, they're the foundation of meaningful, lasting relationships. 

This philosophy extends beyond the workplace, however. From leading a Chamber of Commerce and supporting local businesses to helping launch a pit bull rehabilitation program and funding police K-9 units, Sandy has consistently looked for ways to empower her community. Whether she's helping businesses succeed, advocating for animals or mentoring others, she remains deeply committed to leaving things better than she found them. 

Case in point: one of Sandy's proudest accomplishments came during a brief sabbatical in her career. Early on, she was tasked with writing down 25 life goals. Years later, after achieving remarkable success in the automotive industry, she looked back at that list and realized she had accomplished all but one: earning a master's degree. Rather than leaving her list unresolved, she went back to school and earned a master's in organizational leadership. 

For Sandy, growth is an ongoing quest: there's always another lesson to learn, another challenge to tackle and another opportunity to improve. And while industries, technologies and markets may change, her mindset remains the same:
 

Find the problem. Fix the problem. 
 

And most importantly, NEVER stop improving.