Mary (Kitty) C. Van Bortel owns one of the top selling Subaru dealerships in the nation, as well as one of the most successful Ford dealerships in a multi-state area. Her automotive group is now one of the fastest growing, privately held companies in the greater Rochester, NY area. With an investment of only $500, Kitty founded her first used car dealership in her front yard in 1985, lining up the cars in front of her small house in Victor, NY. She applied the experience she had gained as sales manager for John Holtz's Mercedes Benz/BMW dealership to her own enterprise, moving to a three-acre lot in 1990 and quickly gaining momentum until it was time to choose a brand and move into new car sales. It was only natural that she became attracted to Subaru because of their sturdy construction, excellent design, and focus on safety, reliability and comfort. She built a 6,000-square- foot facility in Victor to house Van Bortel Subaru, and opened the doors in 1991.

Kitty is more than a smart, successful business owner. She is also a well-recognized role model for businesswomen in the greater Rochester area and throughout the nation. Working Woman magazine selected Van Bortel Subaru as a Top 500 Woman-Owned Business for four years running. She previously was honored as a Wells College’s Alumni of the Year, and received the Alfred University’s “College of Business Galanis Award” for excellence in family business. Kitty was also recognized as one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News, as well as, "One of Rochester's Most Influential Women" by the Rochester Business Journal. She was nominated as the Rochester Small Business Council's "Business Person of the Year" and was the recipient of the Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award from RIT's Business School. Further, Kitty was inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame and received the Rochester Women's Network "W" Woman of the Year Award. In 2011, she won the Rochester Women's Council Athena Leadership Award. In 2016, Kitty was selected as the Time Magazine Dealer of the Year, the most prestigious award a new car dealer can receive.