Roger Penske
Penske Corporation
Phoenix, AZ USA
"The most important thing is effort—you’re not lucky, you make your own luck."
Career Roadmap
Roger's work combines: Action Sports, Engineering, and Accomplishing Goals
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Day In The Life
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
He is one of America’s most famous entrepreneurs, best known for his ownership of Team Penske, DJR Team Penske, and the Penske Automotive Group.
2.
In 1951, his dad took him to the Indianapolis 500 race, which first sparked his interest in cars.
3.
At an early age, he started working at a gas station—eventually he began working on engines and taking cars apart.
4.
As a teenager he bought older cars, repaired them and sold them at a profit from his family's home in Cleveland, Ohio.
5.
Says he always wanted to “do more”; emphasizes working hard and putting in an effort to get where you want to go.
6.
Believes his biggest accomplishment has been building a company that has employed over 50,000 people and provided them with “a safe, honest, and high integrity workplace.”
7.
Says he is a natural risk-taker and that it is a common thread throughout the auto industry to continue innovating and pushing things forward.
8.
He has created one of the most successful teams in IndyCar Series and NASCAR racing—has the most victories as an owner in the Indianapolis 500 with 16 owner victories.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
If you lose this money, I'll have to go back to work.
How I responded:
My dad gave me a large loan in order to buy one of my first dealerships because I couldn't afford it on my own. He wanted me to realize that this loan didn't come without serious consequences. He was retired at the time and basically cashed out his life savings to help me. The reality of this pushed me to succeed because I didn't want to let him down.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I never graduated college.