Graciela Contreras

I started in the automotive field in May 2025, making a complete career change after spending over 20 years in management across the food service industry. Before this, I was a District Manager for McDonald's, overseeing the Bronx area for 2 years. The transition from the food industry to the car industry has been like a complete 180 degrees, but it's fascinating and never a dull moment. As Shop Manager, I oversee the hiring and development of the techs, I'm in charge of all the margins and service, I ensure that the shop is up to speed with all the OSHA regulations, make sure we have all the equipment inspected, and that we meet all the Midas technicalities and recommendations when it comes to the franchise expectations. What really helps me in this role is that I've always been in the Department of Coaching and Development throughout my career, whether as a training lead or in charge of training programs. This soft skill is something new that I bring to the table when it comes to mechanics and techs, as they're not used to that. I'm really getting to know and gaining the knowledge and skills of the automotive industry. While I've been managing for almost 20 plus years, every industry teaches you different skills that you need to know, and I'm learning a lot about cars. Growing up, my father used to be an auto body man and I grew up in a garage, so I'm a little bit of a tomboy. In my first year at Midas, I received top commercial sales for the region and top customer service for the region, which wasn't bad for being a newbie.