MARION LUNA
BREM BIOGRAPHY
Marion Luna Brem, married with 2 young sons, had her near-perfect
home life shattered when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness
and told she had only 2 to 5 years to live.
Battling life-threatening cervical and breast cancer with no health
insurance, no employment and no resume, Marion Luna Brem, newly
divorced and the head of her household, decided to try her hand
at sales. Selling her first automobile at 32, by 36 she was President
and CEO of her own auto dealership, Love Chrysler, founded in Corpus
Christi, Texas, currently ranked nationally in Hispanic Business
and Working Woman magazine’s “Top 100.” Her numerous
professional accomplishments – inside the male-dominated automotive
industry – most recently led to her induction into “The
International Automotive Hall of Fame.”
Her inspirational story has been profiled in The Washington Post,
Reader’s Digest, and most recently USA Today as well as numerous
women’s magazines. She has appeared on many national radio
and television shows, including “Robert Schuller’s Hour
of Power,” “Good Morning America,” and “The
Oprah Winfrey Show.’
She has been honored by the Office of Women’s Initiatives
at the White House and served the state of Texas having been appointed
by President George W. Bush to serve on a Texas insurance board.
She was also selected to participate in case studies at Harvard
University Graduate School of Business.
Ms. Brem is the holder of the “Avon Women of Enterprise”
and “Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year” awards
and is also one of 40 women worldwide, 10 from the United States,
to be named as one of the “Leading Women Entrepreneurs of
the World.” (The recognition ceremony recently took place
in Madrid, Spain.)
As one of the “ 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United
States” (Hispanic Business magazine), she directs her influence
to the fight against breast cancer and improving education, having
founded and funded a program to recognize civic-minded high school
students. To date, her company has awarded several new cars to “Love
Chrysler’s Top High School Students.” She also founded
and co-funded the “Marion Luna Brem/ Pat McNeil Teen Parent
Scholarship Fund,” which provides financial support for young
parents facing the twin difficulties of parenthood and continuing
their education.
With her oldest son as Vice President, she has strategically opened
several other companies including a second auto dealership in Texas
as well as an ad agency and a real estate holding company. She has
authored 2 books, The 7 Greatest Truths About Successful Women (Penguin
Putnam Publishers), ranked one of the “Top
Ten Business Books” (Booklist magazine) and most recently,
Women Make the Best Salesmen, (Double Day Publishers). She currently
travels as an international speaker.
