Mary Kay director in the pink, again

It’s a full-size luxury car that is bound to turn some heads.

Darla Kottwitz, 52, of Veradale recently picked up her new 2010 Cadillac DTS from the dealer. It’s a $47,000 vehicle, one that stands out when she drives it.

Because it’s pink.

Kottwitz is an independent senior sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. She’s been working for the company for 23 years. Not only does she sell the company’s products, but she also mentors 140 women from across 14 states who are also selling Mary Kay. She earned this career car by meeting sales requirements.

Kathrina McAfee, manager of corporate communication at Mary Kay, said the pink Caddy is the ultimate symbol of success in the company. The tradition started in 1968 when Mary Kay Ash, the founder of the company, purchased a Cadillac in her home state of Texas. She asked the dealer to paint the car the same color as her cosmetic compact. The color they came up with then was called “Mountain Laurel Blush.” The next year, Ash surprised her top five saleswomen with their own pink Cadillacs. Now, the color of the vehicles is “pearlized pink.”

McAfee said there are only 1,600 pink Cadillacs in the United States. Only 25 of those cars are in the state of Washington.

“It’s an exclusive club,” she said.

Kottwitz has been a member of that club since a year after she started at Mary Kay. In fact, her new car is the 14th vehicle she has received from them, and her fifth pink Caddy. Not all cars from Mary Kay are pink Cadillacs. They also offer a Toyota Camry, Chevy Equinox and the Chevy Malibu.

The cars are leased through a dealership and Mary Kay pays the lease. Kottwitz said she has a choice of either receiving the car, or $900 a month. But the car is not only a reward for her hard work, it’s a tool to help her with her job. It’s a traveling advertisement.

“It’s a $47,000 pink trophy on wheels,” she said. Her personalized license plate reads, “ICPINK.”

Kottwitz started with the company when her two daughters were entering their teenage years. She said she wanted to be able to be home with them since she had been working outside of the home as an auditor with General Mills.

“I walked away from my career,” she said.

Her daughters are now grown, with children of their own, but Kottwitz and her husband of 34 years, Barry, have the time now to travel to see them.

She was living in Great Falls, when she first started with Mary Kay and has continued her work with Mary Kay through seven moves. She said that since Mary Kay doesn’t have territories in the country, she could keep the beauty consultants she has recruited over the years. That is how her work force of 140 women can be spread out through so many states.

She said she likes working for the company because she gets to meet so many people and help them feel good about themselves.

“I’m rich in relationships,” she said.

Kottwitz said she probably spends about 25 or 30 hours a week working and about 10 of those hours are with her customers. She has a room filled with plaques she has received from the company for her sales achievements and the products she sells.

She hopes to some day become a national sales director so she can receive a retirement plan from the company. In order to do that, she needs to recruit about 20 other independent senior sales directors.

But for now, Kottwitz is enjoying her pink car and continuing with her sales.

“It’s just great to drive a free car.”