Ask anyone in (or out of) the automobile industry, and he will tell you the car business is a man's business. "Now that isn't necessarily so," says Carol Easter, one of the few women executives employed by an auto leasing firm.

Carol is Purchasing Director for Executive Auto Leasing, a subsidiary of Liberty Leasing Co., Inc. presently located in Lincolnwood, Illinois. Until just recently (when she hired an assistant named Linda Hennessey), Carol was solely responsible for buying over 2,500 cars and 200 trucks for the Chicago-area leasing company. She estimates spending over$12 million on cars alone. And that's a figure that should display some respect in any industry.

Although there were only minor problems when Carol first began working as a buyer for Executive a little over two years ago, she does recall one instance rather vividly -a telephone "debate" with a dealer. "We were heatedly negotiating a business item," Carol remembers, "when the man said, 'let me speak to your boss.' I had to tell him that 'I am the boss!' "

Things of this sort still occur, Carol hesitatingly admits, but are few in number. Most dealers and customers alike realize her position and responsibility, and rely heavily on her knowledge of the auto leasing industry.

Most of Carol's work is done directly at her desk. She constantly has phone contact with dealers and repair facilities across the nation. Much of her time is spent searching out cars needed by customers, checking cars coming in and notifying customers when their cars are ready.

Carol's responsibility, as she explains it, "is to get whatever our customer wants." And if ever there is trouble receiving a certain hard-to-get model, Carol sees that the customer receives a loaner until the car he ordered is available.

Executive's 26-year-old buyer believes she is the only woman who works as an auto purchasing director on such a large volume. "But women are playing an increasingly important role in some areas of the automotive industry," she adds. "One man, after working with me on a purchase order, hired two saleswomen for his dealership. And there are more women appearing in fleet sales departments," Carol continued, "although the number is still quite small."

Before joining Executive Auto Leasing, Carol worked in a bank's accounting and bookkeeping department for five years. Joining Executive two years ago last February, Carol worked for six months as a purchasing assistant before she was promoted to Purchasing Director.

Are there any big problems that she has encountered in the auto industry? "Not really," says Carol. "I find the auto industry very receptive to me."

And it's not hard to see why.