The General Motors Board of Directors today announced that it has unanimously elected Mary Barra as its next Chairman, effective immediately. In a breakthrough that would have been unthinkable a few years ago or ever at other automakers, and one that is without precedent in automotive and, arguably, corporate history, the current GM CEO Barra becomes the highest ranking female running a large, publicly traded company.
Barra began her career with GM in 1980 as a General Motors Institute, now Kettering University, co-op student at the Pontiac Motor Division. Formerly known as Mary Teresa Makela graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1985. GMI – the traditional insiders club at GM for managers was a male dominated one that only allowed token females to assume limited rolls.
Prior to being named GM CEO in 2014 after years of turmoil and a government bailout that forced the resignation of ineffective male managers, Barra served as executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing & Supply Chain since August 2013, and as senior vice president, Global Product Development since February 2011. In these roles, she was “responsible for the design, engineering, program management and quality of GM vehicles around the world.”
Previously, Barra served as GM vice president, Global Human Resources, a traditional dumping ground for female executives; vice president, Global Manufacturing Engineering; plant manager, Detroit Hamtramck Assembly; executive director of Competitive Operations Engineering; and in other engineering and staff positions.
In 1990, Barra graduated with an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business after receiving a GM fellowship in 1988.
