Great Minds in STEM, an organization that recognizes the achievements and contributions of America’s top engineers and scientists within the Hispanic community, has recognized General Motors vice president Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, Grace Lieblein, as the 2014 Engineer of the Year. The award was given during the 26th Annual HENAAC Conference, “The Quest for Competitive Greatness.”
“Grace is one of the highest-ranking women in the automotive industry – an amazing Latina who has also become one of the most respected engineers globally,” said GM senior vice president Human Resources, John Quattrone, who presented the award to Lieblein.
Lieblein began her career in 1978 as a co-op student at General Motors Assembly Division in Los Angeles. She progressed through a number of positions within GM, including becoming the first woman president and managing director of GM de Mexico, and president and managing director of GM do Brasil. Lieblein currently is responsible for GM’s purchasing activities and supply chain and logistics operations worldwide.
“I am fortunate to work for GM, a company that has allowed me to create an amazing career path that has led me to be here tonight, as a very proud Latina, a very proud woman, and, most of all, a very proud engineer,” Lieblein said.
General Motors is a founding sponsor of HENAAC, which has a long history of supporting Hispanic education and encouraging students to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers.
“Grace Lieblein is a role model and an inspiration for young Hispanics who are interested in pursuing a STEM career,” said GM Chief Diversity Officer Ken Barrett. “A robust talent pipeline is critical to the automotive industry and her achievements will encourage our youth as we support HENAAC in its ongoing quest to increase the number of Hispanics in our nation’s technical workforce.”
Comments
Her goal is to fix the abysmal relations with suppliers and if she puts the lid on this can of worms , it will probably put her on the fast track to succeed Barra in the future ,. The job will be a monster , thousands of purchasing staff , big , big quality sources concerns . Barra insists on stopping the recall mess , so Lieblein is on the hot seat . I do not envy her task . So many people involved and old habits die hard !!
I’ve got nothing against the lady, but how does the VP of global purchasing & supply rate Engineer of the year? This award should be limited to *recent* *engineering* achievements. For all we know, her last engineering project was her high school science project.
Name and email withhel, because I am a lowly GM controls engineer, and I don’t need the ire of Supply brought down upon me! LOL!
Effective December, 2012, Grace Lieblein was appointed to the position of GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. In her new role, Lieblein is responsible for GM’s purchasing activities and supply chain and logistics operations worldwide. Lieblein was recently appointed to the Board of Directors for Honeywell International as well as the Advisory Board of Focus: HOPE. She is on the Supervisory Board of Adam Opel AG, in Russelsheim, Germany, the Board of Advisors for US-MEX Forum for Cooperation, Understanding and Solidarity (FoCUS), and the Board of Directors for the GM Foundation. As of January, 2014, she was also named Chairman of the Board for the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council.
Previously, Lieblein was President and Managing Director of GM Brazil where she oversaw the launch of 9 new products in 15 months, and was part of the unit’s Transformation. Before coming to Brazil, Lieblein was President and Managing Director of GM Mexico, and the first woman to serve in this role. While in Mexico, in addition to her position at GM, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the American Chamber Mexico, and in May 2010, she was named Vice President of the Board.
Grace began her career in 1978 as a co-op student at General Motors Assembly Division in Los Angeles. She later progressed through a number of positions including manager of GM’s Desert Proving Ground in Arizona and director of Engineering Design for GM’s North America Car Group.
Grace received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in 1983 and a master’s degree in management – materials/logistics from Michigan State University in 1987. She also holds a certificate from Thunderbird’s Global Leadership program from 1998.
Widely recognized for her achievements, Grace’s most recent honors include:
In 2013, she was named one of Fortune Magazine’s 10 Most Powerful Women In Automotive
In 2012, she was featured on CNN as part of their “Leading Women” series. She was also named Executive of the Year by TopCar TV in Brazil.
In 2012, she was added to Hispanic Business Magazine’s 2012 Corporate Elite 25
In 2011, she was recognized by Fortune magazine on their list of “50 Most Powerful Women in Business – International”, ranked as #22 overall, and one of “10 Global Women on the rise”.