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Former GM Exec Betsy Ancker-Johnson Is A 2024 Automotive Hall Of Fame Inductee

Betsy Ancker-Johnson, a former General Motors Executive, has been nominated as a 2024 Automotive Hall of Fame Inductee.

Originally hired by The General in 1972, Dr. Ancker-Johnson served as the first-ever woman Vice President in the automotive industry when she was promoted to GM Vice President of Environmental Activities in 1979. During her tenure, she oversaw two controversial-at-the-time areas in the automotive space, environmental compliance and vehicle safety. Dr. Ancker-Johnson eventually retired from General Motors in 1992.

Of course, Betsy Ancker-Johnson was more than just another GM exec. Born in 1927 in St. Louis, Missouri, she earned her PhD from the University of Tübingen in Germany, where she graduated magnum cum laude in 1953. An acclaimed plasma physicist known for her research, numerous patents, and impact on automotive environmental and safety issues, Dr. Ancker-Johnson published over 70 scientific papers and patents over the course of her career. She passed away on July 2nd, 2020 at age 93.

It’s worth noting that the 2024 Automotive Hall of Fame Inductees include a few noteworthy names, including:

  • Bill Ford – Ford Executive Chair
  • Betsy Ancker-Johnson – GM Vice President of Environmental Activities
  • Vic Edelbrock Sr. – Founder of Edelbrock, a leader in the aftermarket sector
  • Vic Edelbrock Jr. – Continued to lead Edelbrock to remain a leader in the aftermarket sector
  • John James Sr. – First African American given the ability to transport goods within Michigan
  • Wendell Scott – First African American team owner and driver to win in the NASCAR Grand National Series
  • Vivek Sehgal – Founder of Motherson Group

“Once again, this year’s class of inductees highlights the breadth of contributions individuals have had on this industry and all that it influences,” Automotive Hall of Fame President Sarah Cook was quoted as stating. “This diverse group of trailblazing innovators and leaders have played a critical role in shaping our industry, and we couldn’t be more pleased to recognize their achievements and welcome them into the Hall of Fame.”

Notably, current GM CEO Mary Barra was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.

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Comments

  1. Interestingly she is photographed next to one of the worst vehicles GM ever built. Apparently she thought it was a big succcess.

    Reply
    1. Gm X cars were generally good. Me, and a number of relatives had various models, and they performed well. That’s not to say that they could be better, but overall nice cars in terms of proformance, economy and style.

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      1. We had the Buick X which was a POS. I doubt there are any X cars still on the road even though there are lots of 60s GM cars out there.

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        1. Too many Hall of Fames. It means nothing to most people. Even the sports Halls are unimpressive. Like the Noble Peace Prize they are meaningless. Honor our veterans and safety forces who made the ultimate sacrifice. These other people are fluff! Nothing more.

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          1. Exactly. She was just a token. Another example of what is wrong with the world today.

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        2. Absolutely, Mr. Paul.

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      2. Generally good? Performed well? On what planet?

        The cars had potential, but GM cut the budget 3/4 of the way through development, leading to quality problems and the notorious braking issues. The back of a contemporary Honda Accord or Ford Fairmont doesn’t swing around when you hit the brakes, but the X cars do.

        It took GM years to work out the kinks caused by cutting corners during development. They even renamed the Chevy “Citation II” in an effort to distance it from the original, even though it was obviously the same car with minor improvements.

        It was only when they completely redesigned the platform and reintroduced them as the A bodies (Chevrolet Celebrity, Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera, Buick Century, Pontiac 6000) that the X body demons were finally laid to rest.

        All this waxing poetically and attempting to rewrite history is quite amusing.

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  2. Somebody please remove Mary Barra from any honors.
    She steered GM off the cliff with her all electric agenda.

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  3. Wow. Mighty snazzy car she’s standing next to! LOL! Not!

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  4. Whoopie.

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  5. I bought a Citation in October of 79, one of the first group of cars to be exported into Canada. It was a 4 door v6 with manual transmission and the optional wheels and suspension. I drove it for 5 years and put on 362 km which equates to just over 200 thousand miles never had any trouble or replaced anything except for tires, battery, brake pads and muffler. Though I did replace the Radio with a gm Cassette unit when they became available as an option.
    Drove the car across Canada twice and most of the U.S. States ( Florida and several times to California)
    I thought it was a good car that treated me well.

    Reply
  6. Sounds like this accomplished lady should have entered the Hall of Fame looong before Mother Mary.

    P.S. Had a 1981 Citation. Overall packaging was good for the times but the Iron Duke, 3-speed automatic, fuel economy, reliability, and rear end switcharoo under braking were all Not Good.

    Reply
  7. I was working as a tech at a chevy dealer in 1979. As I remember the Citation had 5 recalls to perform before any models were released for sale. That was just the beginning of problems to come for the X body.

    Reply

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