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Mary Barra was appointed GM vice president, global manufacturing engineering on February 1, 2008. Barra reports to Gary L. Cowger, GM group vice president, global manufacturing and labor relations. Her responsibilities include global vehicle and body manufacturing engineering, along with leading the Worldwide Facilities Group.
In July 2004, Barra was appointed executive director, vehicle manufacturing engineering. She had global responsibility for general assembly; controls, conveyors, robotics and welding; paint and polymers; global manufacturing system and industrial engineering; and advanced vehicle development centers. She was also responsible for pre-production operations in North America.
Prior to her manufacturing engineering assignment, Barra was plant manager - North America vehicle manufacturing - Detroit Hamtramck Assembly. The assembly plant produced the Cadillac DeVille, Buick LaSabre, and Pontiac Bonneville.
Barra was born December 24, 1961. She began her career with General Motors in 1980 as a General Motors Institute (Kettering University) co-op student at the Pontiac Motor Division. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. In 1988, Barra received a GM fellowship to the Stanford Graduate School of Business and in 1990 graduated with a master’s degree in business administration. Upon graduation, she held a number of engineering positions with various GM divisions.
In 1996, Barra supported GM's chairman and vice chairman and served as business manager for corporate staffs. Following this assignment, Barra was appointed general director of internal communications for GM North America in 1999, responsible for setting direction and developing strategies for communications with all employees.
In 2001, Barra was appointed executive director of competitive operations engineering, North America vehicle operations. She led the integration of four organizations into one team responsible for industrial engineering and the global manufacturing system. She was also responsible for directing the math-based strategy development and implementation for manufacturing engineering.
Barra currently serves as the executive champion of the Women in Manufacturing Engineering affinity group. In addition, she serves on Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s governing board, and she serves as a member of the Corporate Executive Board’s Manufacturing Leadership Board. | 