Historic Move: GM Appoints First Woman In The Industry To Run A Major Automaker

In a history making move,  GM, which no longer has the government as one if its investors as a result of the bankruptcy, just appointed the auto industry first female CEO, Mary Barra, to oversee a major automaker.

Prior to the announcement, which is effective January 15, 2014, which happens to be Dr. King's birthday, here's how Barra bio reads.

Mary Barra was named Senior Vice President, Global Product Development effective February 1, 2011, responsible for the design, engineering, program management and quality of General Motors vehicles around the world. On August 1, 2013, she assumed responsibility for GM’s Global Purchasing and Supply Chain organization and was named Executive Vice President, Global Product Development & Global Purchasing and Supply Chain. She is a member of the GM Executive Operations Committee and serves on the Adam Opel AG Supervisory Board.

Barra had previously been Vice President, Global Human Resources.

She has also served as GM Vice President, Global Manufacturing Engineering; Plant Manager, Detroit Hamtramck Assembly; Executive Director of Competitive Operations Engineering; and has held several engineering and staff positions.

In 1990, Barra graduated with a Masters in Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business after receiving a GM fellowship in 1988.

Barra began her career with GM 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.

She serves on the General Dynamics and Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Board of Directors.  Barra is also a member of the Kettering University Board of Trustees and is GM’s Key Executive for Stanford University and University of California-Berkeley.

Barra is married with two children and was born December 24, 1961.