Mary Barra Biography
Mary Barra (Mary Teresa Barra) is the Chairwoman and CEO of General Motors Company, a position she has held since January 15, 2014.
She is the first female CEO of a major global automaker. On December 10, 2013, Barra was named by GM to succeed Dan Akerson as Chief Executive Officer. Earlier she had served as the Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing, and Supply Chain at General Motors.
Mary Barra General Motors
In 1980, Mary started working for General Motors at the age of 18 as a co-op student and subsequently held a variety of engineering and administrative positions, including managing the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly plant.
She became Vice President of Global Manufacturing Engineering in February 2008 and in July 2009 she advanced to the position of Vice President of Global Human Resources, which she held until February 2011, when she was named Executive Vice President of Global Product Development.
Her position as Executive Vice President of Global Product Development included responsibilities for a design where she worked to reduce the number of automobile platforms in GM. Later in August 2013, Mary’s Vice President’s responsibility was extended to include Global Purchasing and Supply Chain.
In January 2014, she took over as chief executive of General Motors and became the first-ever female to head an automobile manufacturer.
Mary Barra CEO
84 safety recalls involving over 30 million cars were issued by General motors during Mary’s first year as CEO. Mary was called before the Senate to testify about the recalls and deaths attributed to the faulty ignition switch. She and General Motors also came under suspicion of paying for awards to burnish the CEO and corporation’s image during that time. Those recalls led to the creation of new policies encouraging workers to report problems they encounter, thereby altering the company culture.
Over the course of her time as CEO, Mary has pushed General Motors as a company transitioning into the tech space pushing forward in the automated driverless car space with major acquisitions including Strobe, a startup focused on driverless technology. In 2017, Mary pushed the company to develop the Chevy Bolt EV, beating rival Tesla in developing the first electric car priced under $40K with a range of 200 miles.
Mary was in 2017, the highest-paid Detroit Three executive, with a total remuneration of $21.96 million. In November 2018 she announced the closure of five North American plants and plans to lay off 14,000 workers. That decision was criticized by President Trump who threatened to remove the company’s government subsidies in response.
Mary Barra Age
Barra was born on December 24, 1961, in Royal Oak, Michigan. She celebrates her birthday on December 24, every year.
Mary Barra Family
Mary was born in Royal Oak, Michigan to Finnish parents. She is the daughter of Eva Makela and Ray Makela. She traces her ancestry from the village of Kankaanpää, in Satakunta province, from the municipality of Köyliö.
Mary’s grandfather Viktor Mäkelä, moved to the United States and married Maria Luoma, a Finnish immigrant from Teuva. Her father Ray worked for 40 years at the Pontiac car factory in Detroit, and the family lived in Waterford, Michigan.
Mary Barra Husband
Mary is a married woman. She is married to consultant Tony Barra, whom she met while studying at Kettering University. The couple has two children; Nicholas Barra and Rachel Barra and the family live in Northville, a suburb of Detroit.
Mary Barra Body Measurements
- Height: Not Available
- Weight: Not Available
- Shoe Size: Not Available
- Body Shape: Not Available
- Hair Colour: Blonde
- Eye Colour: Not Available
Mary Barra Salary
Barra is paid a salary of $21.96 million.
Mary Barra Net Worth
Barra has a net worth of $60 million.
Mary Barra Leadership Style
Barra has used inclusive leadership to garner employee advocates and improve business operations.
Mary Barra House
Mary Barra Awards / Honors
In 2013, Barra was listed as 35th on the Forbes Most Powerful Women list and in 2018, she rose to the second rank as the most powerful.
Later in May 2014, she delivered the commencement address for the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor campus at Michigan Stadium. At the University of Michigan, Barra received an honorary degree and in 2018, she received an honorary Doctorate from Duke University.
In the Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list in 2015, Barra was the first. She had ranked second the year before.
She featured on the cover of Time’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” in April 2014.
Barra was awarded the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute’s Legend in Leadership Award in 2018. She also achieved the first place in the autos and auto parts sector, in the Institutional Investor’s yearly survey of top executives, the 2019 All-America Executive Team.
Mary Barra Quotes
- My advice on firing is simple: Treat that person the same way you’d want to be treated if you were in that situation. They’re still a good person, just not the right fit. So how do you help them move on in a productive way that allows them to maintain their dignity?
- My first job at General Motors was as a quality inspector on the assembly line. I was checking fits between hoods and fenders. I had a little scale and clipboard. At one point, I was probably examining 60 jobs an hour during an eight-hour shift. A job like that teaches you to value all the people who do a job like that.
- It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I actually feel like I come to work stronger when I’ve had a little time on the weekend to step away from it and enjoy my family and other things. I come back energized. If people think they’re going to work 24/7, week in and week out, they’re not bringing their full strength to the table.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mary Barra
Who is Mary Barra?
Marry is the chair and CEO of General Motors Company.
How old is Barra?
Mary is 58 years old as of 2019.
How tall is Barra?
Not available.
Is Barra married?
Yes, Mary is married. She is married to consultant Tony Barra.
How much is Barra worth?
Mary has an estimated net worth of around $60 million.
How much does Barra make?
Mary makes $21.87 million as of 2018.
Where does XYZ Barra live?
She resides in Northville, a suburb of Detroit.
Is Barra dead or alive?
Mary is still alive and in good health.
Where is Barra now?
Mary is still serving as the CEO and Chair of General Motors.
Mary Barra Twitter
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