Grace Lieblein, GM’s vice president of global purchasing and supply chain, has been recognised with the 2014 Engineer of the Year award at the 26th Annual HENAAC Conference.
Great Minds in STEM recognises the achievements and contributions of America’s top engineers and scientists within the Hispanic community during the HENAAC Conference each year. Lieblein is the second woman to receive the honor since GMiS was founded 26 years ago.
“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 John Quattrone, GM senior vice president Human Resources, 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, including the first woman president and managing director of GM de Mexico, and the president and managing director of GM do Brasil. In her current role, Lieblein is responsible for the company’s purchasing activities and supply chain and logistics operations worldwide.
Lieblein maintains an instrumental role in GM's current strategy to trim its multi-billion dollar global logistics budget by bringing suppliers closer to assembly and investing in logistics infrastructure at plants, amongst other plans (read more here).
“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.
GM is a founding sponsor of HENAAC and records a long history of supporting Hispanic education and encouraging students to pursue STEM careers.
