Chrysler Group Engineer Receives Prestigious "Black Engineer of the Year President's Award"

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Chrysler Group SUV Vehicle Line Executive honored during 26th Annual Event
• Award recognizes "exceptional career gains in government and industry, and in lifetime achievement"
• Chrysler Group continues its nearly two-decades long support of the BEYA Global Competitiveness Conference
• Four other Chrysler Group engineers received "Modern Day Technology Leader" awards at the conference

U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine awarded its 2012 Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) President's Award to Ray Durham, Vehicle Line Executive - SUV Vehicles, Chrysler Group LLC. Durham and other 2012 BEYA recipients were honored at the 26th BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference and Awards Gala on February 18 in Philadelphia, PA.

The BEYA Conference honors outstanding leaders in the STEM fields and provides excellent opportunities for professional development, networking, and recruiting. Chrysler Group has been the exclusive sponsor of the BEYA Awards Gala for nearly two decades. Durham is the latest in a long list of BEYA Award winning engineers at Chrysler Group.

"Ray is in all respects a serious, accomplished engineer, with a passionate, human connection to his work, to the products he develops and to young, talented engineers in our Company," said Scott G. Kunselman, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Chrysler Group LLC. "Ray's vision, drive and technical expertise has made him a valuable member of the Chrysler Engineering Team and a respected leader across the Company."

Durham was appointed Vehicle Line Executive - SUV Vehicles in January 2011. In this position, he is responsible for the operational and business strategy for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Liberty products. He is the central point of contact within a cross-functional development team comprised of engineering, program planning and strategy, product marketing, finance, manufacturing and the product design office. Durham first joined the former Chrysler Corporation as a product engineer in 1988.

"I owe much of who I am to my parents, who taught me to strive to be the best I can be and to never accept mediocrity. And I owe thanks to the strong African-American leaders who met adversity and paved the way for my success," Durham said. "Inspired by these outstanding people and role models, I know that it is my responsibility to lead and inspire the next generation. Our work is never done, and it is, indeed, a labor of love."

The magazine also honored Modern Day Technology Leaders (MDTL) at the conference, "bright, high performance, women and men shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology who demonstrate superior technical skills and leadership capability, generally at professional through senior manager levels."

The following Chrysler Group engineers received this prestigious MDTL recognition: James Gholston, Manufacturing Manager, Toledo North Assembly Plant; LaMarcus Keels, Manufacturing Manager, Trenton South Engine Plant; Jacquelyn O'Neal, World Class Manufacturing Pillar Lead, Toledo North Assembly Plant; and Jacqueline Marshall, Environmental Compliance Specialist, Stationary Environmental Affairs.

About Chrysler Group's Leadership Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
Recognized as a leader in promoting diversity throughout its enterprise, Chrysler Group was named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" by Working Mother magazine 12 times, and has been recognized six times by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation as one of the country's leading corporations supporting diversity and inclusion. Chrysler Group has been named to HispanicBusiness magazine's annual Diversity Elite 60 list for implementing strategies to reach more Hispanic customers and to pursue more business with minority- and Hispanic-owned suppliers.

In March 2011, the editors of DiversityInc magazine named Chrysler Group to the magazine's 2011 list of "Top 50 Companies for Diversity." This coveted annual benchmark is comprised of companies the magazine's editors believe are diversity-management leaders. This was the fifth year since the list was established in 2001 that Chrysler has been included. In April 2011, Chrysler Group was named among nation's "Top Supporters" of Engineering Programs of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, recognizing the Company's efforts to develop, recruit and hire talented students pursuing technical careers at the nation's minority-serving institutions.

Over the years, a long line of Chrysler Group employees have received important professional recognition from various diversity organizations, including Black Engineer of the Year, Women of Color, HENAAC Great Minds in STEM and others, reflecting the Company's strong commitment to developing its diverse workforce.

About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 to establish a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler, all-new Dodge Dart, Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Fiat 500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles.

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SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC