Chrysler Group Engineer Receives Prestigious Black Engineer of the Year "Visionary Award"

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• Chrysler Group Director of Interior Engineering honored during 27th annual event
• Award recognizes leaders "whose lifetime performance marks a career that affects the careers of many others"
• Chrysler Group continues its nearly two-decades-long support of the BEYA Global Competitiveness Conference
• Seven 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 Visionary Award (BEYA) to Larry Williams, Director, Interior Engineering, Chrysler Group LLC. Williams and other 2012 BEYA recipients were honored at the 27th BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference and Awards Gala on February 7-9 in Washington D.C.

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 Gala for nearly two decades. Williams is the latest in a long list of BEYA-winning engineers at Chrysler Group.

"Larry is an accomplished engineer and exceptional leader who approaches both life and work with passion using his breadth of experience to create exceptional products while being committed to the development of young, talented engineers in our Company," said Mark M. Chernoby, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Chrysler Group LLC. "Larry's vision, drive and technical expertise has made him a valuable member of the Chrysler Engineering Team and a respected leader across the Company."

Williams was appointed Director of Interior Engineering at Chrysler Group in 2011. In this position, he is responsible for leading and managing all design, development and release of all interior systems and components for Chrysler Group vehicles. He joined Chrysler Corporation as a product development engineer in 1985.

"I owe much of who I am to the strong African-American leaders who met adversity and paved the way for my success," Williams said. "Inspired by these outstanding people and role models, I know that it is both my responsibility and privilege to lead and inspire the next generation. I am very appreciative of this recognition of my career accomplishments."

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:

• Mr. Anthony Abner, Business Planner
• Mr. Uchenna Amene, Quality Engineering Manager
• Mr. Mario Holmes, Chassis Project Responsible
• Ms. Trudy Robertson, Program Manager
• Ms. Nakia Simon, Senior Regulatory Engineer
• Ms. Kejuanna Thomas, Business Systems Lead
• Ms.Tracy Wilson, Program Manager

About Chrysler Group's leadership commitment to diversity and inclusion
In 2012, the Detroit Free Press named Chrysler Group as one of the best places to work in the state of Michigan. Chrysler Group has been named one of the "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" by Working Mother magazine 13 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. In 2012, the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named Chrysler Group Corporation of the Year for its achievements in bringing more minority-owned businesses into its supply chain.

Also in 2012, the editors of LatinaStyle magazine selected Chrysler Group for inclusion on magazine's 2012 list of the 50 best companies for Hispanic women to work in the U.S., which is considered the most important recognition of efforts by corporate America to promote diversity and provide career advancement opportunities for Hispanic women.

In 2011 and 2012, the editors of DiversityInc magazine named Chrysler Group to the magazine's list of "Top 50 Companies for Diversity." This coveted annual benchmark is comprised of companies the magazine's editors believe are diversity-management leaders.

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 attracting and developing a diverse, talented 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.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC