SAE Foundation to Honor STEM Education Supporter Mary Barra with the Leadership Award at Annual Celebration Dinner in May

WARRENDALE, Pa., Dec. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SAE Foundation announced today that it will honor Mary T. Barra with its Industry Leadership Award at the 2013 SAE Foundation Celebration Dinner. Barra, who is General Motors' Senior Vice President of Global Product Development, and an active supporter of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.  Barra will also be the first woman to receive this award in its 25 year history.

"Ms. Barra is the exact kind of leader who sets an example for young people beginning their careers in the auto industry," said Matt Miller, director, SAE Foundation.  "Her professional accomplishments, community involvement and leadership on various boards set the kind of standards to which others can aspire.  We look forward to honoring her and other leaders at the celebration dinner."

Previous recipients of the Industry Leader of the Year Award include: John Krafcik, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hyundai Motor America; Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company; Carlos Ghosn, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.; Robert A. Lutz, General Motors Corporation; Dr. Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation; J.T. Battenberg, III, Delphi Corporation.

At GM, Barra is responsible for the design, engineering, program management and quality for General Motors' vehicles around the world.  She is also a member of the Executive Operations Committee and serves on the Adam Opel AG Supervisory Board. Barra began her career with GM in 1980 as a co-op student at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), sponsored by the Pontiac Motor Division. Barra also serves on the boards of General Dynamics, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Kettering University Board of Trustees.  She is GM's Key Executive for Stanford University and the University of California-Berkeley. 

The 2013 SAE Foundation Celebration Dinner will take place on May 22, 2013 in the Detroit area and will bring together companies, volunteers, teachers, and students who participate in and benefit from SAE's programs: A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. In addition to the Industry Leadership Award, the Foundation will also present its annual Stefan Pischinger Young Industry Leadership Award in recognition of young men and women with significant accomplishments in their careers and potential for leadership growth in the industry.  Further details on the location and other honorees will be announced later.

The event will also recognize SAE's major donors and supporters as well as the teacher and volunteer of the year. The evening will include VIP and sponsor receptions and attendees will be able to meet with students who participate in SAE International's award-winning STEM education programs.

About SAE Foundation

The SAE Foundation is the charitable arm of SAE International that strives to encourage and increase student participation and achievement in science, technology, engineering and math through educational programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. SAE International is a global association of more than 133,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development. For more information about SAE Foundation: http://saefoundation.org.

CONTACT: Matt Miller, Director, SAE Foundation, +1-724-772-7504, [email protected]

SOURCE SAE Foundation