Automotive News - November 9, 2015 - Supplement - 115W

20151109-Sup1--0115-NAT-CCI-AN_--

11/2/2015

1:10 PM

Page 1

NOVEMBER 9, 2015 * 115W

L E A D I N G

W O M E N

CATHERINE CLEGG

●●●

●

GM North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations
Vice President | General Motors | Detroit | Age: 55 |
Education: B.S., manufacturing technology, Eastern
Michigan University; MBA, University of Virginia; M.A.,
advanced leadership studies, Indiana Wesleyan University
● What attracted you to the auto industry? I grew up in Detroit. My
father was a draftsman for General Motors, so I was always aware
of the auto industry. And I enjoy making things.
● First automotive job: As a college student in the early 1980s, I
had a job with GM drafting machine tool parts used to manufacture
powertrains.
● Big break: I got a chance to be on a team charged with
restructuring [GM's] manufacturing footprint.
● What is the major challenge you've faced in your career? As a
manufacturing manager [after GM emerged from bankruptcy],
leading a stamping consolidation project that saved the company
$175 million in structural costs. Also, having a strong family life, a
strong marriage and raising two great kids.
● Who has had the biggest influence on your career? My father,
the GM draftsman, who always encouraged and supported me.
● What should be done to encourage women to enter the auto
industry? Expose girls to production, perhaps as early as upper
elementary school. That way, you help girls get some exposure to
figuring out the practical problems that are involved in building
things.
● Tell us about your family. I've been married to my husband,
Chris, for 32 years. We have two daughters, 27 and 24.
● What's your favorite weekend activity? I love team sports. In
high school and college, I played hockey in a Dearborn [Mich.] travel
league. I've gotten back into hockey and play in a recreational
league now.
● What's your guilty pleasure? Chocolate. And pizza. I could eat
pizza every day of the week.
● Name one talent you wish you had. I'd like to be able to play the
piano.
- Jesse Snyder

STACI KROON

●

Executive Vice President, Eaton
Business System | Eaton | Cleveland |
Age: 42 | Education: B.S., mechanical
engineering, University of Pennsylvania;
B.S., finance, Wharton School at
University of Pennsylvania; postgraduate
degree in manufacturing management
from University of Cambridge

product line. We did a reorg, and I picked up
global responsibility for both heavy- and
medium-duty product lines. I was in Europe
through 2004.
● What is the major challenge you've faced in
your career? During 2012 and 2013, as
industry volumes were accelerating after the
recession, we were [challenged] in the midst of
large product launches of new high-tech
products such as multiple advanced engine
technologies.
● What attracted you to the auto industry?
My dad was in the industry for his whole
● What should be done to encourage women
career, but I didn't seek out being in the auto
to enter the auto industry? Our challenge is
industry. After college, I looked at different
more about women staying in the auto industry
industries. But there was something about
than entering it. Work-life balance remains a
Eaton that allowed me to get cross-functional
challenge. There are still challenges in the
experiences. I had job
technical fields with women being
opportunities coming out of
able to advance to levels they are
"Our challenge
college in multiple industries, but
capable of. They may go to other
the development program here
manufacturing industries such as
is more about
interested me.
consumer products or the tech
women staying
industry.
● First automotive job: At Eaton
in the auto
in 1996, working in the
Since Eaton is a global power
development program in
management company, we
industry than
manufacturing and engineering,
encourage our people to get those
entering it.
product engineering and
experiences in other parts of this
marketing associated with our fuel Work-life
company.
emissions product line at our
balance remains ● Tell us about your family. I'm
manufacturing plant in Ann Arbor.
married. My husband is Dutch; we
a challenge."
● Big break: Every time you
met during my European
stretch into learning something
assignment. He worked for the
new, you are forced to step up. I got an
company but does no longer. We have two
opportunity to move to Europe in 2001 and was children: a son, 9, and a daughter, 7.
responsible for deployment of Eaton Business
● What is your favorite weekend activity?
System for Eaton's European operations. I
Being outside - swimming and boating in the
learned a lot about influencing and getting
summer and skiing in the winter.
things done in different cultures. This has
● Are you able to maintain friendships? I still
stayed with me as a leader ever since. I was
have close relationships with my friends,
27. The company took a big bet on a young
mostly from Penn. Those are probably the
woman to do this on another continent.
strongest.
Secondly, this job took me out of my comfort
● What's your guilty pleasure? Gelato
zone. I went from the passenger side to the
- Marti Benedetti
commercial vehicle side leading the heavy-duty

"

"
Automotive News - November 9, 2015 - Supplement

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - November 9, 2015 - Supplement
