Automotive News - November 9, 2015 - Supplement - 94W

20151109-Sup1--0094-NAT-CCI-AN_--

11/2/2015

3:27 PM

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94W * NOVEMBER 9, 2015

L E A D I N G

W O M E N

VICTORIA RUSNAK

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CEO | Rusnak Auto Group | Pasadena, Calif. | Age: 47 |
Education: B.S., business administration, University of
Southern California.; J.D., Gonzaga University; L.L.M.,
environmental law, George Washington University

>> HAVING HER SAY:
autonews.com/barmanvideo

CHRIS BARMAN
Vice President - Engineering | FCA US |
Auburn Hills, Mich. | Age: 44 | Education:
B.S., mechanical engineering, Purdue
University; M.S., mechanical engineering,
Oakland University; MBA, University
of Michigan

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career? My grandfather was salt-of-the-earth, as
honest as you get, had a hard life. Being on a
farm, you don't have a lot of neighbors, and we
spent a lot of time together, and I learned a lot
about right and wrong, how to do things, how to
have a good work ethic.
I also learned how to do things mechanically - I
learned how to shingle roofs, I learned how to
● What attracted you to the auto industry? I
plant gardens - that very hands-on work ethic
had an internship with General Motors and was
definitely rubbed off.
fascinated by the complexity of the auto industry.
And my parents also. My dad worked in the steel
I hadn't been exposed previously. I thought I was
mills and we had the farm, so he had two jobs
on a track to go to med school and be a
until he finally retired and we only had the farm.
pediatrician when I started at Purdue.
Mom was a girl who had grown up in the city of
● First automotive job: The internship with
Chicago, met my dad, got married and became a
General Motors in Anderson, Ind., in 1991 at
farmer's wife and totally transitioned into that.
Inland Fisher Guide. They produced headlamps,
She ran the house and drove the tractors, and
taillamps and bumpers, and I worked in the
you name it, she did it.
materials lab.
And now, most recently, my husband is
● Big break: The recipe for me
my greatest influence. He keeps me
"We
need
to
was in the culture of FCA/Chrysler,
balanced. He makes sure I have the
what we've been through the
talk more about right priorities in mind. He helps me
years, and the ability to be
relax when I get a little wound up about
how high-tech
entrepreneurial, and if you saw
things. It's a godsend that he's here
opportunities to help the company
the auto
and available for me.
grow or improve the bottom line,
● What should be done to encourage
industry
is.
you could bring those forward and
women to enter the auto industry? We
There
is
still
the
people would accept that as an
need to talk more about how high-tech
opportunity for improvement and
perception that the auto industry is. There is still the
would give you ownership of it. It's
perception that the industry is very
the industry is
exciting because you've been
industrial and low-tech and very manual,
given the ability to have somewhat very industrial
and I don't think people understand
unlimited bounds, to go and make
how much technology goes into the
and
low-tech
an impact within the company and
industry. I also think they don't
change things. But the expectation and very
understand the diversity of careers.
is that you're going to deliver
manual."
I think it's also helpful to visit
results on the proposal that you've
classrooms and serve as a role model
put forward.
and show - both to young women and young
● What is the major challenge you've faced in
men - that women serve in leadership roles in
your career? Pre-bankruptcy, I had spent a lot of
these highly technical STEM areas.
time on the technical side, doing the
● Tell us about your family. My husband also
development of stability control and doing the
works
at Fiat Chrysler, on the manufacturing side.
development of driver assistance systems, blind
We have a daughter, 16, and a son, 14. They are
spot, adaptive cruise, etc. When we came out,
active in basketball. Growing up in Indiana, I
and I was put into the VLE (Vehicle Launch
played my fair share of basketball, and my
Executive) role, I had never had responsibility for
husband's a bit of a basketball junkie as well. It
a whole vehicle system program and
works for us.
responsibility to interface with quality and
● What's your favorite weekend activity?
manufacturing and purchasing. Understanding all
They're usually loaded with kids' travel basketball
of that, I would say that was the most challenging
games. We've gotten to know the parents of the
and the most rewarding, to be given the
kids on the other teams, so it's kind of social as
opportunity to grow like that. But very much the
well, but it's very demanding. If we're not doing
responsibility is yours, and the demands were
that, it's doing home improvements.
high because everybody was coming out of
bankruptcy and it was all hands on deck and
● What's your guilty pleasure? A good glass of
everybody had a lot to do.
red wine. I like Italian reds.
- Larry P. Vellequette
● Who has had the biggest influence on your

● What attracted you to the auto industry? I was attracted to the
auto industry while working on legal matters for our family's
organization and saw the opportunity to be part of the bigger
operation and succession plan for our family's business.
● First automotive job: Selling cars when I was 18. I'll never forget
the first time I got a commission for selling a used car. I was hooked.
● Big break: I can't recall a big break. However, there have been
many hurdles overcome that have propelled me in my career.
● What is the major challenge you've faced in your career? To find
a balance between my personal and work life. That's my hurdle.
Between juggling my career, my children and my private time, I've
come to see they're all so connected that it's essential to make time
for each one in order to be successful in all.
● Who has had the biggest influence on your career? My father has
had the biggest influence because he supported me through all of my
education and the various paths I've taken throughout my career.
● What should be done to encourage women to enter the auto
industry? Automotive News is doing a good job. I wish more
publications would do that. The most important way to encourage
women to get into the car business is to talk about the many
opportunities in every given setting publicly. It's important to break
the stereotypes of the car business only being for men. It is a
sophisticated and professional career that affords advancement and
financial reward.
● Tell us about your family. I'm very privileged to be a firstgeneration American and owe my parents a great deal of
appreciation and respect for paving the way for me to find success in
my life. I hope to instill in my own children the importance of
education and hard work to open doors for their future.
● What's your favorite weekend activity? My favorite thing to do is
travel. There's nothing I like more than being out in the world,
meeting people, experiencing different cultures. I love going to
sporting events. On the weekends, what I love to do is walk my dog
on the beach and play Scrabble. I do travel a lot. I enjoy traveling to
countries that live differently than we do in the United States. I've
spent a lot of time in Asia, Europe. I'm just about to go to Sri Lanka. I
love to go to places like that because when I come back, I realize
what's important and what's not important and how to inspire others
to see the bigger picture.
● Are you able to maintain friendships? Absolutely. Without those
friends and relationships, I don't feel my career would have gotten as
far as it has. I know it wouldn't have. Not without lack of effort, but
all friends take effort.
● Name one thing about yourself that most people don't know. I've
always wanted to be an ambassador to a foreign country. I made a
go at politics with my candidacy for California State Assembly in
2012. While at this point I've turned my back on political office, I'm
still raising my hand for ambassadorship.
- Amy Wilson

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Automotive News - November 9, 2015 - Supplement

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