The Economy

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson to Receive Executive of the Year Award

June 8, 2012

Past recipients of the award include Microsoft Corp. founder and Chairman Bill Gates, former IBM Corp. CEO Sam Palmisano and Oracle Corp. founder and CEO Lawrence Ellison.

Josh Cable

The Executives' Club of Chicago has named General Motors Co. (IW 500/5 ) Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson its International Executive of the Year.

Past recipients of the award include Bill Gates, founder and chairman of Microsoft Corp. (IW 500/16); Sam Palmisano, former CEO of IBM Corp. (IW 500/8); and Lawrence Ellison, founder and CEO of Oracle Corp. (IW 500/40).

The Executives' Club of Chicago noted that "top industry position, innovation, and personal and corporate modeling of values-based leadership" are among the criteria that it considers for the award,
"One of the top global auto manufacturers, GM has leading combined market share in the BRIC countries and is the top foreign brand in China," the club said in a news release. "The company has also announced investments of nearly $7 billion in manufacturing infrastructure since the bankruptcy and has hired or retained 17,800 jobs."

General Motors CEO Dan Akerson
The organization also noted that "Akerson has championed the inclusion of more women in senior management at GM, including the boardroom -- women comprise 33% of GM's board of directors, one of the highest percentages in all of American business." The club will honor Akerson at a June 28 luncheon at Navy Pier in Chicago. At the event, Akerson will address an audience of nearly 1,000 business and civic leaders "about American competitiveness, China and the future of manufacturing," according to the Executives' Club of Chicago.

About the Author

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.