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Automotive Hall Of Fame 2019 Inductees Announced


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The Automotive Hall of Fame will induct four new members into its ranks at our 2019 Induction & Awards Gala Ceremony in Detroit, Michigan at the MGM Grand Detroit on July 18, 2019.

The Automotive Hall of Fame’s 2019 Inductees are: Richard E. “Dick” Dauch, co-founder of American Axle Manufacturing; Janet Gutherie, the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500; Sergio Marchionne, former CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles; and Patrick Ryan, creator of the first auto dealership finance and insurance department.

Since 1939, the Automotive Hall of Fame has honored individuals who have significantly impacted the automotive industry and the world of mobility. We believe that these four individuals are incredibly worthy of this honor thanks to their outstanding achievements and innovations. Considered the single greatest honor in the automotive industry, induction into the Automotive Hall of Fame is reserved for noteworthy individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry. The Automotive Hall of Fame’s Induction class of 2019 includes:

Richard E. “Dick” Dauch — Dick Dauch is the innovative manufacturing strategist who co-founded American Axle Manufacturing (AAM). After retiring from Chrysler Corporation as executive vice president of Worldwide Manufacturing, Dauch formed a small investment team to create AAM. Under his bold and steady leadership, AAM has become a multi-billion-dollar global company that is one of the largest and most respected Tier One automotive suppliers in the world.

Janet Guthrie – Janet Guthrie is a racing trailblazer who was the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. Guthrie began racing as an amateur in 1963 with the Sports Car Club of America. In 1976, Guthrie became the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup race. The following season, she competed in her first Daytona 500. Guthrie qualified for her first Indianapolis 500 in 1977. She would compete in two more Indy 500s, finishing ninth in the 1978 race.

Sergio Marchionne – Sergio Marchionne was the visionary automotive businessman behind the merger of the two troubled companies, Fiat and Chrysler to form one of the largest and most profitable automotive manufacturers in the world, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Marchionne was also regarded as one of the boldest business leaders of his generation thanks to his business acumen as well as his outspoken and often frank approach to dealing with difficult and complicated problems.

Patrick Ryan – Patrick Ryan was an innovator in the automotive dealer service industry. In 1962, Ryan forever changed how auto dealerships operate when he founded the first Finance and Insurance department at Dick Fencl Chevrolet in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The rules he established for this new and valuable profit center ensured that it became a fundamental part of all dealership operations.

The 2019 Automotive Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, at the MGM Grand Detroit. Tickets for the black-tie event are available by contacting Kerry Doyle at 313.240.4000 or KDoyle@thedrivingspirit.org.