USA TODAY International Edition
Iacocca: ‘Detroit car guy if ever there was one’
Automotive, business and civic leaders reacted with praise and mourning for automotive giant Lee Iacocca,
94, who died Tuesday at home in California. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford
said: “Lee Iacocca was truly bigger than life and he left an indelible mark on Ford, the auto industry and our country. Lee played a central role in the creation of the Mustang. On a personal note, I will always appreciate how encouraging he was to me at the beginning of my career. He was one of a kind and will be dearly missed.” Fiat Chrysler Automobiles called Iacocca “one of the great leaders of our company and the auto industry as a whole.”
“We are committed to ensuring that Chrysler, now FCA, is such a company, an example of commitment and respect, known for excellence as well as for its contribution to society. His legacy is the resiliency and unshakeable faith in the future that live on in the men and women of FCA who strive every day to live up to the high standards he set.”
Dennis Archer, mayor of Detroit from 1994 to 2001 and chairman emeritus of the Dickinson Wright law firm, said: “I watched what he was able to do with a lot of admiration and respect for his ability to change the dynamics of Chrysler Corporation, and his intuitive instinct to be successful.”
Bud Liebler, a former vice president of public relations at Chrysler, said Iacocca was a strong leader: “I think of him as a Damon Runyonesque character. He had a lot of opinions, but he wouldn’t ask anybody to do anything he wouldn’t do. … He singlehandedly carried the flag (when Chrysler sought government loan help). Employees would walk through walls for him.”
Mark Hackel, executive of Macomb County, Michigan, in metro Detroit,said: “I was just out of high school and I was always impressed that the president or CEO of the organization was also the lead spokesperson. His famous ‘if you can find a better car, buy it’ was legendary. He exemplified what leaders need to do, lead.”
Candice Miller, Macomb County Public Works commissioner and former congresswoman, posted on Facebook: “A Detroit ‘car guy’ if ever there was one, Lee Iacocca was a true leader for his time. He was a giant among the auto industry and had a deep love for America, as witnessed by his leadership in refurbishing the State of Liberty in the 1980s . ... Mustangs, Chrysler, Leadership... a full life, well lived.”
Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Cox Automotive’s Autotrader, said Iacocca was “a giant in the automotive business and the American stage.”
“He was a great speaker and his press conferences were always entertaining. … He was absolutely larger than life. He smoked big cigars, (sat) back in his chair, but when he spoke, he commanded the room.”