For more than 20 years, Automotive News has closely monitored the progress women have made in the auto industry.
Every five years since 2000, we have put together a list of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. Assembling it is always challenging. Twenty years ago it was difficult to find enough executives with authority; this year, the challenge of our fifth list was choosing among hundreds of powerful female executives.
The nominees were evaluated by a team of Automotive News editors and reporters; Michelle Lytle, managing director at Deloitte; and Nancy Philippart, general partner and co-founder of Belle Michigan, an early-stage venture fund that invests in women-led startups. Philippart was on the list in 2000 when she was at General Motors.