Janet Barnard, chief people officer, for Cox Automotive, and Grace Huang, president at Manheim, a Cox Automotive company, have been named among the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News. Barnard, Huang and their co-honorees are featured in a special section of the Nov. 9 issue and were recognized at a virtual, exclusive celebration sponsored by Automotive News and Deloitte.
100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry recognizes women who are leaders in the automotive field – those who make major decisions and have significant influence at their companies. Automotive News has published the list of the industry’s top female executives every five years since 2000.
Among the top priorities at Cox Automotive is building a culture that is representative of its client base and demonstrates respect for people, diverse perspectives and responsible actions. The company has a legacy of doing the right thing for its clients, employees and the communities in which it operates. This philosophy is exemplified by these Cox Automotive leaders.
Janet Barnard, Chief People Officer, Cox Automotive
After being honored on the 2015 100 Leading Women list when she was president of Manheim, Barnard is once again recognized for her leadership in automotive. As chief people officer for Cox Automotive, Barnard develops the organization’s high-performance culture and talent management program to support the company’s vision to transform the automotive industry. Her team guides the development of tens of thousands of team members globally spanning more than 25 brands. Prior to becoming chief people officer, Barnard was the president of Cox Automotive Inventory Solutions. Barnard is the chair of the Board of Governors, Georgia State Chamber of Commerce – Innovation and Technology Committee and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board for University of Nebraska’sCollege of Business.
Grace Huang, President, Manheim
As president, Huang sets Manheim’s strategic direction and is responsible for all operations, comprising 76 physical auctions and auction services locations. Her team encompasses thousands of employees across the U.S. included in the Manheim business and related brands such as Manheim Express, Ready Logistics, Central Dispatch and DealShield. Huang also oversees the industry’s first omni-channel experience being delivered through the Manheim Marketplace. Prior to leading Manheim, Huang was the senior vice president of Manheim Inventory Solutions. Huang is a board member of the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and supports the T.J. Martell Foundation.
“Janet and Grace are valued members of the Cox Automotive team who demonstrate the type of bold leadership and passion that helps our organization thrive, especially during challenging circumstances,” said Sandy Schwartz, CEO of Cox Automotive. “We congratulate them on their well-deserved honors and look forward to the many more contributions they will make to propel our company and clients into a successful future.”
The 2020 class of Automotive News’ 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry emerged from a months-long nomination and judging process that attracted hundreds of entries from the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“A comparison of the 2020 and 2015 Automotive News lists of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry confirms that the status of women in the industry continues to improve,” said Mary Beth Vander Schaaf, Automotive News managing editor and leader of the project. “Our selection committee made many difficult decisions. The talented, powerful executives on this list are at the forefront of thousands of successful women in the auto industry.”