Here’s a look at the life of Lee Iacocca, American automotive executive.
Personal:
Birth date: October 15, 1924
Birth place: Allentown, Pennsylvania
Birth name: Lido Anthony Iacocca
Father: Nicola Iacocca, restaurant owner
Mother: Antoinette (Perrotto) Iacocca
Marriages: Darrien (Earle) Iacocca (1991-1995, divorced); Peggy (Johnson) Iacocca (1986-1987, divorced); Mary (McCleary) Iacocca (1956-1983, her death)
Children: with Mary (McCleary) Iacocca: Kathryn and Lia
Education: Lehigh University, B.S., 1945; Princeton University, M.S., 1946
Other Facts:
His parents immigrated to the United States from Italy.
Is credited with saving Chrysler from bankruptcy.
Starred in a series of Chrysler television commercials, making famous the line “If you can find a better car, buy it.”
Serves as chairman of the board of The Iacocca Family Foundation.
Timeline:
1946 – Begins working at Ford Motor Company as an engineer.
1970-1978 – President of Ford Motor Company.
1978 – Is fired as president of Ford by Henry Ford II.
1978 – Is hired by Chrysler Corp.
1979 – Becomes CEO of Chrysler Corp.
1982-1986 – President Ronald Reagan appoints Iacocca chairman of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Centennial Commission, which raises money to restore the Statue of Liberty.
1984 – Releases “Iacocca: An Autobiography.”
1984 – Establishes The Iacocca Family Foundation, to raise money for diabetes research, after his wife, Mary, passes away due to complications from diabetes. The foundation has funded more than $45 million in research projects.
1992 – Retires from Chrysler.
November 1995 – Iacocca files a lawsuit against Chrysler, accusing the company of illegally preventing him from exercising his stock options.
December 1995 – Chrysler files a lawsuit against Iacocca, claiming he gave confidential information to Kirk Kerkorian, who tried to take over Chrysler.
1996 – Iacocca and Chrysler settle their lawsuits against one another.
2007 – Releases the book “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?,” co-written with Catherine Whitney.