| Our 2022 All-Stars rose to the challenge |
Every year, the editorial staff of Automotive News convenes to select our annual All-Stars, an exercise that often involves vigorous debate and occasionally tough decisions.
Our goal is to recognize leaders who have steered their companies through extraordinary challenges, led their organizations to new heights and innovated in ways that will transform the automotive landscape.
The prevailing theme among the 2020 and 2021 All-Stars was how they managed the shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and global microchip shortage that severely hampered vehicle production and constricted the flow of inventory to dealers’ lots. In 2022, neither problem went away, but there are signs that both are abating, at least somewhat.
While that dual threat is not quite as pronounced this year as it was during the previous two, the industry continued to face production challenges and inventory shortages. If those issues weren’t enough, the industry’s troubles were compounded by:
■ Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted automotive supply chains and sent fuel prices skyrocketing.
■ The most rapid increase in inflation since the 1980s, driven in large part by soaring new- and used-vehicle prices.
■ The start of the most aggressive series of interest rate increases by the Federal Reserve in four decades, which are intended to tame inflation.
■ The Inflation Reduction Act, which is forcing every automaker and retailer selling or planning to sell electric vehicles in the U.S. and their battery-making partners to reevaluate their manufacturing and raw materials-sourcing plans.
■ The high costs of raw materials needed to build EV components.
Still, our All-Stars persevered, delivering excellent products and services to their customers, introducing innovations that are key to the future of mobility, and making other significant contributions to the industry in myriad ways.
This week we reveal the 38 members of the Class of 2022. (A couple of this year’s selections might be controversial in the eyes of some. See my column in this week’s issue for my thoughts on them.)
At this time next year, I predict we’ll be talking about how our next set of All-Stars coped with interest rates and other economic pressures, how the industry managed the slow return to production normalcy, even more innovative thinking — and the unpredictable.
Looking forward to seeing what unfolds in 2023.
— Omari Gardner