TRAVERSE CITY, MI – The Management Briefing Seminars began with a moment of silence for Sergio Marchionne, credited with saving Chrysler during last decade’s dark days and creating Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in the process.
“He surpassed people’s expectations of what could be done,” says Carla Bailo, president and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research that stages the annual automotive conference here.
Marchionne died July 25 at age 66. He became head of struggling Fiat in 2004 and head of Chrysler in 2009 and guided it through a turnaround.
“He was a straightforward person, and some of his quotes will live on forever,” Bailo says. “They were provocative and heartfelt.”
In one speech, Marchionne quoted Bruce Springsteen (“We’ve got once last chance to make it real” from the song “Thunder Road”).
In another speech, he quoted French existentialist philosopher Albert Camus. “Not many auto executives do that,” Bailo says.
Referring to his workaholic reputation, she suggests “Rest in Peace” doesn’t apply to him because “he never stopped.”
