This week, GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sat down to discuss the future of American manufacturing and innovation. 

The hour-long conversation is well worth a listen, as Rice and Barra discuss customer choice, AI, leadership styles, and more. But for Barra, it all comes back to the workforce that powers the company she leads.

“People are what make General Motors, General Motors,” Barra said during the interview. “Their commitment, their tenacity, makes us special.”

Something special happened over the weekend too, as Chevrolet proudly stood front and center in our nation’s capital on Sunday, when INDYCAR stopped by Washington D.C., blasting past the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument. GM News got the inside scoop from Corvette Lead Development Engineer Charlie Rusher, who was on the ground during the historic America 250 celebrations. 

“I’ve gotten to do a lot of cool things for work,” Rusher told GM News, “but nothing like this.”

Elsewhere down the coast, in Concord, North Carolina, another anniversary to celebrate: It’s been 20 years since Pixar’s Cars debuted. Disney fans convened at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where GM featured two Cars character-inspired wrapped vehicles, including a purple, lowrider-themed pickup.

Whether celebrating 20 years, or 250, the week’s news reminds us that the cars — and especially people — are at the center of what we do.

–Kyle Kinard, Managing Editor, GM News