Mary Barra, the CEO-in-waiting of General Motors and the first woman to lead a major automaker, got the star treatment at the Detroit Auto Show today. And by "star treatment," I mean "was chased down by a gigantic throng of reporters."
The AP reports that Barra, who becomes CEO on Wednesday, was pursued by about 100 reporters and photographers at the auto show this morning shortly after the Corvette Stingray and Chevrolet Silverado won an utterly pointless award that only exists for marketing purposes North American Car and Truck of the Year.
Since this is an auto show, that's mostly gonna be a mob of 100 old dudes in suits. (The presence of your mostly-20something Jalopnik staff lowers the median Detroit Auto Show journalist age to 77.)
From the AP story:
Two large bodyguards and public relations handlers fended off the throng that chased her to the Cadillac exhibit, where she did a television interview. During the pursuit, one cameraman tripped over a couch and another ran into a post.
A security guard said he hadn't seen as large of a gaggle since former CEO Rick Wagoner was pursued as GM was headed toward bankruptcy in 2009.
Apparently the "throng" didn't get much out of Barra, who is not for not being as off-the-cuff as her predecessor Dan Akerson. But obviously, Barra's star is rising, and the media can't get enough of her.
Photo credit AP