News & Opportunities

2023 AWAF Award Winners Announced

The AWAF Awards are designed to celebrate and honor the achievements of women and change champions who live the AWAF mission of advancing and empowering women in the automotive industry. 

Sandy Stojkovski will receive the Industry Achievement Award. This award honors a woman who has made an outstanding contribution for at least (10) years in the automotive industry while also making a difference by promoting and supporting her fellow women to achieve their automotive career aspirations.

Sandy assumed the role of CEO for Vitesco Technologies North America in October 2019, expanding her responsibilities as Head of Division Electrification Solutions for the region in January 2023. Managing the North American operations with 7,500 employees and €2.35B in revenue (2022), she focuses on advancing electric and electrified vehicle technologies.

With over 25 years of professional experience, Sandy is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As CEO, she initiated the appointment of a chief diversity officer, Flora Stanfield, and coined the vision statement of “seeking to create a culture where all employees can thrive to their fullest potential.” Recognized among the Top 100 Leading Women in Automotive in 2020, Sandy has used her platform both publicly in the media and within the company to champion gender equality and the development of support systems encouraging and supporting women in the automotive industry. Under her guidance, the first employee resource group created at Vitesco Technologies was the U.S. chapter of “Women of Vitesco Technologies” to encourage and support development, retention and recruiting opportunities for women in the company. The effort has led to other local chapters in the region and now throughout the world.

Under her leadership, the first employee resource group, "Women of Vitesco Technologies," was established, encouraging women's development, retention, and recruitment. This initiative has expanded globally, showcasing Sandy's dedication to supporting women in the automotive industry. Her commitment extends beyond Vitesco Technologies, as she contributes to SAE's North American International Powertrain Executive Committee, serves on the boards of Inforum and MEMA, and is a member of the CADIA CEO Coalition for Change.

Sandy's diverse business background includes executive roles in companies of various sizes, from startups to Fortune 500. Notable positions include North America Powertrain President at Magneti Marelli, Vice President of Global Engineering at TRW Automotive, and over a decade as an automotive technology consultant, founding her advanced technology planning firm.

__________

Jon Husby will receive the Change Champion Award. This award recognizes a man or company who has contributed significantly to the acceptance and advancement of women in the automotive industry.

As President and CEO of ADAC Automotive, Jon Husby is a change champion and advocate for diversity and inclusion in the automotive industry. Since assuming his role in August 2022, he has transformed the Senior Leadership Team, appointing a female CFO and CTO. Under his leadership, nearly seventy percent of team leaders and above in manufacturing and operations are now women.

Husby is actively driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) through a comprehensive succession planning process and equal pay considerations. In 2023, he initiated the Innovators Without Limits series to bring innovative leaders into the organization, emphasizing innovation in processes, products, and DE&I initiatives.

Previously serving as President and CEO of SEG Automotive North America, Husby successfully shifted the business focus from commodity-based to value-added technology solutions. He conducted an equal pay analysis and balanced salaries throughout North America. His experience also includes leadership roles at Harman International, TomTom, Tele Atlas, and DENSO.

In addition to his role at ADAC, Husby serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Automotive Hall of Fame, actively contributing to its DE&I committee. He also chairs the Board of Directors of MEMA – OE Suppliers and serves as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of MEMA. Recognized as a Rising Star by Automotive News in April 2019, Husby holds a BA in Economics and Management from Albion College and an MBA from Wayne State University.

__________

Adient's Women's Resource Network will receive the Group Achievement Award. This is given to a group of women who working together to make an exceptional contribution to the automotive & mobility industry. This includes exemplary teamwork and leadership exhibited and the significance of the accomplishment. 

Adient's Women’s Resource Network (WRN) is a driving force in advancing the representation, promotion, and retention of women at the automotive seating supplier.

The WRN has established a prominent brand at Adient, hosting monthly "3rd Friday" virtual events attended by employees worldwide, featuring cutting-edge programming on Allyship, Subtle Acts of Exclusion, and Authentic Leadership. These events not only educate but also provide a platform for women speakers both within and outside of Adient.

WRN hosts well-attended networking and live events for women employees, often attended by Adient's CEO and senior leaders. Their strong relationship with the executive team results in WRN activities being highlighted in leadership communications and town halls.

The monthly "empower U" series showcases female employees recognized for their leadership, highlighting women's vital contributions and inspiring others. Adient's "inspire U" center, curated by the WRN, offers a wealth of resources on inspirational, diversity, and professional development topics for all employees.

The WRN actively seeks community give-back opportunities, supporting organizations like the Society of Women Engineers, Vista Marie, and raising funds for breast cancer research through the 12th annual WRN Golf Outing. They were also the driving force in encouraging Adient to support AWAF’s scholarship program.

__________

Haley Antoine Grantham will receive the Emerging Leader Award. This award honors a woman who has been in her career 10 years or less and has demonstrated outstanding performance, as well as leadership in her professional work and the community.

Haley Antoine Grantham is a Safety and Crashworthiness Engineer at Toyota Motor North America Research and Development. Since January 2020, she has demonstrated exceptional technical prowess, leading pedestrian head impact development for three vehicle programs concurrently. In addition to her technical accomplishments, Haley is deeply committed to mentoring and developing the next generation of STEM leaders.

Recognizing a gap in support for co-op students, especially women, Haley initiated the R&D Senpai Program, a non-technical co-op mentoring initiative. This program has provided one-on-one mentoring to over 225 students, enhancing talent at R&D by offering mentoring and coaching opportunities to over 75 full-time team members. Under her leadership, the program incorporates various activities, including guest speakers, workshops, go-and-see activities, and networking events.

Currently leading a team of seven members, Haley is training a new program leader to elevate the program further. Recently, she secured sponsorship from two of R&D’s Group Vice Presidents to launch a Leadership Development Program for Engineer II through Principal Engineers, obtaining full budget and program approval.

Beyond Toyota, Haley is actively involved with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). As the President-Elect of SWE Detroit, she has led numerous K-12 outreach efforts, reaching 500+ students and parents over three years. Serving as the SWE Counselor for the Oakland University SWE Section and holding national roles as the Outreach Committee Chair-Elect and Chair for FY21 and FY22, Haley remains dedicated to positively impacting Toyota's customers and team members. An emerging leader, she continuously strives for innovation and positive change.

The awards will be presented at the 2023 AWAF Holiday Affair on December 5th.