COMMUNITY & CULTURE
20 PEOPLE TO KNOW
NANCY
LAUBENTHAL
Automotive Industry Pioneer
General Motors
As plant manager for General Motors in Wentzville,
Missouri, Nancy Laubenthal continues to be at the
forefront of revolutionizing the automotive industry.
Under Nancy’s leadership, the Wentzville plant has
experienced a rate of growth and expansion that has led to
the gradual hiring of 750 employees, a major turnaround,
following the recession. She led the launch of GM’s new,
next-generation midsize pickup trucks, the Chevrolet
Colorado and GMC Canyon.
Nancy’s career at GM started 30 years ago. After graduating
from Cornell University with a bachelor’s and master’s
degree in chemical engineering, she interned within GM’s
paint and polymers engineering department. Since then,
she has held various positions within the company.
She lived and worked in Europe and Mexico before moving
to the Wentzville location as plant manager. She also holds
an MBA from the University of Michigan.
When she’s not at the automotive plant, you’ll probably
find Nancy somewhere halfway across the world. Once a
year, she and her friends choose a destination to discover.
They have hiked glaciers, paraglided in the Alps, and ran
a 16K run near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Nancy said she is
always looking for an adrenaline rush.
GAZELLE WEST