Chapter 16 Rodney O’Neal 2002 Black Engineer of the Year THE FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTS FROM THE 2002 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARDS CEREMONY SPEECHES HONORING RODNEY O’NEAL. Mr. Robert Stevens, President & Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation: Rodney O’Neal is an executive vice president of Delphi Automotive Systems and president of the company’s Safety, Thermal, and Electrical Architecture Sector. He is a member of the Delphi Strategy Board, the company’s top policy-making group, and serves as executive champion for Delphi’s Ford customer team. Now, you may not know Rodney or Delphi Automotive, but I assure you they’ve both touched your life in some way. Let me tell you why. Delphi Automotive Systems is a world leader in making components for your car. They have three business sectors with 195,000 employees operating in 43 countries. They make components like window defoggers, climate control systems, electrical wiring designs controlling ignition, lighting and sound systems, and other parts that are at the heart and soul of the safety, comfort, and convenience of your car. In fact, Delphi Automotive is the largest producer of automobile components in the world. They are even under contract to supply the electronics for the Segway Human Transporter, destined to scoot itself into our lives in the near future. Rodney O’Neal is one of the top five corporate officers leading Delphi Automotive and the chief executive of the sector directly responsible for electrical systems, heating and air conditioning components, and creative solutions for automobile safety. He is responsible for 110,000 employees. Rodney began his automotive career as a student at General Motors Institute in 1971. In 1976, he joined the Inland Division, where he held a number of engineering and manufacturing positions in Dayton, Ohio, Portugal, and Canada. Rodney was named director
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