Dan Akerson, Chairman and CEO, General Motors to Speak at National Press Club, Dec. 16

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Dec 06, 2013, 04:45 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson will provide an update on the company's progress in its goal to design, build and sell the world's best vehicles at a National Press Club Speakers Luncheon on Monday, Dec. 16. He will also talk about GM's investment plans in the U.S.

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General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, led global sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, longer than any other automaker. However, following the recession of 2008-2009, GM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In 2009, General Motors shed several brands, closing Saturn, Pontiac and Hummer.

Akerson, who had been a managing director and head of global buyout for the Carlyle Group, joined the General Motors board of directors in mid-2009. On August 12, 2010 GM's CEO Ed Whitacre announced that he would be stepping down and that Akerson would take over as CEO. Akerson then led the company's initial public offering – the largest in history -- with the Obama administration purchasing 61% of the shares of the automaker – citing the need to protect thousands of jobs, the U.S. auto industry and the economy. On January 1, 2011, Akerson became chairman of the board and during his first year, helped the company earn a record $7.6 billion in profit off of $150.3 billion in sales.

The company continues to invest in fuel efficient car technologies and models -- bringing to market a number of hybrids along with the Chevy Volt – a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Just last week Akerson has said that General Motors is gearing up to take on the upstart electric car company -- Tesla Motors -- through its Cadillac brand.

Prior to his working at the Carlyle Group, Akerson served as CEO or president of several telecommunications and technology companies, including MCI, Nextel Communications, XO Communications and General Instrument, through periods of explosive growth and dynamic change.

Akerson serves on the boards of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, the Detroit Economic Club, the Tsinghua University (China) School of Economics and Management Advisory Board and the International Business Leaders Advisory Council of Shanghai. He is a member of The Business Council, comprising 150 active-member CEOs from the world's largest businesses.

The Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Remarks will begin at 1 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session ending at 2 p.m. Tickets may be purchased by going to the following link http://www.press.org/events/npc-luncheon-dan-akerson-chairman-and-ceo-general-motors#tickets. The cost of luncheon admission is $21 for National Press Club members and $35 for non-members. Tickets must be purchased at the time of reservation.

National Press Club Luncheons are webcast live on press.org. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #NPCLunch, or on Facebook at (facebook.com/PressClubDC) and Twitter (@PressClubDC). Submit questions for speakers in advance and during the live event by sending them to @QNPCLunch on Twitter. Or to email a question in advance, type AKERSON in the subject line and send to [email protected] before 10 a.m. Dec. 16.

The Press Club is on the 13^th floor, 529 14^th Street, NW, Washington, DC. Credentialed press may cover this event with ID.

About the National Press Club
The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with more than 3,300 members world-wide representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend more than 2,000 events. The Club was founded in 1908 and is on the Web at press.org.

Melinda Cooke: 202-662-7515 [email protected]

SOURCE National Press Club