Lee Iacocca

The career of Lee Iacocca

1946: Iacocca joins Ford Motor Co. as an engineering trainee.
1964: As head of the Ford division, Iacocca rolls out the Mustang pony

car.
1970: Iacocca is promoted to president of Ford.
1978: Iacocca is fired by Henry Ford II, who tells him: "Sometimes you just don't like somebody." Four months later, Chrysler Corp. hires Iaccoca.
1979: Iacocca becomes Chrysler CEO. He begins epic negotiations on a $1.5-billion federal loan guarantee to rescue Chrysler.
1982: President Reagan names Iacocca to head the restoration of the Statue
of Liberty and Ellis Island.
1983: Chrysler begins paying back its federal loans. Iacocca television commercials pitch K-cars with the line, "If you can find a better car, buy it."
1984: The first Chrysler minivan debuts. Iacocca's autobiography becomes a publishing phenomenon, ultimately selling 7 million copies.
1986: Iacocca earns $20.5 million at Chrysler, making him the top-paid executive in America.
1987: Chrysler buys American Motors Corp., adding Jeep to its brand lineup. Iacocca publicly apologizes for an odometer-tampering scandal. "Did we screw up? You bet. We're human."
1988: Iacocca rejects a run for the Democratic presidential nomination. His second book, "Talking Straight," becomes the No. 1 bestseller.
1992: After joining President Bush on a Japanese trade mission, Iacocca blasts the Japanese in a speech in Detroit. "Americans won't tolerate their predatory attack on this industry any longer," he said. Iacocca turns down U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania. He retires from Chrysler after choosing General Motors Corp. executive Robert Eaton as his successor.
1993: President Clinton taps Iacocca to promote the North American Free Trade Agreement.
1994: Iacocca forms an investment bank, invests in casino-gaming, and pitches olive oil.
1995: Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian, with Iacocca's backing, launches an unsuccessful takeover bid for Chrysler.
1996: Kerkorian and Chrysler reach five-year agreement that includes a gag order preventing Iacocca from speaking publicly about Chrysler.
1997: Iacocca starts company that markets electric bicycles.
1998: Daimler-Benz AG buys Chrysler.
2000-01: Iacocca holds secret talks with DaimlerChrysler CEO Juergen Schrempp about a possible return to Chrysler, which Schrempp rejects.