Another New York Times article, this time from September 1987, announced the marriage of Lia to James F. Nagy Jr. Nagy was a landscape supervisor at the time of their wedding, and Lia was president of her familys wine company, Villa Nicola Ltd. Iacocca-for-president became increasingly widespread, and a 1985 poll of [45][46], In his 2007 book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, Iacocca described how he considered running for president in 1988 and was in the planning stages of a campaign with the slogan "I Like I", before ultimately being talked out of it by his friend Tip O'Neill. [13][14] Iacocca joined Chrysler and began rebuilding the entire company from the ground up and bringing in many former associates from Ford. He married for the third time in 1991 to Darrien Earle. image, like Chrysler's earnings, began to fall. In Ordinary People, a song from Neil Young released in Chrome Dreams II and Bluenote Caf, Lee Iacocca is quoted in the lyrics as a notable representative of the capitalistic world. DETROIT - Family and friends gathered Wednesday morning to pay tribute to famed auto executive Lee Iacocca. However, three years later, the couple split. [33], In 1997, Iacocca founded Iacocca, a company formed to develop and market electric bikes with a top speed of 15mph and a range of 20 miles between recharging at wall outlets. These volumes are intended to stand as an enduring record of the many contributions of engineers and engineering to the benefit of humankind. American auto executive Lee Iacocca became a national celebrity for steering the Chrysler Corporation away from bankruptcy toward record profits in the 1980s. The other three chapters foreshadow current debates about health care, unfair trade practices by other countries, and the reliance of the US economy on financial instruments rather than real goods and services. By 1981 Chrysler showed a small profit, and three years later it announced record profits of more than $2.4 billion. As general manager of the Ford Division, he was credited with introducing the design of the 1964 Mustang. His first wife, Mary, died of diabetes in 1983 - something that prompted him to open a family . To obtain the guarantee, Chrysler was required to reduce costs and abandon some longstanding projects, such as the turbine engine, which had been ready for consumer production in 1979 after nearly 20 years of development. These volumes are intended to stand as an enduring record of the many contributions of engineers and engineering to the benefit of humankind. Harper Lee is best known for writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Go Set a Watchman,' which portrays the later years of the Finch family. Throughout the 1980s, Iacocca, with the help of his longtime friend and advertisement executive, Leo-Arthur Kelmenson, appeared in a series of commercials developed by Kenyon & Eckhardt for the company's vehicles, employing the ad campaign, "The pride is back," to denote the turnaround of the corporation. important unit, Ford Division. This gave Iacocca the breathing room he needed to revamp and streamline operations. Lee Iacocca has come home., At that reception, Iacocca told those gathered that he discovered a few truths over the course of a long and fortunate life. He was previously married to Darrien Earle, Peggy Johnson and Mary Kathryn McCleary. He was president and CEO of Chrysler . criticized Japanese trading practices, blaming them for the ills that "Philanthropy is now a big part of my life, with the Iacocca Foundation funding cutting-edge research to find a cure for diabetes." Mini Bio (1) Lee Iacocca was born on October 15, 1924 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. LIDO ANTHONY IACOCCA, engineer and industrial icon, passed away at the age of 94 on July 2, 2019, in Los Angeles. earned a master's degree from Princeton University. After graduating with honors from Allentown High School in 1942, he attended Lehigh University and got his degree in industrial engineering in 3 years. Brandt recalls Iacocca as a good friend and mentor during his time at the Iacocca Institute, who shared his vision for the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh and the Global Village program when Brandt visited him at Iacoccas home in California. With the K-Cars and minivans, and reforms that Iacocca implemented, the company turned around quickly and repaid the government-backed loans 7 years earlier than expected. When it became profitable again in 1992, Mr Iacocca left the firm. National Academy of Engineering 500 Fifth Street, NW | Washington, DC 20001 T. 202.334.3200 | F. 202.334.2290, Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, Volume 23, National Academy of Engineering, Volume 23. welcomed, for the first time in U.S. corporate history, a union Four years later in 1994, the two divorced. [8], In 1968, Iacocca foresaw the need for domestically produced, small, fuel-efficient vehicles,[9] and proposed a vehicle that weighed less than 2,000 pounds and would be priced at less than $2,000. Because of his remarkable success in businesshe was seen as a man who knew how to run things and how to get things doneand his wide and positive exposure to the public, Iacoccas name was floated as a potential candidate for president in 1984. Iacocca led Chrysler's acquisition of AMC in 1987, which brought the profitable Jeep division under the corporate umbrella. President Ronald Reagan asked him to help coordinate fundraising efforts for the restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. New York: Bantam, 1988. (takeover) when, for a time, he only accepted one dollar a year from The foundation was founded in 1984 in honor of Iacoccas first wife and the mother of both of his children, Mary, who passed away due to complications from type 1 diabetes. Although Ford's European subsidiary was already selling such a model (the Ford Escort), a team of Ford designers was assigned to create the exterior and interior of an entirely new car, which would be named Pinto. Lido Anthony Iacocca, generally known as Lee Iacocca, was born to Italian immigrants Nicola and Antonietta in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on October 15, 1924. The couple married in 1956, and Mary died in 1983 following a lifelong struggle with diabetes. It pains me to see my old company, which has meant so much to America, on the ropes. Mary worked as a receptionist at the Ford Motor Companys Philadelphia office. In return for his services, Lee and DaimlerChrysler agreed that his fees, plus a $1 donation per vehicle sold through December 31, would go to the Iacocca Foundation for type 1 diabetes research, in recognition of his wife Mary (ne McCleary), who died at age 57 from complications of diabetes in 1983, after 27 years of marriage. He died on July 2, 2019 in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California, USA. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lee-Iacocca, Automotive Hall of Fame - Biography of Lee A. Iacocca, Lee Iacocca - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca attends the unveiling of the new Mercedes-Benz Maybach 57S at Mercedes Benz of Beverly Hills on October 18, 2005. record for any model, gave its name to a generation, and landed its At one time Iacocca was urged to run for President of the United States, and a number of Ford and Chrysler dealers across the country even provided him with initial funds. He is survived by two daughters and eight grandchildren. She graduated from Oakland University with a degree in Communications 1986. [10], In 1977, there were allegations that the Pinto's structural design allowed its fuel-tank filler neck to break off and the fuel tank to be punctured in a rear-end collision, resulting in deadly fires. as Kerkorian's consultant. Assad noted her fathers pride in his lifetime association with Lehigh, both as a student and a philanthropist. commercials, and association with the Statue of Liberty, he gained much The campaign went national and he was called to the Ford headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, where he rose through the ranks: vice president and general manager, Ford Division (1960); vice president, car and truck group (1965); executive vice president (1967); and president (1970). (323) 377-4312 (m) In addition to the $1.5 billion governmental loan he was able to acquire, he also had to close plants and negotiate with labor unions to accept layoffs and wage cuts. (1913945) was denied His contributions to the automobile industry, and other organizations certainly benefitted many. Iacocca, Lee. Iacocca also moved up the ranks at Ford, becoming a vice president and general manager of the Ford division by 1960. Visit the campaign website now >, 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA, document.write( new Date().getFullYear() ); All Rights Reserved, Lee Iacocca '45, Business Icon and a 'Great Son of Lehigh,' Dies at 94. as a symbol of American ingenuity and resilience. also earned a reputation as one of the greatest salesmen in U.S. Besides his sister, nephews and niece, Iacocca is survived by two daughters, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad; another niece and eight grandchildren. In most cases, the authors of the tributes are contemporaries or colleagues who had personal knowledge of the interests and the engineering accomplishments of the deceased. Lehigh lost not only a great man but a great friend as well, said Lehigh President John D. Simon 19P. Six years later, on December 10, 1970, Iacocca was named President of Ford. Iacocca was married to Mary McCleary on September 29, 1956. Iacocca enjoyed a long and spectacularly successful career, which took an unexpected turn when he discovered that he preferred the business aspect of the automobile industry over the engineering component. (2007). Iacocca and Mary McCleary were married in 1956 and had two daughters, Though Iacocca moved away years ago from the Lehigh Valley, his older sister, Delma Iacocca Kelechava, 97, and other relatives live locally. Corrections? truck group; in 1967, executive vice president; and in 1970, president. restoration of the two monuments in New York City. Iacoccas move to Chrysler came in 1978 following a power struggle with Henry Ford II. Kathryn Iacocca who is now married and goes by Kathryn Hentz -is the current president of the Iacocca Family Foundation. F. Hutton Credit Corporation for $125 million. As assistant sales manager in the Philadelphia district, he gained national recognition with his 56 for 56 campaign, offering loans on 1956 model year cars with a 20 percent down payment and $56 in monthly payments for 3 years. 2023 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. Of Iacocca, it has been said that he was always selling, "Lee Iacocca gregarious, immensely able, and family friend dies at age 94. Wyden, Peter. years as president, Lee Iacocca engineered one of business Of the four issues, the need for mandatory seat belt laws is the only one effectively addressed in the decades since. In honor of Iacoccas contributions to the university, Lehigh established four Iacocca chairs in 1991one in each collegeas well as the Iacocca Scholarship. Henry Ford II had wanted nothing to do with the Mini-Max, a restyled version of the minivan, which Toyota was selling in huge numbers in Asia and Latin America, and his opinion doomed the project at Ford. Even as a They were the parents of Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad, who survive him, as does his sister, Delma Kelechava, and eight grandchildren. And take it from me, giving back really does make you happy.. Nicola also ran Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca (/ a. Earlier, he received the Lehigh Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed on an alumnus, for his many years of service, loyalty and dedication to the university. ", Clayton added: "Lee Iacocca served as an inspirational industry icon for decades, and his name has become synonymous with a legacy built from grit, determination, focus and an unwavering sense of optimism and pride for this country and what we can accomplish. One of Iacoccas accomplishments was helping to bring the iconic Mustang an affordable, stylish sports car to the market in 1964. In July 1983, only five years later, Iacocca was able to turn the company around and pay back the entire loanincluding interestseven years before his deadline. The expertise and credibility that the National Academy of Engineering brings to that task stem directly from the abilities, interests, and achievements of our members and international members, our colleagues and friends, whose special gifts we remember in this book. Mary died of diabetes (a blood disorder) in 1983, and in owner and a theater owner. They married on April 17, 1986, but in 1987, after nineteen months, Iacocca had the marriage annulled. Iacocca then began his career at the Ford Motor Company, working at first as a Ford engineer. Iacocca grew up in comfortable surroundings learning the nuts and bolts Born Lido Anthony Iacocca, the child of Italian immigrants grew up in humble conditions, however, he became one of the most powerful and best known executives in Detroit. [31], Iacocca joined the board of restaurant chain Koo Koo Roo in 1995. Iacocca also served as a spokesman in television ads, promising anyone who test drove a Chrysler $50 if they ended up buying a similar car from a competitor. The couples courtship and marriage generated major media coverage in Detroit and around the country. Similar to the later minivan, these compact automobiles were based on design proposals that Ford had rejected during Iacocca's (and Sperlich's) tenure. The family's economic suffering was a driving force in Lee Iacocca's ambitions for financial success. put off his start until he completed his master's degree at And his fellow engineers like to think that a sound foundation in how to approach problems, weigh conflicting evidence, consider cost and schedule, identify problems in need of a solution rather than solutions in need of a problem, and gauge the impact of a technical advance on the publicthat this foundation was instrumental in Iacoccas remarkable success as an executive. In 2010, Iacocca was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award by Lehighs Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Today these structures house the College of Education, the biology and chemical engineering departments, and The Iacocca Institute, which is focused on global competitiveness. The secret is to live long and enjoy life. $2.4 billion (higher than in the previous sixty years combined), and in American car manufacturers had suffered. Ever the salesman, throughout the 1980s he appeared in a series of commercials for Chrysler vehicles, with the ad campaign The pride is back, to signal the companys turnaround. of success and the achievement of the American dream. Richard Henry Lee was an American statesman from Virginia who made the motion, known as the Lee Resolution, for independence from Great Britain. a great vision in order to build a thriving business. In 1956, he married Mary McCleary for the first time. He supported George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election, but turned toward Bushs opponent in 2004, throwing his support behind then-Senator John Kerry. He married Peggy Johnson in 1986, but the marriage lasted only a year. Lee Iacocca '45 remained a loyal supporter of Lehigh throughout his spectacularly successful business career. This summers Iacocca Institute programs, currently in progress on the Lehigh campus. Iacocca was an advocate of "Nourish the Children", an initiative of Nu Skin Enterprises,[39] since its inception in 2002, and served as its chairman. Earlier, he received the Lehigh Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed on an alumnus, for his many years of service, loyalty and dedication to the university, Iacocca enjoyed a long and spectacularly successful career, which took an unexpected turn when he discovered that he preferred the business aspect of the automobile industry over the engineering component. Within a few years Chrysler was showing record profits, and Iacocca was a national celebrity. My sincere condolences to the Iacocca family for the loss of Lee. Pocketing an annual salary and bonus of $977,000, the flashy executive After a thirty-two year career with Ford Motor Company, including eight Iacocca was born Lido Anthony Iacocca in 1924 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was hired as president for the nearly-defunct Chrysler Corporation, and his legendary leadership would eventually help reverse the firm's fortunes and cement his place in the landscape of American business. The film was released shortly after Iacocca's death. Realizing that the company would go out of business if it did not receive a large infusion of cash, Iacocca approached the United States Congress in 1979 and successfully requested a loan guarantee. He also engineered the $1.5 billion acquisition of American Motors (AMC) and the Jeep Cherokee model. And he led the Lehigh fundraising campaign to purchase the 742-acre Mountaintop Campus from Bethlehem Steel. Search for jobs related to Lee iacocca grandchildren or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 21m+ jobs. because of his childhood battle with rheumatic fever, a terrible Time In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Iacocca to head the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which was created to raise funds for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and the renovation of Ellis Island. The tense relationship between the two led to Ford firing Iacocca in 1978. Iacocca: An Autobiography. Trivia This legendary businessman played the character of Park Commissioner Lido in an episode of 'Miami Vice'. [1] He was president and CEO of Chrysler from 1978 and chairman from 1979, until his retirement at the end of 1992. [11] In 1978, all 197176 Pintos were recalled and had safety shielding and reinforcements installed to protect the fuel tank.[9]. Who is SI Swimsuit Model Brooks Naders Boyfriend? Chrysler released the first of the K-Car line, the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, in 1981. He also benefited from a twist of fate: He contracted rheumatic fever at 15 and the lingering effects of the disease led to his ineligibility for military service when he graduated from high school in 1942, when he would otherwise certainly have been drafted for duty in World War II. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his two daughters, Kathryn and Lia, from his first marriage and his grandchildren. Former Interim President Clayton noted at the time that 40 percent of Lehigh students participate in a study abroad or international internship program. They will have conducted research, developed sustainability projects and initiated engineering solutions in international destinations like China, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan and Macedonia, said Iacocca, who firmly believed that international working experiences gave students a serious competitive edge in the job market. Although Kerkorian's bid failed to materialize Iacoccawas the driving force behind the iconic Mustang in the mid-1960s. Although his request sparked intense debate over the role of government in a market economy, Congress in 1980 agreed to guarantee $1.5 billion in loans if the company could raise another $2 billion on its own. Her husband is Ned Carlton Hentz. Abodaher, David. He also served as director of Lehighs Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry. In 1970, Iacocca became Ford's president. a worldwide reputation through business leadership, television After early resistance, he pushed for mandatory seat belts, interlocking systems, and the installation of airbags. [32] In 1998, he stepped up to serve as acting chairman of the troubled company, and led it through a merger with Family Restaurants (owner of Chi-Chi's and El Torito). that it unlawfully blocked him from exercising $42 million in share It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Lehigh Valley area students are eligible for financial aid. Along with spearheading Chrysler's rise, Iacocca took leadership "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. She is married to Victor Assad who is her second husband, together they have four children. Despite the thwarted takeover attempt, Iacocca resumed his role as a Chrysler pitchman in 2005, appearing in ads with Jason Alexander and Snoop Dogg. HGTV stars Chris and Calvin LaMont are working to make entry-level housing more affordable. loud and polluting vehicles in crowded urban areas. Iacoccas long relationship with Lehigh began when he entered the university after graduating from William Allen High School in Allentown in 1942. coupled with appearances in television commercials and his best-selling Standing Up for America: A Biography of Lee Iacocca. Talking Straight. Iacocca was born in 1924 to an immigrant family in Pennsylvania. He was also an honorary cochair of the $1 billion GO: The Campaign for Lehigh, the largest fund-raising effort in the universitys history. The Iacocca Family Foundation was founded in honor of Mary McCleary Iacocca and to fulfill Lee Iacocca's promise to his wife - to find a cure for diabetes. Mary met her husband while they worked together at Ford in 1948. By the mid-1980s Iacocca had achieved folk-hero status. At the age of 94, automobile executive Lee Iacocca passed away on July 2, 2019. After a brief stint in engineering, he asked to be moved to sales and marketing, where his career flourished. Politically, Iacocca supported the Republican candidate George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. the American people, in the grip of a recession (a temporary slowing of [9] This case is a staple of engineering ethics courses as an example of a bad costbenefit analysis. By downsizing (to make smaller) expenses It might seem strange to lead with "engineer" for a man who was . His untimely death was caused by a prop gun accident on the set of the film 'The Crow.'. options that he had earned while he was the chairman. He was courted by the Chrysler Corporation at a time when the company seemed to be on the verge of going out of business and had just sold its loss-making Chrysler Europe division to Peugeot, seeking to generate cash to compensate for huge losses in North America. He had another short-lived marriage to Darrien Earle from 1991 to 1994. The In 1991 he said I Do, for the third time to Darrien Earle. They had two daughters. Click here to login if you're an NAE Member. was the driving force behind the iconic Mustang in the mid-1960s. Just as the Mustang reestablished The new model had all of the newest technologies of the time, including fully electronic fuel injection and all-digital dashboard. By 1960 he had become general manager of the Ford division and a vice president of the company. Darrien was described as a Los Angeles restaurateur. The National Academies share a responsibility to advise the federal government on matters of science and technology. which was set up to raise funds for and to oversee Also from Ford, Iacocca brought to Chrysler the "Mini-Max" project, which, in 1983, bore fruit in the highly successful Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. He was first married to Mary McCleary from 1956 until her passing in 1983. roles in many noteworthy causes, most notably the chairmanship of the Iacocca participated in the design of several successful Ford automobiles, most notably the Ford Mustang, the Continental Mark III, the Ford Escort and the revival of the Mercury brand in the late 1960s, including the introduction of the Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis. Henry Ford II for reasons Ford never revealed. Lee had a genius for introducing highly successful new cars. Iacocca became a national celebrity. Reports say Lee Iacocca died of natural causes, but that he suffered from complications from Parkinson's Disease. Fax: (610) 758-5566 "The pride is back." A letter from Jennifer Cunningham, assistant vice president for alumni relations. lof214@lehigh.edu, 301 Broadway, 4th Floor - Suite 400 Iacocca also convinced company boss Henry Ford II to return to racing, claiming several wins at the Indianapolis 500, NASCAR and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The organization has funded $45 million in research, according to its website. Iacocca then led Chryslers acquisition of AMC in 1987, bringing the profitable Jeep division under the corporate umbrella. P: (610) 758-4487 Iacocca agreed to return to Chrysler in 2005 to appear in a few new television commercials. - Lee Iacocca. His TV ad commercials made popular the slogan, "If you can find a better car, buy it." He is survived by two daughters and eight grandchildren. After losing his first wife in 1983, Iacocca married Peggy Johnson from 1986 to 1987. He was named president of Ford in 1970, but his brash, unorthodox manner led to his dismissal in 1978. Among his closest friends at Lehigh was international business expert Dick Brandt, who led Lehighs Iacocca Institutenow in its 31st yearfor several of those years. [22] Iacocca donated the proceeds of the book's sales to type 1 diabetes research. During Iacoccas tenure, the popular minivan was added to the Chrysler vehicle lineup. creator's picture on the covers of Bearing a strong resemblance to the Volkswagen Rabbit, these front-wheel drive cars were instantly popular, selling over 300,000 units each in their first year and showing what was to come for Chrysler. k o k / EYE--KOH-k; October 15, 1924 - July 2, 2019) was an American automobile executive best known for the development of the Ford Mustang, Continental Mark III, and Ford Pinto cars while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, and for reviving the Chrysler Corporation as its CEO during the 1980s. who wanted to purchase the company, violated the share option He was the father of niche marketing in the automobile industry. Iacocca arrived shortly after Chrysler's introduction of the subcompact Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. In 1996, Fortune Magazine interviewed Lee Iacocca about his life in retirement. During the interview, he said that his children and grandchildren were what gives him the most pleasure these days. He also reflected on how he didnt know how much money to leave for his children when he passes. He also invested in Branson Hills, a 1,400-acre housing development. Lee Harvey Oswald was a former U.S. Marine who was accused of killing President John F. Kennedy. companies were hurting, Iacocca who had once achieved a publicity coup He said:[20]. July 3, 2019. No one wants Chrysler to survive more than they do. Ineligible to join the army because of a bout with rheumatic fever at the age of 15, Iacocca focused on his studies, graduating in 1945 with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering. Film producer and director Lee Daniels is known for films that tackle difficult subjects including racism, image and family violence. Iacocca died from natural causes, according to news reports that confirmed his passing with Iacoccas youngest daughter, Lehigh trustee Lia Iacocca Assad. [51] while concurrently it was common to see depictions of elderly, bespectacled businessmen with charismatic, salesman-like personas, such as in an ad campaign by the Rainier Brewing Company. [53] Fictional businessmen and middle managers, such as Michael Scott on The Office, have been shown reading Iacocca's books and attempting to emulate his methods. In 1960, at age thirty-six, he sped into the vice FILE - In this Oct. 18, 2005, file photo, Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills general manager Stephen Smythe, left, and Lee Iacocca joke in the back of the new 12-cylinder Maybach 57 S, as the car unveiled at the Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills dealership in Beverly Hills, Calif. Iacocca, the auto executive and master pitchman who put the Mustang in Ford's lineup in the 1960s and became a corporate . Iacocca's first task was to raise money to fund new projects for the failing company. Lee Iacocca was the iconic automaker who helped create Ford models including the Escort and Mustang. The Unknown Iacocca. Though Henry Ford II fired Iacocca in 1978, he was soon hired by the nearly bankrupt Chrysler Corporation. Iacocca endorsed New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for President in the 2008 presidential election. Prior to her death Mary had become an advocate for diabetes patients. Iacocca appealed to the federal government for aid, gambling that it would not allow Chrysler to fail when the national economy was already depressed. Chrysler, was paid a 1987 salary of $18 million. Other ideas that he promoted did not reach the marketplace as Ford products, including cars ultimately introduced by his future employer, Chrysler (the K-Car and the minivan). In the past, she wrote for Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne. He helped donate a generator for the Malawi VitaMeal plant. He saw well into the future in citing these issues, which are still hotly debated. Iacocca's second marriage was to Peggy Johnson. In his later years, he enjoyed. In 1984 he coauthored (with William Novak) the best-selling Iacocca: An Autobiography (he donated the proceeds of the books sales to type 1 diabetes research). Mary (ne McLeary), his first wife, died in. He endorsed New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in his quest for the presidency in 2008, and went on to support former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in 2012. Throughout the years, he's remained very loyal to Lehigh and we are grateful for his efforts to give back to an institution he clearly loved.". In 1986, Iacocca was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering in 1986, one of the highest honors accorded to an engineer. 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