Ad Council to Honor GM CEO Mary Barra for Public Service
Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of General Motors, will be honored at the Ad Council's 72nd Annual Public Service Award Dinner on December 3, 2026. The award recognizes her leadership and GM's commitment to social impact.
NEW YORK – The Ad Council announced today that Mary Barra, Chair and CEO of General Motors (GM), will be honored at the 72nd annual Public Service Award Dinner on December 3, 2026. Barra will receive the Award for Public Service in recognition of her leadership and General Motors' longstanding commitment to social impact.
Ad Council President and CEO Lisa Sherman described Barra as a leader who embodies the belief that business can be a force for good. Sherman highlighted that progress and purpose are powerful partners, not competing priorities, and recognized Barra's vision and commitment to innovation.
Barra, who has served as GM's CEO since 2014 and Chair of the Board since 2016, has guided the automotive company through a significant shift toward electrification while embedding sustainability and social responsibility into its core identity. She began her career at GM in 1980.
General Motors has supported the Ad Council's mission since 1947. In recent years, the company has backed campaigns including the COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative. The December dinner is the Ad Council's largest fundraising event to support its national social impact campaigns.