1924
Born Lido Anthony Iacocca,
in Allentown, Pennsylvania

1945
Graduated from Lehigh
University as an Industrial
Engineer

1946
Received Master's in
engineering from Princeton

1946
Landed first job at Ford Motor
Company as an engineering trainee

1956
Married to Mary

1964
Ford rolled out the Mustang pony car

1964
Promoted to head of the company's Ford division

1966
One-millionth Mustang built within two years

1969
Named manager of Ford's North American Automotive Operations

1970
Became president of Ford

1973
Ford Mustang II was introduced

1978
Fired by Henry Ford II

1978
Hired by the Chrysler Corp. four months later

1979
Became Chrysler's CEO

1980
President Carter signed the Chrysler
Corp. Loan Guarantee Act, providing
$1.5 billion in loan guarantees, which
were used to save and rebuild Chrysler

1982
Asked by President Reagan to head the
restoration of the Statue of Liberty and
Ellis Island

1983
Chrysler paid back government loan
in full - and a full seven years early

1983
Mary passed away as a result of
complications from diabetes

1983
The Chrysler minivan was launched, with
the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth
Voyager

1984
Iacocca: An Autobiography was published
by Bantam

1984
Later that year, The Iacocca Foundation
was founded with proceeds
from the book

1986
The newly restored Statue of Liberty was unveiled at a 4th of July
weekend ceremony

1987
Chrysler acquired AMC and Jeep brands

1988
The Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University was founded

1988
Talking Straight was published by Bantam

1992
Retirement from Chrysler

1993
Olivio Products was founded

1997
The Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry
was started at the Iacocca Institute at Lehigh University

2002
Involvement with NuSkin's philanthropic program,
Nourish the Children

2004
JoinLeeNow was formed by The Iacocca Foundation to raise funds
for diabetes research

2006
Created the Lee Iacocca Award for Classic Car Shows

2007
Simon & Schuster publishes Where Have All the Leaders Gone?

2009
The Iacocca 45th Silver Anniversary Edition is unveiled