Barbara Gucfa, a metro-Detroit-based director at the global business-advisory firm AlixPartners, recently received congratulations from her colleagues for being named to the 2014 "Powered By Women" list compiled by Detroit business magazine DBusiness. Gucfa is being featured in the July/August issue of DBusiness, on sale now, along with seven other female business leaders in the Metro Detroit area.
Gucfa, who joined AlixPartners in 2005, boasts more than 15 years of industry and consulting experience, with multi-national clients in retail, automotive and high tech among other industries. In the magazine article, she notes that she grew up with a passion for automobiles, which led her to pursue an education in science and engineering. She earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) and a master's in engineering from Purdue University, and has an MBA from the University of Michigan.
After several years in industry, Gucfa began her consulting career, first with A.T. Kearney and now with AlixPartners. Her work at AlixPartners has included working on the General Motors turnaround, where she interfaced with that company's engineering community on matters such as resources, sizing and patents.
"Barbara stands apart for her consistency in delivering exceptional results again and again for our clients. She has proven time and again her ability to deliver on complex consulting assignments in an efficient and focused manner," said John Hoffecker, co-president of the Americas at AlixPartners.
Gucfa is actively involved in mentoring at AlixPartners and in the offers this advice to fellow women in business: "For younger women, get founded on the basics; they will be the foundation for anything you might want to do. For those already in the workplace, go where the action is. Get immersed in issues and problems and become part of the solutions, as opposed to being in the group that sits on the side and comments. I think great experiences, personal satisfaction and success come from being part of the group that resolves challenges that others shy away from. That's where the fun is."
Outside of the office, Gucfa is an avid supporter of the arts in metro Detroit, including the Detroit Institute of Arts. She serves on its development committee and founded the "100 Women for the Arts" initiative, which in June hosted a gala fund-raising and networking event at the DIA launching the current display of famed fashion photographer Bruce Weber. That exhibition, photos of everyday Detroiters, is entitled "Detroit-Bruce Weber." Also in attendance at the event were Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour, Lucky magazine editor Eva Chen, Neiman Marcus fashion director and senior vice president Ken Downing, and punk-rock music star Patti Smith.
AlixPartners is a leading global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialize in creating value and restoring performance at every stage of the business lifecycle.