Mary Jo Press is Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America’s Chief Safety Officer and Director of Environmental Health & Safety. Mary Jo joined HMGMA in August 2023 and has more than four decades of experience in the Environmental Health and Safety field. Prior to HMGMA, she previously worked in management for Tesla and other manufacturers. Mary Jo serves as the Chairperson of the Sustainability Management Association. Press also was an adjunct faculty member at a community college in North Carolina for more than a decade. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from North Carolina State University and a Master of Science Degree in Occupational Safety & Health from Columbia Southern University. Mary Jo has received numerous awards including ASSP Chapter Safety Professional of the Year, Environmental Excellence Award, Environmental Foundation Builder and Environmental Leader 50 Award. She grew up on a farm and is proud to say she still lives a self-sufficient lifestyle on her small spread in rural Georgia.