Hillary Lange balances two demanding full-time roles—plant manager at GM’s Brownstown Battery Assembly Plant and hands-on co-operator of a 150-acre family farm in rural Michigan.
By day, she oversees the production of electric drive units and battery packs for cutting-edge vehicles like the Corvette E-Ray and Cadillac CELESTIQ. Off the clock, she’s right in the thick of hay production alongside her husband Rob, a GM engineer, and their three children.
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Farming wasn’t always on her radar. Lange grew up steeped in GM culture—her family ran a Pontiac, Buick, and GMC dealership in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula—but farming came into the picture about a decade ago when she and Rob bought a farmhouse near his hometown.
What started with 75 acres and some hesitation has grown into a full-blown passion project. The Langes now manage 125 acres of hay fields and 25 acres of woods, with plans to expand into livestock.
It’s a true family affair: the kids run tractors and help haul hay, Lange handles paperwork and heavy lifting alike, and everyone gets involved in the day-to-day operations. “My daughter drives the truck, my son runs the tractor, and we all get our hands dirty,” she says.
Lange’s love for manufacturing started early, including a stint at Rolls Royce Aerospace before returning to her automotive roots with GM. Her background spans major EV launches—from the GMC HUMMER EV to the Cadillac ESCALADE IQ—and now she’s leading one of GM’s key battery facilities.
Looking ahead, the Langes plan to make their farm more self-sufficient with hogs and cattle, and their kids are getting into 4H. For Lange, the real reward is what the experience is teaching her children. “The goal is for them to become great problem solvers and team players,” she says. “That’s what all this is really about.”
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