In a rare moment of class in the business world, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne chose not collect a salary or bonus in 2011 and did not benefit from stock option rewards.

Marchionne is still getting paid for being the CEO of Fiat SpA. He will also be receiving 361,446 shares of Chrysler once Chrysler has repaid the loans it owes the government, so he isn’t exactly suffering. Even so, 2011 was a fantastic year for Chrysler with $183 million in earnings. It was also the first time in 14 years that the company returned a profit, and Machinonne had every right to see some of that money go into his pocket. Most CEOs would have snatched up a nice hefty bonus, whether their company performed that well or not.

The fact that Marchionne turned down a salary, bonus, and any stock option rewards says so much about his character and the company’s direction under his guidance. He is putting aside his self-interests and putting the company and Chrysler employees first, and it is tough to argue with the results of his work. If 2011 was any indication, Chrysler is definitely on the right track with Marchionne.

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