The name Bill Ford might also refer to the former baseball player. See Bill Ford (baseball). The name Bill Ford might also refer to the chairman and CEO of the Ford Motor Company. ...

William Clay Ford, Jr.
Bill Ford in a Ford
Born	May 3, 1957 (1957-05-03) (age 50) Detroit, Michigan
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company
Spouse	Lisa Ford

William Clay "Bill" Ford Jr. (born May 3, 1957 in Detroit, Michigan), is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, and serves as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company. Ford also served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer until turning over those roles to Boeing executive Alan Mulally in September 2006. [1] [2] Ford is also the Vice Chairman of the Detroit Lions NFL Franchise. Image File history File links Corporate_Bill_Ford_Jr_Ford_Motor_Co. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Largest metro area Metro Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... “Detroit” redirects here. ... Henry Ford (1919) Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. ... A Chairman is the presiding officer of a meeting, organization, committee, or other deliberative body. ... In relation to a company, a director is an officer (that is, someone who works for the company) charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. ... “Chief executive” redirects here. ... A Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a corporate officer responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the corporation. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Boeing. ... For the English cricketer, see Alan Mullally. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... NFL redirects here. ...

Background

Ford was born in Detroit, Michigan, the great-grandson of both Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. His father is William Clay Ford, Sr., and his mother is Martha Firestone. On his mother's side his grandparents are Harvey S. Firestone, Jr. and Elizabeth Parke Firestone. On his father's side his grandparents are Edsel Bryant Ford and Eleanor Lowthian Clay. Edsel Ford II, son of Henry Ford II and also a Board member, is Bill's cousin. Bill has three sisters: Martha Morse (who has 3 children), Shelia Hamp (who has 3 children), and Elizabeth Kontulis. Bill attended The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and went on to graduate from Princeton University in 1979, having majored in history and served as president of The Ivy Club. In 1984 he received an S.M. in Management (equivalent to an M.B.A.) as a Sloan Fellow from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is married to Lisa Vanderzee, and they have four children, all living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Detroit” redirects here. ... Henry Ford (1919) Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was the founder of the Ford Motor Company and father of modern assembly lines used in mass production. ... Harvey Samuel Firestone was the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tires and an important contributor to North American economic growth in the 20th century. ... William Clay Ford (born March 14, 1925) is the youngest of the four grandchildren of Henry Ford and a child of Edsel Ford. ... Martha Parke Firestone is the daughter of Harvey S. Firestone, Jr. ... Harvey Samuel Firestone, Jr. ... Elizabeth Parke Firestone is the mother of Martha Firestone who wed William Clay Ford, Sr. ... Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943), son of Henry Ford, was born in Detroit. ... Image from Ford Media Edsel B. Ford II was born on Dec. ... Henry Ford II Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 — September 29, 1987), commonly known as Hank the Deuce, was the son of Edsel Ford and grandson of Henry Ford. ... The Hotchkiss School is an independent, American college preparatory boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. ... Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. ... The Ivy Club, founded in 1879, was the first eating club at Princeton University. ... ... The Sloan Fellows program is a mid-career masters degree in general management supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. ... The MIT Sloan School of Management is one of the five schools of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. It is one of the worlds leading business schools, conducting research and teaching in finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, strategic management, economics, organizational behavior, operations management, supply chain... For the railroad company, see Ann Arbor Railroad. ...

Early career

He joined Ford in 1979 and held a variety of positions -- notably beginning in product development and on the finance staff, a grooming ground for future executives, and several years as a mid-ranking executive in product development. He also briefly headed the Climate Control Division (since divested from the company as part of the Visteon spinoff). At the time of the Ford 2000 reorganization, he was in charge of heavy truck operations. Visteon is an automotive parts company spun off from the Ford Motor Company. ...

Corporate governance

Ford gave up an executive position in heavy truck program management to become chairman of the finance committee on the Board of Directors, a non-executive corporate governance position. He was elected Chairman of the Board in September 1998, and took office on 1 January 1999. Ford added the title of Chief Executive Officer on 30 October 2001, following the ouster of then-CEO Jacques Nasser. That ouster reflected significant differences in corporate values -- Nasser focused on maximizing corporate profits and shareholder value, while Ford was noted for valuing people and tradition. With the retirement of Ford President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Padilla in April 2006, Ford assumed those roles as well http://biz.yahoo.com/e/060719/f8-k.html]. On 5 September 2006, Ford announced that he was stepping down as President and CEO, naming former Boeing senior executive Alan Mulally as his replacement. Ford continues as the company's Executive Chairman [3]. In relation to a company, a director is an officer (that is, someone who works for the company) charged with the conduct and management of its affairs. ... A Chairman is the presiding officer of a meeting, organization, committee, or other deliberative body. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... “Chief executive” redirects here. ... is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... 69. ... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. ... A Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a corporate officer responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the corporation. ... Jim Padilla is an American automobile industry executive. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA, TYO: 7661 ) is a major aerospace and defense corporation, originally founded by William Boeing. ... For the English cricketer, see Alan Mullally. ...

At the time of his stepping down, Ford was ranked 264th on Forbes' list of top-earning CEO's, at $5,140,000 per year. Mr. Ford donates most of his compensation to various charitable causes. ^[1][2] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Notable acts and events

Bill Ford generated a name for himself early when he was serving as the new Chairman of the Board. On February 1, 1999, when the Ford Rouge Powerhouse had an explosion that killed several Ford employees, Bill Ford rejected the ideas of his advisors and rushed to the scene from the nearby Ford world headquarters building. One of his staff cautioned, "Generals don't go out to the front lines." Ford's retort: "Then bust me down to private." Ford stopped and gave a heart-breaking account of the explosion to roadside television crews.[4] is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

According to news reports, Ford "is a tae kwon do blackbelt, a student of Zen and Tibetan Buddhism and a folk guitar player." Known for being a songwriter, Ford has composed folk hits like, "The Model T Shuffle," "The River Rouge Jig," and his most well known song "Billy Got Back." [5]. Ford also played on the company hockey team, which won their division at the 2006 USA Hockey Pond Hockey National Championships in Wisconsin. Taekwondo is the Korean national sport and martial art, and is also one of the worlds most commonly practiced sports. ... For other uses, see Zen (disambiguation). ... Tibetan Buddhism is the body of religious Buddhist doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet, the Himalayan region (including northern Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh), Mongolia, Buryatia, Tuva and Kalmykia (Russia), and northeastern China (Manchuria: Heilongjiang, Jilin). ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... USA Hockey is recognized as the governing body for amateur ice hockey in the United States and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. ... Official language(s) None Capital Madison Largest city Milwaukee Area  Ranked 23rd  - Total 65,498 sq mi (169,790 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 310 miles (500 km)  - % water 17  - Latitude 42° 30′ N to 47° 05′ N  - Longitude 86° 46′ W to 92° 53′ W Population  Ranked...

Ford also is Vice Chairman of the Detroit Lions football team, Chairman of the Detroit Economic Club, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Henry Ford museum. He also is a Vice Chairman of Detroit Renaissance and a member of the Board of directors of eBay Inc. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A Ford Model T, used for giving tourist rides, is shown above at Greenfield Village. ... eBay headquarters in San Jose eBay North First Street satellite office campus (home to PayPal) eBay Inc. ...

Ford Motor Company and environmental issues

Time Magazine covers the auto industry with Ford's chairman and CEO William Clay Ford, Jr. and its new greener line of automobiles.

Bill Ford is known to be a conscientious environmentalist, having driven an electric Ford Ranger EV, and currently a Hybrid Electric Escape. In 2000, he announced that the Company would achieve a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency in the company's light truck fleet, including SUVs, by mid-decade. That commitment proved to be impractical, given consumer preference for heavy towing capacity, and large powerful engines in their trucks. The company then announced in 2003 that competitive market conditions and technological and cost challenges would prevent it from achieving the goal. Ford also terminated its ongoing electric vehicle program as impractical and unaffordable from a profitable business standpoint. Some environmentalists then questioned Bill Ford and the Company's commitment to environmental concerns, and others pointed to Ford Motor Company's continued marketing of the fuel-thirsty SUVs as evidence of an other-than-green corporate agenda. Ford's position is that for the Company to remain profitable and competitive (and remain in business), it must supply what customers demand. However, during 2006, there was an unexpectedly large swing in consumer demand away from pickups and SUVs, to smaller cars and crossover vehicles, due to rapid increases in gasoline prices, and Ford Motor Company was largely unprepared for such a sudden shift in demand. As a result, Ford's total market share dropped in the US. Image File history File links 1101060130_400. ... Image File history File links 1101060130_400. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... The Ford Ranger EV (Electric Vehicle) is a battery electric vehicle produced by Ford Motor Company. ... The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004, is a gas-electric hybrid powered version of the Ford Escape sport utility vehicle developed by the Ford Motor Company. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Nevertheless, under Bill Ford's direction, Ford Motor Company made technological progress toward improving fuel efficiency, with the introduction of the Hybrid Electric Escape, the most fuel efficient SUV on the market, achieving 36 mpg (EPA) in city driving. [6]. The Escape's platform mates Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute are also scheduled to receive hybrid-electric powertrain options, along with other upcoming vehicles in the Ford product line including the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan. Ford announced that half of the vehicle lineup will be available with advanced hybrid-electric powerplant options by 2010, although the Company's earlier pledge to build 250,000 hybrid vehicles a year by 2010 proved to be overly optimistic, and had to be abandoned. Ford also continues to study Fuel Cell-powered electric powertrains, and is currently demonstrating hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine technologies, as well as developing the next-generation hybrid-electric systems. In addition, to the Ford Escape, Hybrid Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute, Ford is currently marketing high efficiency crossover SUVs such as the Ford Freestyle, and the Volvo XC70 and Volvo XC90. Ford is also developing sporty new crossover SUVs, such as the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, and Mazda CX-7. “Ford” redirects here. ... A hybrid car or hybrid electric vehicle is a vehicle which relies not only on batteries but also on an internal combustion engine which drives a generator to provide the electricity and may also drive the wheels directly. ... The Ford Escape Hybrid, launched in 2004, is a gas-electric hybrid powered version of the Ford Escape sport utility vehicle developed by the Ford Motor Company. ... The Mercury Mariner compact SUV was introduced in 2005. ... The Mazda Tribute is a small crossover SUV based on the front-wheel drive Mazda 626 platform. ... Ford Fusion is a name used on two different types of cars from the Ford Motor Company. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Milan The Mercury Milan is a front-wheel drive mid-size sedan based on the Ford CD3 platform built by Ford Motor Company and distributed by the Lincoln-Mercury division. ... A fuel cell is an electrochemical device similar to a battery, but differing from the latter in that it is designed for continuous replenishment of the reactants consumed; i. ... For minivan, see Ford Freestar. ... The Volvo V70 is a full-size station wagon. ... The Volvo XC90 is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV. It is based on the Volvo P2 platform, shared with the Volvo S80 and other larger Volvo cars. ... The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV under the Ford marque. ... The Lincoln MKX is a Lincoln crossover SUV which was supposed to be named Lincoln Aviator, when the XUV replaces Explorer-based SUV in Lincolns lineup. ... The CX-7 is a mid-size crossover SUV model from Mazda, the production version of the MX-Crossport concept car. ...

Ford is also expanding the current lineup of flexible-fuel vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and dual-fuel vehicles. Flexible fuel vehicles can operate on a range of fuel mixtures - such as ethanol-gasoline blends ranging from pure gasoline to E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline). Alternative fuel vehicles operate on non-petroleum fuels, such as methanol, compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, and hydrogen. Dual fuel vehicles generally have two fuel tanks - one for compressed natural gas or propane, and another for regular gasoline - with a selector switch to choose between them. Vehicles using these fueling alternatives are currently in test fleets, for example as taxis and shuttle buses, and some are or will soon be available for sale to the public. Ford is now committed to sell 250,000 alternative and flexible fuel vehicles - the majority of which will be designed to operate on ethanol-gasoline blends such as E85 - in 2006. [7] A flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) or dual-fuel vehicle (also sometimes called only flex-fuel) is an automobile that can typically alternate between two sources of fuel, with separate tanks and fuel systems for each fuel. ... Logo used in the United States for E85 fuel E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture that typically contains a mixture of up to 85% denatured fuel ethanol and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. ... Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, drinking alcohol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless, slightly toxic chemical compound, and is best known as the alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. ... Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naptha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula CH3OH. It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable, poisonous liquid with a distinctive odor that is somewhat milder and sweeter than ethanol (ethyl alcohol). ... Typical North America vehicles carry this diamond shape symbol, meaning it is running on compressed natural gas fuel. ... Propane is a three-carbon alkane, normally a gas, but compressible to a liquid that is transportable. ... Logo used in the United States for E85 fuel E85 is an alcohol fuel mixture that typically contains a mixture of up to 85% denatured fuel ethanol and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. ...

Nevertheless, strong competition from Asian competitors, very soaring health care and raw material costs, and a slide in U.S. market share led Ford to announce a second restructuring for its North American operations in four years. Saddled with a junk debt rating and facing a sharp drop in U.S. market share, Ford's restructuring plan, dubbed "Way Forward," is designed to reverse a $1.6 billion loss last year in its North American operations. Globally, however, the company made $2 billion in 2005. [8]

See also

• Ford Family Tree

// The following is the family tree of Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motor Company. ...

References

• Automobile Magazine interview of William Clay Ford, Jr

1. ^ "CEO Compensation" - 251-275 on Forbes.com's top-earning CEO's list. URL accessed September 6, 2006.
2. ^ William Clay Ford Jr - Profile at Forbes.com]

Automobile Magazine is an automobile magazine in the United States. ...

External links

• Ford media info web site
• Ford Motor Company Biography
• William Ford Jr.'s campaign contributions
• Bill Ford's The Way Forward speech - 23 Jan 2006
• The Fords go into Reverse - by John Lippert and Bill Koenig A lengthy Bloomberg article (2007) profiling Bill Ford and the 81-member family.