Edsel Bryant Ford II(born December 27, 1948) is the great-grandson ofHenry Ford I,grandson ofEdsel Ford I,and the only son ofHenry Ford II.He served as a member of theboard of directorsofFord Motor Companyfor 33 years before announcing his retirement, and serves on the finance committee and sustainability and innovation committee. He is a cousin of the company's Executive Chairman,William Clay Ford Jr.[1][2]
Edsel Ford II | |
|---|---|
 Ford in 2018 | |
| Born | Edsel Bryant Ford II December 27, 1948 |
| Occupation | Board of Directors atFord Motor Company |
| Spouse |
Cynthia Ford (m.1974) |
| Children |
|
| Parent(s) | Henry Ford II Anne McDonnell Ford Johnson |
Early life and education
editFord attendedEaglebrook SchoolinDeerfield, Massachusetts,and graduated in 1968 fromThe Gunneryin Washington, Connecticut before enteringBabson College.[3][4]He received his business administration bachelor's degree at Babson and completed the Program for Management Development at theHarvard Business Schoolin 1981.[3]
Career
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Between 1978 and 1980, Edsel ran sales and marketing atFord Australia.[5]
As a board member of Ford, Edsel has been active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations.[1]He was named president and chief operating officer of Ford Motor Credit Company in 1991, and elected a Ford Vice President in 1993.[3]In 2013, Edsel was awarded the Keith Crain/Automotive News Lifetime Achievement Award.[6]Long seen as the public face of Ford Motor Company's motor racing efforts, particularly in NASCAR, in May 2019, Edsel was nominated for and won theNASCAR Hall of Fame'sLandmark Award.[7][8]His retirement was announced in 2021 and his son Henry Ford III was elected to the board to replace him at the May shareholders' meeting.[2][9]
Edsel purchasedPentastar Aviationin 2001.[10]
Personal life
editFord is married to Cynthia Layne Neskow and they have four sons:
- Henry Ford III, who works for theFord Motor CompanyinDearborn, Michigan,and serves on the board of trustees of theFord Foundation.[11][12]
- Calvin Ford, who works forPentastar AviationinWaterford, Michigan.
- Stewart Ford, who works for an automotive mobility company inSan Francisco,California.
- Albert Ford, who attendsFordham University School of LawinNew York City,New York.
Edsel Ford II is the chairman of the board of the Henry Ford Estate -Fair LaneinDearborn, Michigan.He serves on the board ofThe Henry Ford.[13]He is currently[when?]the director emeritus of the board of directors atHenry Ford CollegeinDearborn, Michigan,and also served on the board of trustees for the Skillman Foundation.[14]He was previously chairman of the National Advisory Board of theSalvation Armyand theFederal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch.Appointed by then-mayorDennis Archer,Ford was the chairman of Detroit 300, a major civic and philanthropic effort that organized the celebration of the city of Detroit's 300th birthday in 2001.[15]Ford was then appointed as the founding chairman of the Detroit 300 Conservancy and was instrumental in the development and construction ofCampus Martius Park(which the conservancy continues to maintain).[16]
On Monday July 4, 2016, Edsel was arrested at his home in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan on domestic violence charges stemming from a phone call made by his wife Cynthia.[17]
See also
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References
edit- ^ab"Board of Directors, Ford Motor Company".Retrieved20 November2011.
- ^ab"Edsel B Ford II retires from Ford board, more Fords join".ABC News.12 March 2021.Retrieved13 March2021– viaAssociated Press.
- ^abc"Edsel B. Ford II | Ford Media Center".media.ford.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-01-23.Retrieved2018-07-17.
- ^"Edsel Bryant Ford II - Most Connected 2015 | Crain's Detroit Business".Crain's Detroit Business.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-13.Retrieved2018-07-17.
- ^Clark, Andrew (30 August 1979)."Edsel Ford in Australia: Young Man in No Hurry".New York Times.Retrieved16 February2020.
- ^"Edsel B. Ford II to receive award from Keith Crain".Automotive News.2012-10-08.Retrieved2019-05-31.
- ^"Landmark Award".Nascar Hall of Fame.Retrieved2019-05-31.
- ^"Stewart, Gibbs top NASCAR Hall of Fame class".Reuters.2019-05-23.Retrieved2019-05-31.
- ^"Our Leadership".
- ^"Owner & CEO, Pentastar Aviation".Retrieved18 March2013.
- ^"Ford Foundation elects Henry Ford III to Board of Trustees".Ford Foundation.Retrieved2019-02-23.
- ^Baime, A.J. (February 2, 2015)."Fifty Sense".Autoweek.65(3): 40–44.RetrievedFebruary 5,2015.
- ^"Mission & Board of Trustees".The Henry Ford.
- ^"Crain's Most Connected".Crain's Detroit Business.Crain Communications. Archived fromthe originalon 2018-06-13.Retrieved2017-04-25.
- ^Serwach, Joseph (13 December 2005)."EDSEL FORD'S WORK AIDS THE COMMUNITY".Automotive News.Crain Communications.
- ^"Conservancy Background".Detroit 300 Conservancy.
- ^Allen, Robert."City prosecutor says Edsel Ford II won't face domestic violence charge".Detroit Free Press.Retrieved2021-11-15.
External links
edit- Edsel B. Ford II BiographyArchived2021-01-23 at theWayback Machine