Alfred Ford
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Alfred Ford | |
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 Ford in 2007 | |
| Born | Alfred Brush Ford 1950 (age 73–74) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Other names | Ambarish Das |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | Project Chairman of theTemple of the Vedic Planetarium[1][2] |
| Board member of | Ford Motor Company |
| Spouse | Sharmila Ford[3] |
| Children | 2 |
Alfred Brush Ford(born 1950), also known asAmbarish Das(IAST:Ambarīśa Dāsa),[4]is an American businessman and the great-grandson ofHenry Ford,founder of theFord Motor Company.[3]
Background
[edit]Alfred Ford's father was Walter B. Ford II (1920–1991), whose family was prominent in chemical manufacturing in the Downriver area south of Detroit. His mother,Josephine Clay Ford(1923–2005), was the daughter ofEdsel Ford(1893–1943), who was the son ofHenry Ford(1863–1947).[4]
Alfred andWilliam Clay Ford Jr.(b. 1957), the current executive chairman of theFord Motor Co.,are first cousins. Alfred's mother was the sister ofWilliam Clay Ford Sr.(1925–2014), William Clay Ford, Jr.'s father.
Alfred Ford currently serves on the board of directors of privately helddigital marketingfirmChannelNet,where he is also an investor. Ford Motor Company was one of ChannelNet's early clients.[5]
Association with ISKCON
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He has been an initiated disciple ofA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada(Srila Prabhupada) since 1974. He first met Bhaktivedanta Swami inDallas,USA.[6]Alfred Ford joined theInternational Society for Krishna Consciousness(theHare Krishnas) in 1975, and that same year he made his first trip toIndiawith Prabhupada. He assisted in the establishment of the first Hindu temple in Hawaii and also donated $500,000 to help establish the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre in Detroit[7]which was completed in 1983.[3]Alfred Ford has made many significant donations to ISKCON over the years, which have assisted ongoing projects to build the Pushpa Samadhi Mandir of Prabhupada. He is the chairman of the Sri MayapurTemple of the Vedic Planetarium(also called TOVP).[8]
In October 2003 Ford spent a week in Moscow lobbying for the construction of a proposed $10 million Vedic cultural centre. It was said that Ford would "make a significant financial contribution for the project" if it happened.[9]
He also bought a $600,000 mansion to house a Hare Krishna temple and learning centre inHonolulu.[3]
References
[edit]- ^"Alfred B Ford On Gujarat Tour To Raise Funds For ISKCON Temple".Vishwa Gujarat.India. January 29, 2017. Archived fromthe originalon November 10, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 1,2017.
- ^"Ford scion in Gujarat to raise funds for ISKCON temple".The Times of India.India. January 29, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 1,2017.
- ^abcdSangghvi, Malavika (March 6, 2005)."The Billionaire Bhakta".The Times of India.RetrievedAugust 25,2006.
- ^ab"Alfred Ford is Building a Multi-Million Dollar Monument in India".Town & Country. November 23, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 12,2016.
- ^Alfred ford is member of Board of Directors and Advisory Board,archived fromthe originalon May 19, 2022,retrievedNovember 2,2020
- ^VideoonYouTube
- ^Krebs, Albin; Thomas, Robert Mcg. Jr (November 9, 1981)."Notes on People; Alfred Ford Takes a Turn to the Spiritual".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 25,2006.
- ^"Temple of Vedic Planeterium – meet-the-team".Temple of Vedic Planeterium.RetrievedMay 31,2012.
- ^"Alfred Ford Lobbies For Vedic Centre In Moscow".Hindustan Times.October 21, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon August 5, 2007.RetrievedAugust 25,2006– via VNN Vaishnava News.