New Member Of Ford's BOD Named

Anthony Fontanelle
July 13, 2007

Dearborn-based carmaker Ford Motor Company recently announced that Gerald L. Shaheen has been elected to the company’s board of directors. The appointment, according to the automaker, is effective immediately. Shaheen is a group president at the Caterpillar Inc. in Peoria, Illinois.

“Gerry is a respected business leader with more than 40 years of service in a variety of management positions with Caterpillar,” said Ford’s Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “He brings a manufacturing and dealer perspective to Ford's Board of Directors. We look forward to the significant contributions he will make in helping Ford to deliver its plan for automotive leadership and for creating profitable growth for all going forward.”

Ford is currently in the process of implementing its turnaround plan. After a disastrous year in 2006 when Ford lost $12.7 billion, the company formulated the Way Forward - the company’s turnaround plan. Shaheen’s presence in the company’s Board of Directors will be welcomed as the newly-elected director has had experience and expertise that Ford could benefit from.

As for Shaheen, he has this to say after elected to the Board of Directors: “I'm both thrilled and honored to be in a leadership position as a Board member with the Ford Motor Company, one of the truly great American companies. I look forward to working with Ford's Board of Directors and the leadership team to make this great company even stronger.”

Aside from being a Board member for the Dearborn automaker, Shaheen is also a Board member of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers or AEM. He is also a Board member and immediate past chairman of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Shaheen is also a Board member of the National Chamber Foundation and the Mineral Information Institute Inc.

Part of his impressive resume is the fact that he also serves on the Board of Directors for National City Corporation. At the said firm, Shaheen is the chairman of the Nominating and Board of Directors Governance Committee, as well as the AGCO Corporation where he is also a chairman for the Compensation Committee though.

In Peoria, Illinois, Shaheen also serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter and the Peoria NEXT. The leadership skills that have served Shaheen in all his other positions would be appreciated by the company especially that the company is facing its toughest problem in its lengthy history.

The newest member of Ford’s Board of Directors received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Bradley University in 1966. He received his Master of Business Administration degree from the same university in 1968. Shaheen also served the university including his tenure as the president of the university’s Alumni Association. He is also currently a member of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Ford, which manufactures automobiles with the distinctive Ford grille, is the part of the Ford Motor Company along with other marques. The Ford Motor Company has the Lincoln division which produces luxury vehicles; Mercury which markets near-luxury models; Ford brand which is known for its large vehicles especially the F-Series. FoMoCo is also the parent company of the luxury brand Jaguar as well as the Land Rover brand. Volvo Cars is also part of FoMoCo.

Source:  Amazines.com