Originally Published: February 15, 2013 5:44 AM??Modified: February 15, 2013 6:32 AM
Ford Motor Co. is promoting Elena Ford to a newly created senior executive position ? the first time in nearly two decades that a Ford family member has been elevated to the company's senior ranks.
Ford, 46, is the great-great-granddaughter of the Dearborn-based automaker's founder Henry Ford, and the first female Ford family member to hold a significant position at the automaker.
Ford was elected a company vice president and leader of the company's new Global Dealer and Consumer Experience organization, effective March 1, the company said in a statement. She previously was director of the company's Global Marketing Operations and will continue to report to Jim Farley, the company's global marketing chief.
Ford is zeroing in on the customer experience to follow the overhauling of its lineup under Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally. The company told dealers this week that it will match as much as $750,000 of investments in their stores. The Lincoln luxury brand has introduced a concierge service to the car- shopping process and "Lincoln Date Night," a test-drive program in which potential buyers are treated to dinner.
The last time a family member was made a corporate officer was in 1994: the appointment of cousin Bill Ford, then vice president of commercial trucks. He rose up the ranks to become chairman, president and CEO before recruiting Alan Mulally in 2006 to oversee daily operations while Bill Ford became executive chairman.
The Ford family controls the automaker through 70.9 million Class B shares. Two family members, Bill Ford, 55, and Edsel Ford, 64, are directors. Bill Ford was also chief executive officer from 2001 until 2006, when he yielded the post to Mulally, 67.
Ford also named Ray Day group vice president of communications. He has led the communications group as vice president for the past five years.
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