Boy, if you had told me a few years back that I would be one day making that quote I would have laughed my socks off, which is a perfect example of how things are changing and improving at Ford today.
Now there are many reasons for these changes, and one of them arrived in person to talk to us journalists present. That man was Mr. Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas.
Now here is a man I greatly admire. A man who tells it like it is, and is not afraid to admit to previous mistakes within the company. He appears to be a man with his feet firmly planted, with a natural way of endearing himself to people.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean by that, during his speech, he had cause to mention the year 1989. He explained that this was the year in which OJ Simpson took his famous ride in a Ford Bronco. He then went on to mention a certain Mrs. Bobbitt, who also became quite famous that year!!
It was then that I heard a female journalist on the table behind me cry "did he actually say that"!!
Now, I've heard from many car company presidents over the years, several of whom could bore audiences to death for a living, but Mark Fields is somehow different. His speeches tend to make sense, and people actually listen to what he has to say. To me, he often appears as if he's talking to the ordinary man in the street, which after all, is exactly what its founder Henry Ford based his company on.
Yes, I think that with his leadership, the new designs which are appearing in 2008, and the employee enthusiasm that abounds within the company today, I can see the future becoming brighter and brighter for the Ford Motor Company.
I'm sure that over the past decade or so old Henry has looked down, scratched his head, and wondered what on earth was happening to his beloved company. However, from what I saw at Dearborn, I'm thinking that he'd be quite proud of what they're achieving right now, which in my mind is exactly how it should be!!!
photo:Kevin Corrigan
Now there are many reasons for these changes, and one of them arrived in person to talk to us journalists present. That man was Mr. Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas.
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Now here is a man I greatly admire. A man who tells it like it is, and is not afraid to admit to previous mistakes within the company. He appears to be a man with his feet firmly planted, with a natural way of endearing himself to people.
Just to give you an idea of what I mean by that, during his speech, he had cause to mention the year 1989. He explained that this was the year in which OJ Simpson took his famous ride in a Ford Bronco. He then went on to mention a certain Mrs. Bobbitt, who also became quite famous that year!!
It was then that I heard a female journalist on the table behind me cry "did he actually say that"!!
Now, I've heard from many car company presidents over the years, several of whom could bore audiences to death for a living, but Mark Fields is somehow different. His speeches tend to make sense, and people actually listen to what he has to say. To me, he often appears as if he's talking to the ordinary man in the street, which after all, is exactly what its founder Henry Ford based his company on.
Yes, I think that with his leadership, the new designs which are appearing in 2008, and the employee enthusiasm that abounds within the company today, I can see the future becoming brighter and brighter for the Ford Motor Company.
I'm sure that over the past decade or so old Henry has looked down, scratched his head, and wondered what on earth was happening to his beloved company. However, from what I saw at Dearborn, I'm thinking that he'd be quite proud of what they're achieving right now, which in my mind is exactly how it should be!!!
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photo:Kevin Corrigan
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