William E. Kennard Named To Ford Board Of Directors

Effective January 1^st, 2015, William E. Kennard will begin serving on the board of directors of the Ford Motor Company. He will be replacing Dr. Homer Neal, who is departing after serving on the Ford board of directors for 18 years.

William (Bill) E. Kennard

“Bill has a wealth of experience, particularly in telecommunications, where he has spent years shaping policy and pioneering initiatives to improve the benefits of technology for consumers worldwide,” said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “As we accelerate our work in the areas of in-car connectivity and mobility, his unique perspective will help guide our strategy and Blueprint for Mobility forward.”

Kennard is the former chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. Currently, he’s the chairman of Velocitas Partners LLC, an asset management firm he cofounded, and a member of the Operating Executive Board of private equity firm Staple Street Capital. Additionally, Kennard serves on the boards of directors of AT&T, MetLife, and Duke Energy Corporation.

Dr. Homer Neal

Dr. Neal first joined Ford’s board of directors in 1997, serving as chairman of the Sustainability Committee and as a member of the Nominating and Governance Committee. He also served as a member of the board of managers of Ford Global Technologies, LLC, which manages Ford Motor Company’s intellectual property.

“Homer’s research and development knowledge and deep technical skill have proven to be extremely valuable to us, especially in helping to strengthen our sustainability vision and strategy over the years,” said Bill Ford. “We are grateful for his many contributions during his 18 years of service and we wish him all the best.”