DETROIT — Bill Ford, who struggled for five years to steer Ford Motor Co. toward financial stability, is stepping down as chief executive of the company founded by his great grandfather and is being replaced by Alan Mulally, a top executive from the airplane maker Boeing Co
Is bringing in a Boeing exec the right choice? Probably not, after all, he left Boeing for Ford.
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
Is Bill the third generation? Because there's an old saying: The first generation starts the business, the second generation grows the business, and the third generation kills the business... Or something like that.
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1992 Deep Emerald Green Mustang GT Hatch, 5 speed, 2.73s, Mac fenderwell cold air intake, '93 Cobra MAF, Mac 70mm throttle body & spacer, Explorer intakes, Mac unequal headers & offroad pipe, Magnaflow catback, Walbro 110lph fuel pump, Jet adjustable FPR, MSD Blaster coil, Accel 8mm wires, FRPP aluminum quadrant, UPR firewall adjuster, stock cable, Granatelli upper control arms.
Waiting to go on: Granatelli lower control arms, and GT40 Iron heads!
Of course you could look at it the Camaro way: First Generation Starts a Legacy, and a rivalry; Second Generation Keeps the Legacy Going, but the rivalry is barely there; Third Generation gives up a little Legacy, but fires up the rivalry; Fourth Generation is the end of it all!!!
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1976 Ford Mustang II Ghia: 302 with a 600cfm Edelbrock carb, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake, Dynomax Blackjack headers, 2.5" exhaust with Flowmaster Super 44s. RJS 11-gallon fuel cell, C4 tranny, chrome 16" pony wheels, fuzzy dice, brown vinyl half-top, and painted in the tackiest color ever (harvest gold, that's why I call it "The Goldenrod").
Also have a 2003 Dodge Ram (lightly modded daily driver/tow rig/office/dining room/home away from home/workshop... I call it "The Big Blue Dawg".)
Bill is no longer the CEO, but remains as Chairman of the Board (now we all know why he booted his Dad out of that slot 2 years ago).
What a maroon.
I am SOOOO glad he's not CEO any longer!
There's nothing wrong with the Boeing guy - he had a shot at the top seat over there, but they brought in the CEO of 3M (who had come originally from the airplane business) instead.
He wanted his own seat at the top, and Ford is his chance.
NO QUESTION he's smarter than Bill (of course, that's not to be confused with a compliment - my cat's smarter than Bill).
We can only hope.
If we hear an announcement of one of the dying plants (I really hope its the one here in Georgia) being ressurected to make more Mustangs, I WILL THROW A PARTY!!!
No lie.
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tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
I once heard a wise person say that it's best to assume positive intent. Give them a chance to prove you right.
In this, I think Bill was able to come to the realization that the Company needed skills that he didn't have to effect the turnaround required to bring profitability back to NA operations. I he made a good decision in looking for someone with the skills he lacked, and the experience to back that up. I actually find it surprising that so many are concerned by the new CEO's inexperience with the auto industry.
The high-level skills that make a successful CEO (or other executive) will translate easily from company to company, and are (apparently) not in question. However, the difference in product (airplanes to automobiles) is more than compensated for by Alan's proven experience in executing turnarounds on a large scale in the manufacturing industry. The general principles of business will still hold true, regardless of whether the company in question makes cars, airplanes, light bulbs, or dish soap.
The big question in my mind is how quickly the corporate culture will accept the new CEO and adapt to the inevitable changes. Or, vice versa, will he be sucked in to the world existing only in the Glass House?
Bill is Gone!!!! About Time!!!! 
