There is a lot to say about Alan Mulally and his contributions to Ford. Brought in as an outsider from the airline industry, the skeptics doomed him to failure. After all what do the two have in common? Well it turns out that his insight and leadership were exactly what was needed. He will go into the history books as the leader that had the courage and ambition to lead Ford out of a disaster on it's own without the help of the government.
But we feel that he should not only be praised for just that. With the latest addition of the 2013 Focus Electric he may have just dealt the trump card for the over priced and over rate Chevrolet Volt. The New Focus will deliver the same mileage and still seat 5 while costing less than the $50,000 Volt. In one fell swoop the Volt will be rendered obsolete. Just read the Ford bio below and tell us how should he be remebered?
Ford Biography:
Alan Mulally is president and chief executive officer of Ford Motor Company. He also is a member of the company’s Board of Directors.
Prior to joining Ford in September 2006, Mulally served as executive vice president of The Boeing Company, and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In that role, he was responsible for all of the company’s commercial airplane programs and related services. Mulally also was a member of the Boeing Executive Council and served as Boeing’s senior executive in the Pacific Northwest.
Mulally was named Boeing’s president of Commercial Airplanes in September 1998. The responsibility of chief executive officer for the business unit was added in March 2001.
Previously, Mulally served as president of Boeing Information, Space & Defense Systems and senior vice president of The Boeing Company. Appointed to that role in February 1997, he was responsible for Boeing’s defense, space and government business.
Beginning in 1994, Mulally was senior vice president of Airplane Development for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group, responsible for all airplane development activities, flight test operations, certification and government technical liaison. Earlier, Mulally served as Boeing’s vice president of Engineering, and as vice president and general manager of the 777 program.
Mulally joined Boeing in 1969 and progressed through a number of significant engineering and program-management assignments, including contributions on the 727, 737, 747, 757 and 767 airplanes.
Throughout his career, Mulally has been recognized for his contributions and industry leadership, including being named "Businessperson of the Year" by the readers of Fortune magazine, "Industry Leader of the Year" by Automotive News magazine, one of “The World’s Most Influential People” by TIME magazine, one of "The 30 Most Respected CEOs" by Barrons magazine, "Person of the Year" by Financial Times in its FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards, "Chief Executive of the Year" by Chief Executive magazine, "Man of the Year" in the automotive sector by El Mundo, "World Top Manager" by InterAutoNews, “Person of the Year” by Aviation Week magazine and one of “The Best Leaders” by BusinessWeek magazine. He has also been honored with the Automotive Executive of the Year Award, the Edison Achievement Award and induction into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame.
Mulally serves on the President's Export Council which was formed in 2010 to advise U.S. President Barack Obama on export enhancement and ways to encourage companies to increase exports and enter new markets. He previously served as co-chairman of the Washington Competitiveness Council, and sat on the advisory boards of NASA, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of England’s Royal Academy of Engineering.
He also served as a past president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and is a former president of its Foundation. Additionally, Mulally served as a past chairman of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association.
Mulally holds bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Kansas, and earned a master’s in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a 1982 Alfred P. Sloan fellow.
A native of Kansas, Mulally is a private pilot and enjoys tennis, golf and reading.