William E. Kennard to Join Ford Board of Directors
William E. Kennard joins the Ford Board of Directors
Effective January 1, 2015, William E. Kennard will be appointed to the Ford Board of Directors, replacing 18-year board member Dr. Homer Neal on the occasion of his December 31st retirement.
Kennard is a former FCC chairman and US Ambassador to the EU. He is currently the chairman of Velocitas Parners LLC, of which is his also co-founder, as well as a member of the Operating Executive Board at Staple Street Capital. A man of many hats and with a fuller plate than most, Kennard also serves on the boards of AT&T, MetLife, and Duke Energy.
Kennard will join Ford’s Nominating and Governance Committee.
“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.”
Dr. Homer Neal is retiring after nearly 18 years on the board of directors. Neal joined in 1997 and currently serves as the chairman of the Sustainability Committee in addition to his role on the Nominating and Governance Committee. Despite retiring, Neal will do anything but relax; Neal is stepping down in order to focus more on his position as president-elect of the American Physical Society and Chair of the Department of Physics, VP for Research, Interim President and University Distinguished Professor at University of Michigan.
“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 Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “We are grateful for his many contributions during his 18 years of service and we wish him all the best.”
Bill Helman will replace Neal as Sustainability Committee chairman.
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