Ford African-Ancestry Network Awards Celebrate Black History

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From left to right: Felicia Jones, Dr. Steve Perry, WDIV-TV reporter and mistress of ceremonies Paula Tutman, and Regina Gambrell-Smith
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The Ford African-Ancestry Network celebrated the accomplishments of black men and women last month with its 39^th annual gala at The Henry Hotel in Dearborn. More than 800 Ford employees and supporters were in attendance to see Dr. William Pickard, executive chairman of GAA Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, and Edna Bell, former Wayne County Commissioner, recognized with the Heritage award.

Chairperson of FAAN Linda Cash, who is also Ford’s VP of Global Quality and New Model Launch, called attention to the 2020 theme of “Building on our Legacy” in her opening address.

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“As we enter a new decade, think about where we were in 2010. The world was not moving at this speed and certainly not focusing as much on connectivity, autonomy, and digitalization,” said Cash. “Now, these are key strategies to how we’re going to Create Tomorrow Together, and FAAN is poised to ensure that our members contribute positively towards this future.”

Awards for groundbreakers and community servants

Bell and Pickard were among the evening’s top honorees, taking home the Heritage award for their mutual dedication to improving the lives of others. Also earning recognition at the 2020 FAAN gala was Adrienne Bennett, the first female master plumber in North America, who was named the winner of the first-ever Groundbreaker award. Bennett is still breaking ground today, helping Ford with its restoration of Michigan Central Station.

Founder of Detroit Life is Valuable Everyday Dr. Tolulppe Sonuyi and Code 313 founder and executive director Bartel Welch accepted the 2020 Community Service awards for their leadership and commitment to the community. Educator and motivational speaker Dr. Steve Perry was the keynote speaker for the event, which was co-chaired by Felicia Jones and Regina Gambrell-Smith.

Kyle Johnson

Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.