Secretary of Veterans Affairs Alan Mulally? Not a Bad Idea
Current Ford CEO Alan Mulally will retire effective July 1
It’s hard to say with any certainty what’s next in the cards for current and outgoing Ford CEO Alan Mulally. Mulally is set to end his successful eight-year run as Ford’s head man in charge on July 1, and speculation is running rampant as to where his path will take him next, since true retirement seems to be considered out of the cards for a person with his track record. Detroit Free Press’ Mark Phelan has a suggestion that actually kind of makes a good deal of sense: secretary of Veterans Affairs Alan Mulally.
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“The only way VA could look more like pre-Mulally Ford would be if the hospitals had blue ovals on their roofs,” Phelan quips in his editorial. The VA is currently under federal investigation in connection to the deaths of about 40 U.S. military veterans in Phoenix.
Granted, Ford was not under criminal investigation by the FBI at the time of Mulally’s promotion, but the culture of the company when he became CEO in 2006 was a less than desirable one. By enabling lieutenants to be pragmatic and realistic about issues facing the company, Mulally reshaped Ford’s ethos and put it on a path to success.
When the economic crisis felled two-thirds of Detroit’s Big Three in 2008, Ford thrived because of the foundation Mulally had laid, and the automaker was able to survive without needing to lean on government bailouts.
Phelan is quick to note that there is nothing to suggest this is even possibility, given that he’s not been named as a candidate and his non-veteran status could ultimately prove to be a roadblock. However, we couldn’t think of many people better primed for the position.
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