11 July, 2003 – The great-grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford, Edsel B. Ford II, is joining in the firm’s centenary celebrations at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.
"This is both a celebration of 100 years of a great company and a special family occasion for me," he said.
"From my great grandfather’s first motor race in a car he built himself at the beginning of century, Ford has had a long history of motorsport success and I can’t think of a better place to celebrate Ford’s centenary than at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
"I’m really looking forward to seeing all these famous cars. Seeing all three of the original record-breaking GT40s from Le Mans back together again will be a special thrill as competing in 1966 was a real passion of my father Henry Ford II."
Edsel B. Ford II is a member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company. He was elected to the Board in 1988 and as a consultant is active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations.
His career at Ford spans more than 25 years. He was named president and chief operating officer of Ford Motor Credit Company in May 1991 and elected a company vice president on December 9, 1993. He is also a board member of the Detroit branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.
Edsel B. Ford II is very active in several charitable organisations. His community leadership positions include serving as chairman of the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and board member of the Skillman Foundation.
Born on December 27, 1948, in Detroit, he received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Babson College in 1973 and completed the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School in 1981.
Mr Ford is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. His grandfather is Edsel B. Ford, company president from 1919 to 1943. His late father, Henry Ford II, was president of the company from 1945 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1980.
He is married with four sons and the family lives in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.
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