Ford appoints executives in The Americas

Ford Motor Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bill Ford and Mark Fields, the Company's executive vice president and president, The Americas, has announced a series of executive appointments. The appointments, approved Wednesday by the Board of Directors, are effective Nov. 1 unless otherwise stated.

Anne Stevens, group vice president, Canada, Mexico, and South America, has been elected executive vice president, Ford Motor Co., and chief operating officer, The Americas. She will report to Mark Fields and will lead the Company's core operations in The Americas, including Product Development, Manufacturing, and Purchasing. Stevens' new role also makes her the first female executive vice president in company history.

Derrick Kuzak, vice president, North America Engineering, has been elected group vice president, Product Development, The Americas. He replaces Phil Martens, who left the Company to pursue other interests. Kuzak will report to Stevens and will continue to develop and improve the Company's Product Development System. He also will have a functional reporting relationship to Richard Parry-Jones, the Company's chief technical officer. Kuzak, who joined The Americas leadership team in August, served previously as vice president, Product Development for Ford of Europe.

After 41 years with the Company, Roman Krygier, group vice president, Global Manufacturing, has electing to retire. Krygier, assumed his current position in November 2001. He joined the Company as a trainee foreman at the Chicago Stamping Plant in 1964 and held numerous management positions in manufacturing throughout his career.

Replacing Krygier is Dave Szczupak, vice president, Powertrain Operations, who becomes group vice president, Manufacturing, The Americas. Szczupak, will report to Stevens and will be charged with continuing to improve the flexibility of the Company's manufacturing operations.

BarbSamardzich, executive director, small front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive vehicles, has been elected a Ford Motor Company vice president and succeeds Szczupak as vice president, Powertrain Operations. Samardzich will report to Szczupak in his new role.

Also elected a Company vice president, Joe Hinrichs, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Canada, has been appointed vice president, North America Vehicle Operations. He replaces Matt DeMars, who left the Company to pursue other interests. Hinrichs will report to Szczupak.

The complete announcement can be read here.