Henry Ford III Receives Distinguished Service Award at the Henry Ford College Commencement Ceremony on May 6
Instituted in 1978, the 2017 Henry Ford College (HFC) Distinguished Service Award is presented to Henry Ford III, the great-great-grandson of the College’s namesake and a member of the HFC National Advisory Council (NAC), at HFC’s afternoon Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6, at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.
The HFC Distinguished Service Award honors those who have made significant contributions toward excellence in education, outstanding civic accomplishments and for their unwavering support of the College. In addition, Ford will also be giving the Commencement Address.
“It is truly an honor and I am humbled to receive this award from such a wonderful institution,” said Ford.
Ford earned his undergraduate degree in English from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Mass. For more than two years, Ford taught English and mathematics at the high school level in Virginia, as well as overseas.
“I had fantastic teachers who inspired me when I was growing up, so I felt a strong desire to pay it forward and give back in some way. I have so much admiration for what teachers do, and I am so grateful for the teachers I had throughout my education,” said Ford.
In 2006, he joined his family’s business Ford Motor Co., specifically in Labor Relations where he was a member of the national negotiations team that worked on the collective bargaining agreement between Ford and the UAW. He later joined Ford’s Purchasing division as an analyst on the North America Vehicle Programs (NAVP) team.
Prior to returning to Michigan, he was based in Irvine, Calf. as the Lincoln Sales and Marketing Manager for the West Market Area, helping the Lincoln brand grow its presence in luxury markets. Currently, he is the Marketing Manager for Ford Performance, which is the automaker’s performance team whose mission is to fuel innovation and passion for Ford, on and off the road.
In addition to serving on the HFC NAC, Ford also serves on the following boards: University Liggett School, The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and Bridging Communities, Inc.
“Henry Ford III has made invaluable contributions to this educational institution that is named after his great-great-grandfather. I feel honored and privileged to be the one to present him with the Distinguished Service Award this Saturday at Commencement,” said HFC President Dr. Stan Jensen.