William Clay Ford, Sr.
William Clay Ford, Sr. ( born March 14, 1925 in Kansas City, Missouri, † March 9, 2014 in Detroit ) was an American entrepreneur. He was the youngest child of Edsel (1893-1943) and Eleanor Ford born Eleanor Lowthian Clay (1896-1976) and youngest grandson of Henry Ford
Life
His military service in World War II made Ford in the U.S. Navy Air Corps ( Naval Aviator ). He then studied economics at Yale and graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He then joined the Ford company. First management tasks he mastered, as General Manager of Special Products Division, from July 1, 1952, the Continental Division emerged, of which he was also. His job in both positions was the development of a luxury car above Lincoln and Cadillac at par with Rolls- Royce and Bentley. Although with the Continental Mark II was one of the most beautiful and most exclusive automobiles in its time, this could be but even with an astronomical sale price of $ 10,000 not sell profitably. The project was abandoned in 1960. At this time, the Ford company was in a phase of restructuring. In addition to Continental, the even younger brand Edsel (1958-1960) ran out, the group was regrouped again and with the Ford Falcon appeared the first compact car ( according to U.S. standard; "compact" ) of Ford in the United States. On a successful remake as Lincoln Continental Mark III, he was heavily involved. This car was released in 1968 for model year 1969.
William Clay Ford was the owner and chairman of the professional football clubs Detroit Lions. His entire fortune was estimated by Forbes magazine at about $ 1.35 billion.
In March 2014 WC Ford Sr. died at the age of 88 years of pneumonia.
Family
In 1947 he married Martha Parke Firestone ( born 1925 ), a granddaughter of Harvey Firestone, the founder of the tire company Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. From this marriage four children, Martha Parke " Muffy " Ford stem (* 1948), Sheila Firestone Ford ( born 1951 ), William Clay Ford Jr., Jr. ( b. 1957 ) and Elizabeth Hudson Ford ( b. 1961 ).
Others
- The favorite color of William Clay Ford was Honolulublau, a light blue tint. This color was prescribed to the participants of the design competition for the luxury car Continental Mark II for their designs. His copy of the Continental Mark II convertible ( one of three built ) was Honolulublau painted; This color can also be found in the club colors of the Detroit Lions.
- The 1952-1953 from the Great Lakes Engineering Works in River Rouge ( Michigan) built for the Ford Motor Company engine cargo ship SS William Clay Ford was named after him. After the demolition of the ship in 1987 whose bridge was erected in the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle (Detroit ).