Ford Names Padilla, Thursfield Executive Vice Presidents

Ford Motor Company announced its Board of Directors elected James Padilla and David Thursfield executive vice presidents of the company, effective immediately. Padilla also is named president, North America. Thursfield also is named president, International Operations. Both will continue to report to Nick Scheele, president and chief operating officer. All reporting relationships in North America remain unchanged. Padilla continues to lead all operations involved in the development, manufacturing, marketing, and sales of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Specifically, that includes Manufacturing and Quality, Business Operations, Marketing, Sales and Service, Product Development, Vehicle Operations, Powertrain Operations, and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering. In his new role, Thursfield acquires responsibility for Premier Automotive Group, led by Mark Fields, and Mazda Motor Company, led by Lewis Booth. Thursfield continues to oversee Ford of Europe, Ford Asia Pacific, and Ford South American Operations and Global Purchasing. This pulls together the company's international business operations into one group. Padilla joined Ford in 1966 as a quality control engineer. He has held a series of management positions of increasing responsibility in product engineering and manufacturing. From 1992 to 1994, he was director of Engineering and Manufacturing at Jaguar Cars Ltd., during Jaguar's critical turn-around period. He has also served as president of Ford's South American Operations and group vice president, Global Manufacturing. He most recently was group vice president, North America. Thursfield came to Ford in 1979 as plant manager of the Broadmeadows Car Assembly plant in Australia. He progressed through other manufacturing positions in Australia and Europe, including director of Body and Assembly Operations, Ford of Europe. In 1996, he moved to the United States and two years later became vice president, Vehicle Operations. He returned to Europe in 2000 as president and in 2001 was named president and chief executive officer, Ford of Europe. He most recently was group vice president, International Operations and Global Purchasing.