Ford Motor Company announced that Ted Cannis, CEO of Ford Pro and Ford Customer Service Division, has elected to retire after an accomplished 35-year career with the company at the end of September 2024. 

Cannis began his career in finance in 1989 and went on to serve in leadership positions in Venezuela, Argentina, Turkey, and Russia. From 2017 to 2020, he served as global director of Battery Electric Vehicles, leading Team Edison. This team developed the award-winning Mustang Mach-E and was involved in developing the F-150 Lightning and E-Transit.

Cannis has led Ford Pro since its formation in 2021 and helped build it into a high-growth, customer-focused business. Since 2023, Cannis has also led the Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD), which handles global parts, services, accessories, and vehicle customization for Ford dealers and customers worldwide.

"It's been the most thrilling and rewarding chapter of my career to lead Ford Pro and FCSD," Cannis said. "Ford Pro is a profitably growing business with unmatched scale, talent, and the best dealers and upfitters — all to serve the people and businesses who keep our economy and communities humming. I can't wait to watch Ford Pro and FCSD continue to innovate and grow."

Future Outlook and Following Leadership Changes

"Ted's energy and passion for customers has been instrumental in building Ford Pro into a business that's tracking towards $70 billion in revenue this year — a Fortune 100-size company in its own right," Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO, said.  

"Ford Pro has the widest and most flexible commercial vehicle lineup, an industry-leading service network including our dealerships and upfitter partnerships, and a sharp focus on lowering the total cost of ownership and increasing uptime for customers. Ford Pro is now poised to become a true, technology-driven growth business — evidenced by the 600,000 paid subscriptions in the second quarter — and a greater competitive advantage for Ford and our customers," Farley continued.

Farley added that FCSD is another Ford stronghold with a prime opportunity to transform for growth by going after an estimated $100 billion-plus profit pool for maintenance, repair, parts, and other services that currently escape the dealer network.

Ford said Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue, will also lead Ford Pro on an interim basis until the company announces a new leader. 

Daniel Justo was appointed vice president of FCSD, and a company officer, effective Oct. 1. Justo is currently a chief financial officer of Ford Blue and was previously president of Ford South America. In his new role leading FCSD globally, he will report to Frick.

"Our customers — from commercial fleets to individual drivers — rely on us for the parts and services that keep their vehicles running smoothly and looking great," Justo said. 

"That's why we're committed to delivering a service experience that's as reliable, dependable, and modern as the vehicles themselves. I'm excited to work with our FCSD team and our dealers to make it easier than ever for our customers to schedule their service, find the right parts and accessories, get them quickly, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing they're getting the best possible service. Building this trust and loyalty is central to our Ford+ value creation plan," Justo added.

Stay tuned to Automotive Fleet for more updates on Ford’s leadership changes and how they may impact the commercial fleet world.