Ford Retires

He plans to leave in May when his term ends



At the time, the youngest of the legendary Henry Ford's three grandsons was quietly toiling evenings in Dearborn on product designs to help the company rescue its ailing Jaguar acquisition.


Wednesday, Ford decided to try again, announcing that he will retire from the Ford Board of Directors when his current term ends in May. At almost 80, he's surely earned a chance to "do it right" this time.


Ford's departure will signal the end of the grandsons' era of Fords at the company, spanning more than half a century and dominated by the 35-year chairmanship of William Clay Ford's oldest brother, Henry Ford II, who died in 1987. The third grandson, Benson Ford, died in 1978. But the Ford family still drives the enterprise, with William Clay Ford's son, Bill Ford, now the chairman and chief executive officer. Henry's son, Edsel Ford II, is on the board of directors and the family controls 40 percent of the voting power of Ford stock.


While overshadowed by Henry Ford II, William Clay Ford certainly made his mark in the automotive world.


Elected to the board in 1948, he chaired Ford's design group for more than 30 years and oversaw the development of the classic Continental Mark II. Ford learned to drive on a Model A and helped guide the family's namesake company through its many ups and downs. He was instrumental in his son's rise to leadership of the company in 2001 after the Firestone tire debacle that led to the ouster of Jacques Nasser.


"My dad helped lead Ford into the modern era and make us who we are," Bill Ford said in a statement.


William Clay Ford ends his active role in the business at a time of considerable uncertainty. Ford profits have lately been solid, but its share of the automotive market continues to shrink.


It's a situation that can be frustrating and fiercely competitive, situations that William Clay Ford knows well in his other role as the owner of the National Football League's Detroit Lions.


An avid sportsman, Ford acquired the team for $4.5 million in 1964 and, while the Lions are worth upward of $300 million today, they have not won a championship since 1957. Ford deserves one, if only for patience and perseverance.


Then he really could retire.