Directorate Change
July 11 2003 - 3:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:4382N
Ford Motor Co
10 July 2003
Contact: Anne Marie Gattari Marcey Evans
313.322.9211 313.594.4410
cell: 1.313-300-6695 cell: 1.313.969.0107
agattari@ford.com mevans13@ford.com
FORD NAMES DON LECLAIR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER;
JIM GOUIN APPOINTED VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER
* Ford stabilizes finance leadership with appointments of Leclair and Gouin, two
company veterans, experienced automotive executives.
* They have played an instrumental role leading Finance in achieving progress in
our revitalization.
DEARBORN, Mich., July 10 - Ford Motor Company today named Don Leclair a group
vice president and the company's chief financial officer, succeeding Allan
Gilmour, who remains vice chairman.
Ford's Board of Directors also elected Jim Gouin (pronounced Gway) a company
vice president and controller, replacing Leclair. Gouin has been controller for
North America since November 2001. The appointments are effective Aug. 1, 2003.
Vice Chairman Carl Reichardt's retirement, which was announced on June 16,
becomes effective August 1.
Leclair, 51, will report to Gilmour. Those reporting to Leclair are Gouin;
Malcolm Macdonald, vice president and treasurer; and Barbara Gasper, vice
president, Investor Relations.
In addition to Finance, Gilmour has responsibility for Corporate Affairs, Human
Resources, General Auditor's Office, Dealer Policy Board and Ford Credit.
"Don Leclair and Jim Gouin are world-class finance leaders and Ford veterans,"
said Bill Ford, chairman and chief executive officer. "They have been
instrumental in working with Allan Gilmour in leading Finance to achieve our
cost objectives and Revitalization Plan targets. Allan's experience and guidance
have been critical to our recent successes."
"Don and Jim represent a wealth of financial experience at Ford and within the
automotive industry," said Gilmour. "They will continue to work with me to build
upon the progress we've made and the momentum we're building. With these
appointments, we are stabilizing the leadership of our finance team for the long
term."
Said Leclair: "I look forward to the challenge of leading the finance team
through our revitalization and working even more closely with the company's
senior management team. Together, we've made a great deal of progress. I want to
help the company build on its current momentum."
"It's exciting to be part of a team that is facing its challenges head on and
making such progress," said Gouin. "I look forward to continuing to work with
Don, the entire finance organization and the senior management team."
Leclair has been the company's controller since Nov. 1, 2001. Previously, he
served as controller for North America. He was also the controller of Global
Product Development and Manufacturing and Ford Australia.
He joined the company in 1976 as a financial analyst at the Lorain Assembly
Plant and has held various leadership positions in Product Development,
Manufacturing and Finance.
Leclair holds a bachelor's degree in economics and an MBA in finance from the
University of Michigan.
Gouin, 43, joined Ford in 1979 as an accounts payable clerk. He has held finance
positions of increasing responsibility in North America Automotive Operations,
Vehicle Operations and Marketing and Sales.
Gouin holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Detroit
Institute of Technology and an MBA in finance from the University of Detroit.
(Note: Allan Gilmour, Don Leclair and Jim Gouin will host a conference call for
news media and the investment community at 1:30 p.m. EDT. To access the call,
participants should use dial-in number 888-339-2688 and passcode 95977530. The
International dial-in number is 617-847-3007 with the same passcode.)
Go to http://media.ford.com for news releases and high-resolution photographs.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END
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