Two Ford Motor Company Executives Named Executives of the Year

Jan. 15, 2007 (By Rebecca Kavanagh, FCN) -- Two Ford executives were honored Tuesday night for transcending the mainstream and embracing diversity. Vice President of Quality Bennie Fowler was named African-American Executive of the Year and Technical Fellow Dr. Takeshi Abe was named Asian-American Executive of the Year at the 2008 Urban Wheel Awards ceremony at Detroit’s Fox Theatre.

Presented by the multimedia organization On Wheels, Inc. – publisher of African Americans On Wheels, Latinos On Wheels and Asians On Wheels magazines – the star-studded awards ceremony has for 12 years recognized achievements in diversity within the automotive industry in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show.

“This is a completely multicultural night when we celebrate outstanding contributions to the auto industry,” says Randi Payton, president and CEO of On Wheels.

Dubbed “Fashion, Stars & Cars,” Tuesday’s event was hosted by actress Rosie Perez and “Entertainment Tonight” weekend anchor Kevin Frazier, and included appearances by actors Tyson Beckford and Lisa Vidal, ESPN personality Amanda Amann, and performers Musiq Soulchild and Funkmaster Flex.

Structured like the Academy Awards, “this one-of-a-kind event treats honorees like stars,” says Payton.
Dr. Takeshi Abe

On hand to accept his accolades was Abe, who also was recently honored – along with his Powertrain Research & Advance Engineering team – at the Ford Powertrain Technology Innovation Awards.

“I am very pleased and honored by the Urban Wheel Award,” says Abe. “I am grateful to Ford and to my Ford colleagues who help to develop an environment that accepts diversified people and cultures.”

Joining him was Fowler, who, in addition to being responsible for driving quality at Ford and overseeing the company’s new-model launches in North America, goes above and beyond to promote diversity and inclusion at the company. He championed the 2007 Diversity & Worklife Summit, and serves as president of the Ford African Ancestry Network, the company’s first employee resource group.

“I am surrounded by a high-quality team that is constantly moving the needle,” says Fowler. “Together, we’re not only focused on world-class vehicles but also on developing new generations of dedicated, talented colleagues through mentoring and other endeavors.”

Says Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally, “At Ford, we believe the inclusion of diverse perspectives allows us to deliver innovative products that satisfy our customer’s wants, needs and desires more effectively. Congratulations to each of you.”

Source: Ford Motor Company

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