Ford Names William E. Kennard to Board of Directors

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) has elected William E. Kennard to the company’s board of directors.

In addition, long-time Ford board member Dr. Homer Neal has elected to leave the board, effective Dec. 31, after serving 18 years.

Kennard, 57, is the former chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union. He currently is chairman and co-founder of Velocitas Partners LLC, an asset management firm, and a member of the Operating Executive Board of Staple Street Capital, a private equity firm.

He serves on the boards of directors of AT&T Inc., MetLife and Duke Energy Corporation.

“Bill has a wealth of experience, particularly in telecommunications, where he has spent years shaping policy and pioneering initiatives to improve the benefits of technology for consumers worldwide,” said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “As we accelerate our work in the areas of in-car connectivity and mobility, his unique perspective will help guide our strategy and Blueprint for Mobility forward.”

Kennard’s career spans more than three decades in law, telecommunications and private equity. Before his appointment as FCC chairman in 1997, Kennard served as the FCC’s general counsel from 1993 to 1997. As U.S. Ambassador to the European Union from 2009 to 2013, he worked to eliminate regulatory barriers to commerce and to promote transatlantic trade, investment and job creation.

Category: General Update, People