DEARBORN -- Bill Ford Jr., the man leading Ford Motor Co. into its second century, is in his own way every bit as complex and dichotomous as his great-grandfather, Henry Ford, and his uncle, Henry Ford II.
Bill Ford is a life-long environmentalist who runs a company known best for its gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles.
He regularly eats lunch in Ford's cafeteria and recently inquired about joining an employee hockey league. But he can be ruthless when it comes to axing poor performers or cracking down on excessive spending, as his 20-month tenure as Ford's CEO has proven.
While candid about his mistakes and shortcomings, he acknowledges having a thin-skin when it comes to criticism.
At times, Bill Ford appears burdened by the job of running Ford. In other moments, he seems to relish the challenge of nursing the company back to health after it lost $6.4 billion in 2001 and 2002.
One thing is clear: The future of Ford rests squarely in his hands.
"I do think that at this particular point in history I can help this company and we are getting back on track," he said in a recent interview. "I bring some things to the table that the company needs.
"But should the time come that another skill set is needed and another leader is needed, that's fine."
Bill Ford joined Ford 24 years ago, eschewing what could have been a comfy blue-blood life of serving on charity boards and spending dividends. He rotated through 18 jobs in his tenure, though never gained the hard-core operating experience normally required of an automotive CEO.
In 1999, he won the company's chairmanship after deftly fending off the objections of former Ford CEO Alex Trotman. Then, with the company faltering, Bill Ford ousted controversial CEO Jacques Nasser in October 2001.
A few weeks later, he announced a painful restructuring that included 21,000 job cuts and five plant closures.
"He is tailor fit for the role," said David Brinkley, author of the new book, "Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company and a Century of Progress." "He could be one of major figures in the history of the automobile industry."
Without dwelling on it, Bill Ford is a student of Ford's history. His thesis at Princeton University: "Henry Ford and Labor: A Reappraisal."
"Bill Ford embodies the balance between creating a vision for the future while still having a deep respect for the past," said Ernesto Poza, author of "Family Business" and a business professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Bill Ford is hoping he can learn from the past to lead Ford to a brighter future.
"What Henry Ford left behind is a love of the company and the people here," he said. "He made it a personal company. That's something I am trying very hard to preserve and to keep alive."
You can reach Mark Truby at (313) 222-2082 or mtruby@detnews.com.
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