In fact, between 2005 and 2008, the company posted losses of more than $30 billion. With designs completed, the car was hand built by Gia in Italy for 250 thousand dollars. Benson Ford Jr., 36, a great-grandson of Henry Ford I and nephew of Henry Ford II, is now working at the company for the first time. Benson Ford Jr.'s nomination from the floor came from corporate gadfly Evelyn Y. Davis. In some places, the dealership would actually put copies of the newspaper in the car, so that when you drove off with your Model T, there you had on the seat next to you a copy of The Dearborn Independent, said Hasia Diner, a professor of Hebrew and Judaic studies and history at New York University, when interviewed for a biography of Ford in American Experience, a series on the Public Broadcasting Service. [17][18] Benson was very supportive of Henry II and always had the company's best interest at heart. Benson Ford 1919 - 1978 . Oliver Clark, 19, drove his Ford Fiesta at 100mph along the A180 . It was in his tenure at the LincolnMercury Division that one of the highlights of his career occurred. Mustang Classics by Randy Leffingwell, with photography by David Newhardt Published 2014 by Crestline 384 pp., hardcover. As president of the Board, Benson was instrumental in securing a $100 million grant from the Ford Foundation in 1973. [11] While in the Engineering Lab they worked for Leonard Williams, a no-nonsense black foreman who taught them how to tear apart engines. "[21] The Mercury version was unique from the Ford and the sleek, rakish design was based on upscale Lincoln products. #129 Ford family on the 2015 America's Richest Families - More than 100 years after Henry Ford introduced his Model T and revolutionized automobile production, The family would travel to Europe together every few years. Image by Getty Images, By Joseph R. Szczesny Henry II's only son, Edsel II, was on a much faster track as general sales manager of Ford's Lincoln-Mercury division. And it hurts to see a family name and family heritage tarnished so badly.. Grandson: Benson Ford, Sr. (1919-1978) - Married Edith McNaughton Great-Grandson: Benson Ford, Jr. (1949-) Ford Marketing 1986-1995 Great-Granddaughter: Lynn Ford Alandt (1951-) Granddaughter: Josephine Clay Ford (1923-2005) - Married Walter Buhl Ford II (no relation to Ford family) 1943 So, no matter who wins or loses Detroits unprecedented war of the wheels, the heirs trust-fund checks will keep coming, unaffected by the staggering losses expected on both sides of the corporate battle. Through meritorious service Benson eventually achieved the rank of captain in January 1945. CLAIM THIS BUSINESS. Baths: 5 full, 2 half. The companys hourly workers in the United States havent had a raise since 2003, though they have had profit sharing from the turnaround of the companys North American operation. 2 Marriage* Principal= Lisa Vanderzee 2 Birth* 3 May 1957 Detroit, Wayne Co., MI 1 News/Obit* 31 October 2001 News Item, Ford Jr. takes on role he was born to play The Benson Ford Research Center remains closed to visitation by the general public and outside researchers during the Coronavirus Pandemic for in-person research, tours, visits, and educational programs, until further notice. Facebook. The Benson Ford Ship made news when it ran aground twice in 1959. I have always been a Mustang fan. But the powerful relationship based on tires and blood ties is now collapsing in a bitter, public corporate divorce that could wind up costing both companies more than $2 billion this year alone. She was the third of Edsel Ford's four children and the only granddaughter of automotive pioneer Henry Ford. The trusts arent affected by the rise or fall of Firestone stock. Mr. and Mrs. Ford were extremely active in the United Community Funds and Councils of America (now known as the United Way). The suit later was expanded to include Fierstein & Sturman, a Los Angeles law firm that had represented Benson Ford and Fuentes for several years. In addition to being a vice-president of the Ford Motor Company and Lincoln-Mercury director, Benson was chairman of the Board of the Edison Institute, chairman of the Board of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was the prominent key national co-chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, an organization espousing religious tolerance which evolved into one of the most important religious tolerance organizations in the United States today. William Ford Sr. of Grosse Pointe $1.4 billion [ [Ford) John Stryker of Kalamazoo, $1.4 billion [ [Stryker) Roger Penske of Bloomfield Hills, $1.3 billion [ [auto) Manoj Bhargava of Farmington Hills, $1.1 billion [ [Five-Hour Energy) Peter Karmanos of Orchard Lake, $1 billion [ [Compuware) Are there many 9-figure net worth people/families that . The founding Ford was known, in particular, for his leadership of The Dearborn Independent, a Michigan-based paper he bought in 1918 and proceeded to fill with rabid anti-Jewish invective, including a 91-part series later bound into a book under Fords name, called The International Jew. Forcefully distributed to Ford dealerships nationwide throughout the 1920s, Fords paper gained an unprecedented readership for anti-Semitism. 1948-56, then took charge of Lincoln-Mercury dealer relations. away) (864) 671-0503 | Tapes and transcripts of interviews with automotive designers conducted by David Crippen of the The Henry Ford Archives staff during the late 1980's. In the Benson Ford Research Center you can find bound copies of the transcripts for the following individuals, with some transcriptions . 100 slides : color. And the closing of ranks when Ford family scandals made national headlines including the sensational divorces of Henry Ford II, who married three times while he ruled the company nearly for four decades. The Futura later became the most famous and recognizable car in the world for several years, television's Batmobile driven by Batman actor Adam West. DBusiness Magazine-May 20, 2010. Just as Finkelman became Fields, however, the automaker founded by one of Americas most notorious anti-Semites has transformed itself over the decades. The newly minted CEO said recently that he joined Ford because he liked cars and was impressed with the companys products, such as the Taurus SHO, a pumped-up, sporty version of the standard sedan of the 1980s. Benson was an active photographer and golfer. Reviews. None of the heirs holds a major job at either company, with the exception of Fords Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. whos a great-grandson of Harvey S. Firestone. After the listening device was detected by the electronic surveillance equipment protecting the house of his uncle, William Clay Ford, Benson was pulled aside by Henry II and William Clay, and the bug was ripped off. Exclude Relationships Olivia Benson & Amanda Rollins (174) Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr./Amanda Rollins (81) Olivia Benson/Elliot Stabler (49) . The least known of Edsel Ford's sons. Facebook. In 1951 he was selected by the Detroit Junior Board of Commerce as the "Outstanding Young Man of 1951". [27], After the death of his grandfather Henry Ford on April 7, 1947, at Fair Lane, Benson Ford was seen exiting The Episcopal Cathedral Church of St. Paul (Detroit) holding the arm of his widowed grandmother Clara Ford from the funeral service on April 10, 1947. It was a very warm, personal relationship, said David Lewis, a business history professor at the University of Michigan. Benson was good humored and was astute at remembering names of people, as well as their wives' and children. Twitter. He never would have dreamed that there would be a Jew putting people to work in the Ford Motor Company.. The Firestone family sold out in 1988 to Japans tire giant Bridgestone for $2.5 billion cash, and put it into trust funds to support family members. Benson suffered a heart attack in 1957 and was forced to cut back his involvement in the company due to ill health, but continued to be involved in many charities. It is sometimes rented for private functions. Michigan State Police officials said that Mr. Ford died about 1:10 A.M. One of his two children, Mrs. Lynn Alandt, 27, and her husband took Mrs. Ford back to the fimily's home in Grosse Pointe later this morning, the polite said. unpublished ca. The family of Henry Ford is an American family from the U.S. state of Michigan, best known for their control of the Ford Motor Company automobile manufacturer, which was founded by Henry Ford in the early-twentieth century. More . How much: $2.85 million. Based on a concept from the creative mind of Benson Ford at Lincoln-Mercury, and under his direction, the Lincoln Futura, an experimental futuristic concept car, was developed and designed by William M. Schmidt at Lincoln-Mercury. 1 Energy Plaza. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Musks master plan for Tesla is built around sustainable energy economy, Nissan recalls over 800,000 SUVs because of defect that can cut off engine, Mexicos president says Musk will build Tesla EV plant in northern Mexico, Hyundai was poised to become Teslas top contender. They drove trains at the Rouge. After his father`s death in 1978, Benson Ford Jr. filed a series of lawsuits, which were unsuccessful, seeking a seat on the Ford board of directors and more of his father`s fortune. Meanwhile, his. He, his brothers Henry II and William, and sister Josephine, grew up in Indian Village, and at the Ford's Gaukler Point estate in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, on Lake St. Clair. The Edsel & Eleanor Ford House was the former private residence of Henry and Clara Ford's only child, Edsel, his wife Eleanor and their children: Henry II, Benson, Josephine and William Clay.. Benson Ford Shiphouse. [22]The 1955 Montclair Sun Valley featured a tinted plexiglass panel for the front half of the roof and the Mercury Monterrey was offered with a vinyl roof. He worked with the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a special agent. He loved to travel. Ford, which has roots nurtured by the companys founder in rural America, is about to launch a new pickup truck that is critical to the companys profitability. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Henry Ford II, who disliked his grandfather intensely, was the one who moved to make amends in the years after World War II. Fields predecessor, Alan Mulally, relied heavily on a strategy that Fields drew up as a senior executive in 2005, when Fords big North American division was losing money. Family Henry Ford II Former Chairman and CEO of Ford (1945 to 1979) brother. The fourth cousin, Benson Ford Jr., was the black sheep of the clan. Beal dropped out of both Michigan State and Baylor universities. He was born in Lansing, earning cash as a teenager by fixing used televisions. Benson served as a director for the organization and in 1961 served as the National Chairman of the United Community Campaigns of America. In 1924, the Benson Ford ship was built and launched on April 26, 1924, for the Ford Motor Company, designed and used for transporting iron ore and other materials across the Great Lakes. ISBN-13: 978--7858-3139-6 Purchased new from a retail bookstore. [34][35] Benson Ford Sr.'s daughter Lynn Ford Alandt also remains active in Ford family affairs as: Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Gross Pointe Shores; as a member of the Fair Lane Board of Trustees, home of Henry and Clara Ford now undergoing restoration; as a trustee at The Henry Ford Museum; as President of the Benson and Edith Ford Charitable Fund; and through the Lynn & Paul Alandt Charitable Foundation. [1] Benson was a son of Edsel Ford I, and the grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford I. In December 1943 Benson was stationed in San Francisco at the Fourth Air Force Headquarters. Benson Ford was involved with the development of the 1949 Ford. A year later, Mr. Ford enlisted in the Army after obtaining permission from the War Department to enlist as a private. Between 2009 and 2013, Ford earned more than $42 billion in profits. Ford seeks compensatory and punitive damages from the defendants for . He received slightly . '', Asked if he thought there was anything wrong with that, he said: ''Yes, a little bit.'' He loved racing and drove the Indianapolis 500 pace car three times. But it wasnt until the late 1970s that an executive with a Jewish background, Mervyn Manning, was promoted to the rank of vice president in one of Fords subdivisions. The Henry Ford's initial digitization efforts were funded through a generous gift from Lynn and Paul Alandt and Benson Ford, Jr., on behalf of the Benson and Edith Ford Fund. He also worked for religious tolerance and in 1951 was named Protestant national co-chair of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. WhatsApp. During Benson's early days as an engineer at Ford, he helped build one of the company's first experimental jeeps, along with his brother, Henry Ford II. (313) 961-0500. Wedding gown of Lynn McNaughton Ford, daughter of Benson Ford, Sr., and Edith McNaughton Ford. He made money during the Great Recession by. Lynn Alandt daughter. This was followed in 1965 by the National Community Service Award of what is now the United Way for his long service at the national level in promoting united giving for community health and welfare services.[4]. 415 W Wade Hampton Blvd, Greer, SC 29650-1538. Still, in 1989, when Fields joined the manufacturer, Ford Motor Co. was hardly the most obvious choice for an ambitious junior executive from a Jewish background. Anyone can read what you share. Rafael Barba & Olivia Benson (12) Olivia Benson & Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr. (12) Amanda Rollins & Odafin "Fin" Tutuola (12) Exclude Additional Tags Friendship (28) Fluff (21) Angst (19) Established . Open until 8:00 PM. 1 He was educated at Hotchkiss School . It just looked fast. Benson was born to the Ford Motor Company's top shareholder. Included in the book is a description of just how bizarre Bensons fight with his family became. The battle is also being felt personally by the hugely wealthy heirs of founders Henry Ford and. Two years ago, in an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Ford said he found in Fuentes ''the father I never had.'' Still, there was speculation in some circles over his replacement on the company's board, executive committee and as chairman of the key dealer relations arm, the Ford Dealer Policy Board. Benson Ford was named a vice-president of the Ford Motor Company at a Ford Motor Company meeting on June 1, 1943. Fields said his focus as CEO when he takes over on July 1 will be to make Ford a true global leader in the car business. - Photo by Paul Sancya of The Associated Press. In October 1944 Benson was transferred to the Newfoundland Base Command of the United States Air Corps for 13 months. He developed a close business and personal relationship with Max Fisher, a Detroit-based national Jewish communal leader, businessman and philanthropist, and with Fishers encouragement, gave freely to Jewish causes around Detroit. Fields and his wife, who met while both worked at IBM, have two sons. Rumors circulated that Fields might take another job, perhaps in another industry. Benson was on the committee that selected the final Eugene Gregorie design. His widow, Edith McNaughton Ford, president and owner of the Key Largo Anglers Club in Key Largo, Florida, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Henry Ford Hospital for 36 years, died in a Detroit hospital after a long illness, reported to be cancer of the throat, on August 9, 1980, age 60, and is buried alongside Benson. On Saturdays they would go with Henry to the engineering laboratory where they would drive Model Ts inside the building and shuffle time cards. 4.9 (505 reviews) 4701 Calhoun Memorial Hwy Easley, SC 29640. 35 years, from the brink of ruin to an admittedly precarious position in the late 1970s. Benson Ford Jr., 36, a great-grandson of Henry Ford I and nephew of Henry Ford II, is now working at the company for the first time. Benson Ford Jr is a resident of FL. But what began as a warm relationship turned ugly, he said. She married Paul D. Alandt in June 1975 in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI. 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