Elena A. Ford
Elena A. Ford (born May 25, 1966) is the chief customer experience officer of the Ford Motor Company. She has held this position since November 1, 2018. She currently resides in Michigan. She joined the company in 1995 and currently serves the family business as Ford Motor Company's chief customer experience officer. She has held this position since November of 2018. She is the granddaughter of Henry Ford II and the cousin of William Clay Ford Jr., who holds the role of executive chairman
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Early Life[edit]
Elena A. Ford (born 1966) is the great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford, who started the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, in 1903.
Career[edit]
Elena Ford has held key positions at Ford Motor Company which showcased her skills and passion in driving Ford to be the car maker of choice among customers all over the world.
In August 2007, Elena was appointed Executive Vice President of Ford Credit Global Brand and Marketing. In this role, she led various departments within the company in ensuring the processes in handling the company’s financial services had gone through the strictest standards and implemented with efficiency and diligence. She collaborated with various departments within the company such as sales and marketing, product handling and management, and administrative, services and technical support.
In 2009, Elena’s role transitioned to Director of Global Marketing, Sales and Service. Within five years, Elena had been instrumental in effecting change within the company to support One Ford, a new vision embraced by Ford which involves creating global standards in all aspects of car manufacturing and customer interface and service, for implementation across the entire Ford system. One Ford aspires to establish Ford as the most trusted company in the world.
From March 2013 to October 2018, Elena served as the Vice President of Customer Experience and Global Dealer. The new role enabled her to share her knowledge and skills in creating and developing universal standards for the company that will be implemented across Ford establishments on a global scale, from strategy, training and education, vehicle management, and customer interface involving Ford dealers and employees.
In November 2018, Ford appointed Elena as its Chief Customer Experience Officer. Since then, Elena has been tireless in developing and improving processes within Ford to ensure customers are experiencing world class customer service at any given stage of customer interface in any Ford establishment all over the world.
Among her notable achievements is the development and launch of Ford’s 2012 global brand promise: Go Further. This campaign, according to Automotive News, was intended in part as a warning against complacency after three years of profit and to document the culture of the company. Elena Ford said that the new slogan was a reminder to Ford's 166,000 employees that they needed to set the bar even higher after recent gains.
Elena Ford was also responsible for the development and launch of FordPass and The Lincoln Way, Ford Motor Company’s ownership experience apps.
FordPass is an important development for the company, as it incorporates several different separate subsystems: FordGuides, FordPay, and FlightCar. FordPass includes features such as parking and gas station suggestions and vehicle controls.
With FordPass, customers can:
- get vehicle health alerts. SYNC Connect-equipped vehicles can track fuel levels and get alerts.
- find parking ahead of time in select cities.
- call or chat with a FordGuide representative.
- access Roadside Assistance.
- discover gas stations and restaurants.
- start, stop, lock, unlock, and schedule starts for vehicles with SYNC Connect with FordPass.
The Lincoln Way app connects customers in a similar way with services for the Lincoln brand and includes an option for connecting with wifi.
Personal Life[edit]
Elena’s passion and love for Ford emanates from her family, coming from a line of business leaders who had continued the Ford tradition since its birth in 1903.
She is the great-great granddaughter of the legendary founder of Ford Motor Company, the innovative visionary, industrialist and entrepreneur Henry Ford.
She was born Elena A. Ford, the daughter of Charlotte Ford and Stavros Niachos, and granddaughter of Ford Motor Company president Henry Ford II.
Elena lived in New York where she also pursued higher education. She earned her degree in Business from New York University.
Throughout her journey as one of the leading innovators behind the success of Ford Motor Company, Elena had been recognized in the industry.
She had been included twice in Automotive News’ list of 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry. She was last recognized in the same publication and category in 2015.
At present, Elena serves on the board of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
Having held seats on the boards of the Henry Ford Health System and The Children’s Center, she continues to be involved with these organizations.
