Elena Ford
Elena Ford | |
---|---|
Born |
Elena Anne Ford-Niarchos May 25, 1966 (age 50) New York City |
Residence | Birmingham, MI |
Other names | Elena Ford-Niarchos |
Alma mater | New York University |
Occupation | Ford Motor Company Director of Global marketing |
Spouse(s) |
Stanley Jozef Olender 1991-1996 (divorced) Joseph Daniel Rippolone 1996-2008 (divorced) |
Children | 6 |
Parent(s) |
Stavros Niarchos Charlotte Ford |
Elena Ford (born Elena Anne Ford-Niarchos in 1966) is the daughter of Charlotte Ford, an heiress to the Ford Motor Company fortune, and the Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos. She is a granddaughter of longtime Ford Motor Company president Henry Ford II and the great-great granddaughter of company founder Henry Ford. On March 1, 2013 Ford became a vice-president of the company, making her one of thirty-eight officers running the company.[1] Currently she is Director of Global marketing for the company as a whole. She is responsible for marketing, product management and sales support activities for Ford Motor Company around the world. She is the first female Ford family member to hold a significant position at Ford.[2]
Early life and education
Elena Ford was born Elena Anne Ford-Niarchos in 1966, the daughter of Charlotte Ford and Stavros Niarchos. Her parents divorced and her mother married Edward Downe Jr., the founder and chairman of Downe Communications in 1986.[3] Her mother was previously married and divorced from J. Anthony Forstmann.[3]
She has a bachelor's degree in business from New York University.[4][5]
Career
On March 1, 2012, Ford took over a new global unit within the company, the Dealer and Consumer Experience group. She is responsible for standardizing the way dealerships interact with customers around the world and oversees global dealer strategy, planning, training and consumer experience.
As of March 1, 2013, Ford will be a vice-president of the company, making her one of thirty-eight officers running the company.[1]
She is Director of global marketing for the company as a whole. She is responsible for marketing, product management and sales support activities for Ford Motor Company around the world. She is the first female Ford family member to hold a significant position at Ford.[2] Ford will also establish standards and practices for China as Ford introduces the Lincoln brand in 2014.
Personal life
In 1997, Ford was involved in a dispute with her half-siblings by her father's third wife, Eugenia Livanos. Stavros Niarchos stipulated in his will that no one has the right to touch his billions until 2009, and two Swiss court decisions have effectively bound the hands of the Niarchos heirs from any inheritance.
Marriages
In 1991, Ford-Niarchos (as she was then known) married Stanley Jozef Olender, the owner of Stanley O's, an estate maintenance service in Southampton, New York. In 1996, after one child together she divorced Olender and she married Joseph Daniel Rippolone, a plumber, mechanic, builder, and inventor. They have five children together. In 2008 Joseph Rippolone and Elena Ford divorced by mutual agreement. The divorce proceedings lasted a year.[6][7]
Legal issues
On April 4, 2011, Ford was charged with drunk driving and child endangerment because her son was in the vehicle.[8] The incident occurred in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale, Michigan.[9] On April 21, 2011, she pleaded guilty to the charges, and was sentenced to two years probation.[10][11]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Elana Ford is named VP of automaker", Detroit Free Press, February 15, 2012, page 12A
- 1 2 USA Today, Elena Ford is first woman Ford family member to hold a significant position at the automaker. February 15, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.
- 1 2 http://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/01/style/charlotte-ford-wed-to-edward-downe-jr.html
- ↑ "Elena A. Ford". ford.com. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/02/style/weddings-elena-ford-and-joseph-rippolone.html
- ↑ WEDDINGS;Elena Ford and Joseph Rippolone - New York Times
- ↑ "TAMPA BAY: A love of cars, the family name shape a Ford". sptimes.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ford heir Elena Ford arrested for drunk driving". Reuters. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Ferndale Police report on Elena Ford: Heiress had trouble with ABCs". MLive.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Elena Ford pleads guilty in DUI case, receives probation". Automotive News. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ↑ "Elena Ford Sentenced For Driving Drunk with Child In Backseat". myfoxdetroit.com. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2015.