Detroit Free Press: Marick Masters on Ford CEO Jim Farley
Ford CEO Jim Farley took less than 58 weeks to do what his three predecessors at the helm of the iconic automaker could not: Tip the stock price past $20 a share - even while a global pandemic triggered supply chain challenges that continue to squeeze the industry. Most notable to industry analysts is that Farley foreshadowed his belief in the company's potential when everyone else was jumping ship. As factories shut down amid surging COVID-19 deaths and workers across the U.S. were furloughed, Farley doubled down on his faith in Ford and put his own skin into the game by purchasing about $1 million worth of stock at an average per-share price of $5.13 in May 2020, three months after he was promoted to chief operating officer and three months before Ford announced his promotion to CEO. Marick Masters, a professor at the Mike Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University, said "Confidence, boldness, and determination are what make up the essence of leadership...Ford is fortunate to have Farley at the helm at this critical juncture."
