Weeks after Ford became first lady, she underwent a mastectomy for breast cancer on September 28, 1974, after having been diagnosed with the disease. [54][33] Ford utilized phone calls, letter-writing, and telegrams as means of lobbying in support of the ERA. She agreed, that day, to detox from her medicine. In 1981, Eleanor Smeal, the National Organization for Women's president, announced Ford's appointment to be the co-chair, with Alan Alda, of the ERA Countdown Campaign. [33] On June 30, 1976, Ford attended the opening of "Remember the Ladies", a Revolutionary War-era women's exhibit. [62], Among the most notable state dinners the Fords hosted was a July 7, 1976 state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Alexandra Ford English, daughter of Bill Ford, was elected to the board at age 33 with Henry Ford III. Bill was born in Stockton, CA. [56], Ford's involvement in political issues received some conservative criticism. [19] Ford said, during her husband's failed 1976 presidential campaign, "I would give my life to have Jerry have my poll numbers. Henry's grandson William Clay Ford Sr. and his family have controlled the Detroit Lions franchise of the National Football League since late 1963. Ford has been the chief executive officer of General Atlantic, a leading growth equity . Bill Ford . In 2001, Ford was going through leadership shakeups. "[7], Betty and Gerald Ford had four children together: Michael Gerald Ford (born 1950), John Gardner Ford (nicknamed Jack; born 1952), Steven Meigs Ford (born 1956), and Susan Elizabeth Ford (born 1957). Among the nations that Ford accompanied her husband to were China, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Marigay McKee, president of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Bill Ford Getty Images. Low Resolution Photos. [108] On May 8, 2003, Ford received the Woodrow Wilson Award in Los Angeles for her public service, awarded by the Woodrow Wilson Center of the Smithsonian Institution. [10][11], In 2000, he announced that the company would achieve a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency in the company's light truck fleet, including SUVs, by mid-decade.[12]. "[10], Ford was popular with the American public. [78] In her remarks, Mrs. Cheney noted that July 14 would have been Gerald Ford's 98th birthday. [3] Ford also held active membership in groups such as the 81st Congress Club and National Federation of Republican Women. [21] That same year, her husband brought up the possibility that he might retire from congress in 1977, which would make the 1974 United States House of Representatives election the last he would run in. Burkman now gets asked by many people to explain how he was able to secure Michigan Central Station as the venue for his proposal. Bill gave me a call a few hours before I popped the question to wish me luck, Burkman said. [3] As a mother, Ford never spanked or hit her children, believing that there were better, more constructive ways to deal with discipline and punishment. [25][62] Once she became first lady, it fell to Ford to arrange this already-scheduled dinner. Days later, Ford also disclosed to the public that she had come to realize that she was additionally an alcoholic. [89] She partnered with her friend Ambassador Leonard Firestone to found it. He joined Ford in 1979 and held a variety of positions, beginning in product development and on the financial staff, a grooming ground for future executives. There have been gays and lesbians serving our country for many years. She drew boos from demonstrators against the Equal Rights Amendment in stating, "This exhibit about neglected Americans should give us strength and courage to seek equal rights for women today."[57]. Ford also served as the president, CEO, and COO until turning over those roles to former Boeing executive Alan Mulally in September 2006. As was the case during Gerald Ford's vice presidential swearing-in, Betty Ford held the Bible upon which he placed his hand while taking his oath of office. [46] In 1977, the year her husband left office, she placed fourth. [16], Ford has been a vocal advocate for improvements to be made in all modes of global transportation, having stated that governments and private industry would need to rethink transportation infrastructure and technology as the global population expands and the existing infrastructure is unable to keep pace. [clarification needed] Ford co-founded the firm with Ralph Booth (Chairman and CEO of Booth American Company and a media and telecom investor), Mark Schulz (former head of Ford Motor Company's international operations), Chris Cheever, and Chris Thomas.[18]. [6][failed verification], Ford serves as Chair of Rockefeller University and serves on the board of trustees of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. [3][19] Ford's health problems and the stress of her husband's career (which saw him frequently away from their household) compounded, particularly after her husband's career became even more demanding after he became House minority leader in January 1965. Ford made campaign appearances and delivered speeches across the United States. [15], Barbara Bush, a later first lady, opined that Ford, after discovering she was dependent on drugs, "transformed her pain into something great for the common good. Phyllis Schlafly accused Ford of acting improperly by intervening in state affairs. Throughout her husband's time in the office of the presidency, she maintained high approval ratings and was considered to be an influential first lady. Saks Fifth Avenue president to wed private equity rainmaker While Aleea passed away before they had a chance to make it happen, Burkman was able to put the $990 raised for the wig towards a college fund for their 2-year-old son. December 29, 2014 | 3:19am. Bill Ford Biography - The Famous People He is from United States. She desired to have a family with children and was unhappy with the frequent moves between cities she had experienced in her marriage. However, not everything Ford did as first lady broke tradition. In 1965, Ford suffered a significant nervous breakdown, erupting in severe crying that had appeared inexplicable to others. The American public ranked Ford as the eighth-greatest among these first ladies. [106] That same year, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to her and her husband. She continued to strongly advocate and lobby politicians and state legislatures for passage of the ERA. Bill joined General Atlantic in 1991 and became CEO in 2007. [3][105] In 1999, she and President Ford were jointly awarded Congressional Gold Medals. "First Ladies and the Cultural Everywoman Ideal: Gender Performance and Representation. He later worked for the Continental Can Company, and after that for the Widdicomb Furniture Company. [46] The poll gauges Americans' most admired men and women without providing respondents any pre-arranged list of names. [54] Her active political role prompted Time to call her the country's "Fighting First Lady" and was the reason they profiled her, among several others, to represent the "American Women" as the magazine's 1975 Person of the Year. [38] In January 1976, Ford made a cameo appearance on the popular television program The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Sometime in the fall of 1881, Jesse James resumed his pursuit of Jim Cummins. In April 1974, she made her first official solo trip as second lady when she spent two-days visiting the states of Georgia and Tennessee to help in publicizing the "ARTRAIN", which was a traveling exhibit of art, visual displays, and performance pieces housed in six railway cars, and which was to travel through small towns across the southern United States. [3], In November 1975, it was reported by the Associated Press that Ford's husband's advisors, who had previously worried her outspoken comments would hurt him in the 1976 presidential election, were now recognizing her popularity and desiring for her to have a greater role in the campaign. [25], Ford dancing with comedian Marty Allen in the Entrance Hall of the White House of the White House during a September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor Liberian President William Tolbert, Ford reviews the table settings while preparing for the September 21, 1976 state dinner in honor of Liberian President William Tolbert, Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs give the media a tour of the tent erected in the South Lawn for the July 1976 state dinner honoring Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain, Ford and Social Secretary Maria Downs inspect centerpiece sculptures designed by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell ahead of an October 1975 state dinner honoring Anwar Sadat, the president of Egypt, The Fords escort Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kjun down the Cross Hall towards the East Room during an October 1975 state dinner honoring the Japanese royals, Ford accompanied her husband abroad on several diplomatic trips. Ford was still married to his second wife Melissa Mathison at the time, though Mathison had filed for legal separation in 2001. ", Gregory Knight, Myra. [47] She placed first in 1975. [75][76] The photo was subsequently published and is regarded as an "iconic" photograph of Ford's time as First Lady. The great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford, Ford joined the board in 1988 and has served as chairman since January 1999. Download size exceeds 350 MB. [4], In 1926, when she was eight years old, her mother, who valued social graces, enrolled her in the Calla Travis Dance Studio in Grand Rapids, where Ford was taught ballet, tap dancing, and modern movement. The Fords' children often also attended the dinners they hosted. Elizabeth Anne Ford (ne Bloomer; formerly Warren;[2] April 8, 1918 July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. It was not until 2016 that a Michigan wine would again be served at a White House state dinner. [81] In September of that year, Ford traveled to Moscow for a television program taping and to serve as hostess for The Nutcracker. [42], Ford ranked as one of the top-10 most admired women in the results of Gallup's annual most admired man and woman poll every year from 1974 (the year her husband first became president) through 1991,[43][44][45] with the exception of Gallup having failed to conduct such a poll in 1976 (the final full year of her husband's presidency). Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. His wife, Aleea, passed away at age 29, within a few weeks of being diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. [3], The heavy campaigning placed a strain on Ford's health. Shortly after they married, he began to sell insurance for another company. Ford announced that half of the vehicle lineup would be available with advanced hybrid-electric powerplant options by 2010, although the Company's earlier pledge to build 250,000 hybrid vehicles a year by 2010 proved to be overly optimistic and had to be abandoned. Photos of this moment were published widely in the American press, resulting in Betty Ford somewhat upstaging President Ford in the press. With the retirement of Ford president and chief operating officer Jim Padilla in April 2006, Bill Ford assumed those roles as well. For other people of the similar name, see, service where it owns vehicles and makes them available to people, "William Clay Ford Jr. | Ford Media Center", "Binational Board of Directors | United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce", "The MIT 150: 150 Ideas, Inventions, and Innovators that Helped Shape Our World", "William Clay Ford Jr, CEO Compensation Forbes.com", "Ford Says Research Inspired New Push for Fuel Economy", Innovation technology ethanol Capable Vehicles, "Bill Ford Warns of 'Global Gridlock' (Video)", "17 powerful people you didn't know were vegan", William Ford Jr.'s campaign contributions, The Fords go into Reverse by John Lippert and Bill Koenig, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Clay_Ford_Jr.&oldid=1132420009, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 20:08. [3], The Fords meet with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in the White House Oval Office in March 1981. In addition to the Ford Escape, Hybrid Escape, Mercury Mariner, and Mazda Tribute, Ford marketed high efficiency crossover SUVs such as the Ford Freestyle, the Volvo XC70 and the Volvo XC90. "Ford and Ford" in Scott Kaufman, ed. The company returned to profitability in 2010. [3] Gerald Ford was confirmed as vice president by the United States Congress on December 6, 1973, and Gerald Ford took the oath of office before a joint session of the United States Congress, placing his hand upon a bible which Betty Ford held. [61], As First Lady, Ford was an advocate of the arts. Burkman said that Bill Ford, who recently celebrated 40 years at Ford, had told . Category: Richest Business. Since 1982 Siena College Research Institute has conducted occasional surveys asking historians to assess American first ladies according to a cumulative score on the independent criteria of their background, value to the country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, integrity, leadership, being their own women, public image, and value to the president. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. John Robert Greene. Bill generally is regarded as the smartest Ford of his . In 1964, a pinched nerve on the left side of Ford's neck sent her to the hospital for two weeks. [36] As first lady, remarking on her honest candor and the sometimes-controversial remarks it resulted in, Ford declared, "I am not very good at making up stories." First Lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, Second Lady of the United States (19731974), First Lady of the United States (19741977), Ranking in Gallup's annual poll of "Most Admired Women", Recovery from alcoholism and prescription drug addiction, Steinhauer, Jennifer (December 31, 2006). Henry Ford III stepping down from job at automaker after 15 years Eleanor Ford and Joseph Cobb, grade-school classmates and the children of two . This set a contrast with First Lady Pat Nixon, who routinely rejected invitations to give formal speeches. [3] Ford remarked, "I agree with the Supreme Courts ruling. The statement also declared, "I expect this treatment and fellowship to be a solution for my problems. Bill Melugin is 31 years of age and was born in the year 1990. On April 1, 1978, her family staged an intervention which forced her to acknowledge the negative impact that her addiction was having on her health and family relationships. After recovering, she founded and served as the first chair of the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center for substance abuse and addiction. [102], In 1987, Ford underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery and recovered without complications. [20][failed verification][6][failed verification], In July 2022, Ford helped found a group of U.S. business and policy leaders who share the goal of constructively engaging with China in order to improve U.S.-China relations. [83][84], Ford had suffered from a dependency on prescription medication and from alcoholism prior even to her husband's presidency. [14], Speaking at conference in November 2000 in London, Ford suggested that the company might one day offer a service where it owns vehicles and makes them available to people when they need access to them. July 14, 2013, 12:12 AM by . Please select less number of photos for download. The march was led by prominent feminist leaders, including Ford, Bella Abzug, Elizabeth Chittick, Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem. [7] Due to conservative backlash from Ford's comments on premarital sex, marijuana use, and abortion in a 1975 60 Minutes interview, President Ford initially quipped to her that her comments had lost him a large number of votes. [36], During her time as first lady, Ford was an outspoken advocate of women's rights and was a prominent force in the Women's Movement of the 1970s. [54], Ford successfully lobbied her husband to, in 1975, sign an executive order to establish the National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year. After this, Betty Ford was transparent with the news media that she had received psychiatric care. Bill Ford | New York Post [85] The fact that Ford had, for years, been given tranquilizers to treat a pinched nerve in her neck, was public knowledge as far back as her time as second lady. Ford was the most prominent national supporter of the project. She worked with children with disabilities at the Mary Free Bed Home for Crippled Children. "[34] Ford was open about the benefits of psychiatric treatment, and spoke understandingly about marijuana use and premarital sex. Edsel Ford retires, Alexandra Ford English, Henry Ford III to join board I asked and it happened and it was awesome. For state dinners held using this tent, the receptions, entertainment, and dancing portions of the evenings were still held inside of the White House. [5] After he recovered, they were divorced on September 22, 1947. In the two and a half years that followed, Burkman, a technical specialist at the Ford Engineering Laboratory, was able to reassemble his life and find a new love, Tiffany. Jacques Nasser had retired from his position as CEO, leaving the great-grandson of Henry Ford, William "Bill" Ford Jr., as president and CEO. [21] Ford became overwhelmed by the media attention she received and became somewhat reclusive for a period early into her time as second lady. TO VIEW CONTACT DETAILS PLEASE They took away my tension and my pain". [101] That same year, Ford received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement. The Tragic Real-Life Story Of Betty Ford - Grunge When she attended the 1992 Republican National Convention, Ford wore an AIDS ribbon pin. She would be given prescription medication, including Valium. 1976, during the presidential transition, Ford and others applaud in the gallery during the 1977 State of the Union Address on January 19, 1977, the Fords final full-day in the White House, The incoming and outgoing first and second couples pose for a photograph at the White House on the day of the inauguration of Jimmy Carter. [3][5][6] While she was still in high school, she started her own dance school, instructing both youth and adults. [87], In 1982, after recovering from her own addictions, Ford established the Betty Ford Center (initially called the Betty Ford Clinic) in Rancho Mirage, California, for the treatment of chemical dependency,[88] including treating the children of alcoholics. He considered the Michigan Theater, but the iconic train station was his ultimate location. Magazines such as Vogue and Ladies Home Journal were planning to publish spreads on Ford in upcoming issues. Following her White House years, she continued to lobby for the ERA and remained active in the feminist movement. Bill Ford: 'Our Family Name Is on the Line Every Day' - New York Times He also serves on the board of BlackRock. Later that day, President Ford was caught momentarily patting Betty's buttocks before the press gathered outside of their Virginia residence. Please select individual photos within album for download. On his mother's side, his grandparents are Harvey S. Firestone Jr. and Elizabeth Parke. Sarah Fox and Calvin Ford: Weddings - The New York Times His answer: Sometimes you have to imagine what hasnt happened yet. [12] Ford felt an obligation to attend her husband's testimony at his confirmation hearings. [3], Before the end of December, Ford played a role in establishing the Republican Women's Federal Forum, partnering with Barbara Bush, whose husband George H. W. Bush was chairman of the Republican National Committee at the time. In November 1977, Ford and First Lady Rosalynn Carter joined together to advocate for its ratification at the National Women's Conference in Houston. [37][33] In January 1976, the editors of the New York News Service wrote that Ford was, "one of the most charming and popular First Ladies ever to occupy the White House". [8][failed verification][9][failed verification][10][failed verification][11][failed verification], He serves on the board of General Atlantic portfolio companies ByteDance and Royalty Pharma, in addition to IHS Markit, a former portfolio company and global provider of independent financial data, tools, and infrastructure. Net Worth in 2021. Net Worth: $2.2 Billion. 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. William E. Ford's income source is mostly from being a successful . Photo by Ellen Denker. [1] He lives in New York City. In his remarks at his inauguration, Gerald Ford remarked, "I am indebted to no man and only one woman, my dear wife, Betty, as I begin this very difficult job. [24] On May 31, 1973, Ford made her first major speech when she gave a commencement address to the graduates of the Westminster Choir College. Select a location. She also organized her own dance group and taught dance at various sites in Grand Rapids, including the Calla Travis Dance Studio. [15] This open affection was evident from the beginning of Gerald Ford's presidency. [19], During a January 1984 address in Michigan to a crowd of individuals who were in the early stages of alcohol and drug dependency treatment, Ford declared that the six years since she began her treatment for alcohol and drug abuse, "have been the best years in my life from the standpoint of feeling healthier and feeling more comfortable with myself". This dinner was part of the American bicentennial celebrations, and was held in tent on the South Lawn of the White House. In the opinion of The New York Times and several presidential historians, "Mrs. Ford's impact on American culture may be far wider and more lasting than that of her husband, who served a mere 896 days, much of it spent trying to restore the dignity of the office of the president. Ford expanded its lineup of flexible-fuel vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and dual-fuel vehicles. |, Bill Ford Makes Employees Marriage Proposal Wish a Reality. Bill Ford:The Man Behind the Trademark | Irish America [7] Ford has personally led a number of successful investments during his tenure as CEO of General Atlantic, including First Republic Bank (2010), IHS Markit (2010), NYMEX Holdings (2006), Priceline (1998), and E*Trade (1995). Jesse James's Assassination and the Ford Boys | HistoryNet

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