Jayhawk in the driver's seat as Ford CEO

Alan Mulally, e'68, g'69, last month became the new chief executive officer of Ford Motor Co. Mulally, 61, most recently served as executive vice president of Boeing Co. The Lawrence native is the second KU graduate to lead one of the nation's top three automakers and joins Robert J. Eaton, e'63, Chrysler Corp. Chairman Emeritus and retired DaimlerChrysler AG Chairman, as a top auto industry executive.
 
"Alan Mulally has soared to the top of both the aviation and now automotive industries," Chancellor Robert E. Hemenway said. "Some may see Kansas roots and a KU degree as humble beginnings, but actually they are just the solid foundation needed for a remarkably successful career in two of the most innovative and competitive industries in the world. We are proud Alan Mulally is a Jayhawk."

Mulally comes to a company in transition, and along with executive chairman Bill Ford, he recently announced the "Way Forward" plan to turnaround Ford's North American operations.

His professional history includes 37 years at Boeing Co., where he also served as president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes since 2001. Mulally is co-chair of the Washington Competitiveness Council and serves as an adviser to NASA, the University of Washington, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of England's Royal Academy of Engineering.

At KU, Mulally is a longtime member of the School of Engineering advisory board. He has received several honors, including the Distinguished Engineering Service Award and the University's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Citation.

After earning his bachelor's and master's degrees, he earned a master's in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a 1982 Alfred P. Sloan fellow.