KU alumnus named Person of the Year
Aviation Week named KU alumnus Alan Mulally, e'68, g'69, its 2006 Person of the Year in the Jan. 1 edition.
Mulally's move this year from the airline industry and his position as CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes to Ford Motor Co.'s top position did not dissuade magazine editors from honoring the man they say reshaped aircraft engineering.
They lauded Mulally for his uncommon ability to lead, relentless planning, and willingness to share responsibility and credit with those around him. "Mulally made Boeing's vision a global enterprise and, in the process, has set standards for industrial relations in the aviation industry that are widely admired," the article said.
Mulally's success has also led to good things for his home state of Kansas, according to Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, associate professor of aerospace engineering.
As the single largest manufacturing employer in Kansas, the aerospace industry is pivotal to the economic health of Kansas, said Barrett-Gonzalez, who served with Mulally on the KU Aerospace Industrial Advisory Board. Mulally is the principal corporate leader responsible for the highly successful Boeing 777 aircraft and one of the chief architects of the 787.
"He has continually shown leadership in developing ultra-efficient, highly profitable commercial aircraft," Barrett-Gonzalez said. "These new aircraft not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions per passenger seat-mile, but also allow operators and customers to save money while doing so."
Boeing has concentrated on this sector of the market under Mulally's leadership, and the airline giant now outpaces new Airbus orders nearly 3 to 1. Many of Kansas' 40,000 aerospace industry jobs, from Wichita to Overland Park, are devoted to producing and supporting these aircraft.
His master's adviser at KU, former department chair and distinguished professor emeritus Jan Roskam, said his former pupil's success comes as no surprise to him.
"He always got people to work hard for him. He was just born with that ability. He was a natural leader," said Roskam.
It was that ability to lead and motivate that prompted Ford Motor Co. Chairman Bill Ford to ask Mulally to join him in the effort to turn things around at the struggling auto company. Mulally officially became CEO of Ford in September. In his latest move, he announced the company will bring back the Taurus, a car purchased by 7 million buyers during its 21 years of existence.
Mulally, who has not forgotten his Lawrence roots, will return to his hometown March 17 to appear as grand marshal in the St. Patrick's Day parade. It is his first visit to Lawrence since taking on the job at Ford Motor Companies. Reports say he plans to drive a Ford down the parade route with his mother by his side.
