We told you some months ago about how, in the midst of cost-
cutting, laying-off tens of thousands of workers and generally "cutting back", along with hiring a new CEO, Alan Mulally, of Boeing, after Bill Ford admitted he couldn't handle the job --- We told you how Mark Fields, who had worked for FoMoCo in Asia and made Mazda something of a roaring success, becoming a household word in Japan on his way to becoming essentially the Number Two man at Ford worldwide was using the company jet at least once a week to visit his home in Florida, commuting from the office in Dearborn. We told you how stupid, arrogant and ridiculous it was for the Ford Board of Directors to allow this kind of thing when they were giving many of their employees nine weeks to decide whether they would leave their jobs or hope and pray their factories remained open. Well, Fields didn't stop using the jet in spite of a very loud public outcry, and Mulally didn't make him stop. But word out today is that Fields can try cooling his hush-puppies (in First Class, at least) on commercial airliners for awhile, just like Hillary Clinton and the rest of us. A news report said today that Ford was budgeting over $214,000 for Field's use of the company jet for the 4th quarter of 2006 alone. How much did any of you pay for airplane tickets this past quarter? (Photo above - A semi-greasy Mark Fields, feeling good after using company jet. Hey Mark! The wethead is dead! Or maybe word hasn't gotten to Dearborn yet ... Is a mullet next?).
Here's FoMoCo's official bio of Fields:
Mark Fields is executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and president, The Americas, a position he assumed in October 2005. In this role, Fields is responsible for all operations involved in the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America.
Formerly, Fields served as executive vice president, Ford of Europe and Premier Automotive Group (PAG), where he led all activities for Ford's premium vehicle business group, and for Ford-brand vehicles manufactured and sold in European countries. Prior to that, Fields was chairman and chief executive officer of PAG. (Is it just me, or does Fields appear in photos as if he really likes himself...? Well, if I was using the corporate jet without restraint, I'd feel pretty damn good about myself, too ...).
Fields joined Ford Motor Company in 1989. From 2000-2002, he was President and CEO of Mazda Motor Company, leading the company through a period of significant transformation. He previously held a number of positions in both South and North America, including Managing Director of Ford Argentina.
And, here's how AUTOMOTIVE NEWS reported the apparent sudden decision by Fields to fly with the rest of us riff-raff:
Ford Motor Co. executive Mark Fields will stop using the company plane to fly home to Florida on the weekends, the automaker confirmed today.
Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, told employees about the change in an internal Web cast this morning.
“He said he has made a decision to stop using the company aircraft for his personal use,” Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt said. “He doesn’t want this or any other issue to distract the team from its main mission, which is to deliver the Way Forward plan and return our North American business to profitability.”
Starting this weekend, Fields will fly commercial, and the company will cover that cost, Hoyt said.
Fields began commuting from Florida on company jets after being named in September 2005 to lead
Ford’s North American turnaround. The perk was part of his employment contract.
A Ford proxy statement tallied the cost of the perk as $214,479 for three months in 2005. Ford hasn’t reported the 2006 cost, but it would approach an estimated $900,000, using Ford’s 2005 numbers.
The commuting deal has triggered significant backlash in recent weeks.
On Jan. 3, CEO Alan Mulally responded to concerns about the Fields commute in a broadcast to dealers. He told them Ford would continue to honor that commitment to Fields and his family “because you want to acquire the best talent you can around the world, and Mark is one of the very best.”
Mulally noted that he would continue to evaluate the situation.
Ford spokesman Hoyt said today that Fields, not Mulally, made the decision to stop using the company plane for the commute. (Photo above --- Very Light Jet (VLJ) being marketed by Honda to companies in need of private transit; cost is under $5 million, holds 4-7 people, range is about 1,200 miles; Honda has orders for over 100 of them. Perhaps Fields could smooth-talk Ford into buying one of THESE Hondas --- You know, for R&D purposes only).
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