Ford Motor Company CEO to speak at KU


Alan Mulally

Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Ford Motor Company, will give the 2007 Anderson Chandler Lecture, sponsored by the KU School of Business, in conjunction with the Distinguished Engineering Lectureship, sponsored by the KU School of Engineering.

Mulally's lecture, titled "Working Together," will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, April 16, at the Lied Center. The lecture is free to the public, but tickets are required and available at the Lied Center.

Mulally, an alumnus of the University of Kansas, joined Ford Motor Company in 2006 after a lengthy and distinguished career at The Boeing Company. In his previous post, Mulally served as executive vice president for Boeing and president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In that capacity he managed the company's commercial airplane programs and related services.

He had been president of Boeing Information, Space & Defense Systems and senior vice president of The Boeing Company since 1997, responsible for defense, space and government business.

In 1994 Mulally served as senior vice president of Airplane Development for Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group. He was accountable for all airplane development activities, flight test operations, certification, and was a government technical liaison. Prior to that, Mulally was vice president of engineering and vice president and general manager of the 777 program. Mulally joined Boeing in 1969.

Mulally earned bachelor and master of science degrees in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the University of Kansas. He also holds a master's in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1994, he received the Distinguished Engineering Service Award from the School of Engineering. He received the university's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Citation, in 2002. He contributes to several advisory boards including the School of Engineering Advisory Board and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Chandler Lecture Series began in 1997 and is made possible by Anderson Chandler. Chandler is CEO, president and director of Fidelity State Bank and Trust Co. of Topeka and vice president and director of First Bank of Newton.

Anderson Chandler is a member of the KU School of Business Deans Club and serves on the School's Board of Advisors. He has served as chairman of the KU Greater University Fund, the KU Memorial Corporation and the KU Endowment Association Audit Committee. Chandler established the Anderson W. Chandler Teaching Professorship in Business to recognize and encourage excellence in classroom teaching. He is also a member of the Chancellor's Club, KU's major donor organization.