Event Date: April 27, 2026, 11:30am – 1:30pm
Event Location: International Ballroom, JW Marriott

Registration is open to members and their guests. To ensure space for all members, each member may only register up to two guests.

About Bill Ford

Executive Chair, Ford Motor Company

As executive chair of Ford Motor Company, Bill Ford is leading the company that put the world on wheels 123 years ago. He joined the board of directors in 1988 and has been Ford’s chair since 1999.

After joining the company in 1979 as a product planning analyst, Ford held a variety of positions in manufacturing, sales, marketing, product development and finance. In addition to his duties as chair, he served as chief executive officer of the company from 2001 to 2006, when he was named executive chair.

Under Bill Ford’s leadership, Ford Motor Company has advanced groundbreaking sustainability initiatives, accelerated efforts to be the most trusted provider of vehicle and mobility services and taken aggressive steps to improve the efficiency and focus of its traditional automotive business.

He was the visionary driving force behind Michigan Central Station which re-opened in 2024. It is now the anchor of a vibrant new campus where Ford and its partners are working on solving challenges at the intersection of mobility and society.

Ford holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University and a Master of Science degree in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

a schedule that has him circling the globe, Franco finds time to contribute his talents to his West Michigan community. Boards he has served on include: Business + Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Associations, Lacks Industries, Talent 2025, The Economic Club of Grand Rapids, and Davenport University. He is also a proud supporter of Opera Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Art Museum and ArtPrize. Franco and his wife, Alessandra, have two sons and enjoy being involved in the arts and spending time outdoors.

About Alexandra Ford English

Member, Board of Directors, Ford Motor Company

Alexandra Ford English has served on the Board of Directors at Ford Motor Company since May 2021. Before joining the Board, English worked in various roles at Ford, focusing on strategy, mobility, and brand development. Most recently, she served as the global brand merchandising director, where she worked to grow Ford’s lifestyle merchandise by leveraging the company’s brand heritage, iconic vehicles, and motorsports legacy. Previously, she served as a director in corporate strategy, focusing on enterprise-wide initiatives in connectivity, software and digital networks.

Earlier in her career, English was the director of markets and operations for Ford’s Autonomous Vehicle LLC, overseeing the deployment and operation of Ford’s autonomous vehicle services in Miami, Austin, and Washington, D.C. Her work focused on cutting-edge transportation technologies and innovative business models to enhance Ford’s products and improve customer experiences.

Before joining Ford, English worked in retail, managing profit and loss operations at Gap Inc. in San Francisco and Tory Burch in New York, developing expertise in delivering customer-focused products.

English was a member of the Board of Directors of Rivian before stepping down in anticipation of her election to the Ford Motor Company Board.

English holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 2024, she was recognized as one of Crain’s 40 Under 40. English’s philanthropic focus centers on Dearborn and Detroit, with involvement and support of the Michigan Central Station Children’s Endowment Campaign, The Henry Ford Museum’s Carver-Carson Society, Impact100, United Way, and the Children’s Center.