Ford Motor : Bennie W. Fowler

Bennie W. Fowler Group Vice President, Quality and New Model Launch, Ford Motor Company Bennie Fowler is Group Vice President, Global Quality and New Model Launch, Ford Motor Company, effective March 1, 2010.

He had been Vice President, Global Quality, since April 1, 2006. In his current role, Fowler reports directly to Mark Fields, the company's President and CEO. He has responsibility for driving quality processes and discipline throughout the design and production of Ford vehicles.

He is also responsible for new model launches globally and ensuring alignment with Product Development, Manufacturing, Purchasing, and Marketing. Fowler directly influences the quality of Ford's newest model, current model and future model vehicles.

With more than 30 years experience in the automotive industry, Fowler has held key positions in the heart of the company's business operations and began serving in leadership roles very early in his career. Prior to his quality and launch leadership role, Bennie served as Vice President, Advanced & Manufacturing Engineering, Chief Operating Officer of Jaguar Land Rover, Executive Director, North American Product Development and Director, North American Manufacturing Operations.

He joined Ford as a superintendent at St. Thomas Assembly Plant in 1990 from Chrysler Corp., where he held various manufacturing management assignments. From 1978 through 1986, he worked for General Motors. He is the founder of Powerstroke Athletic Club, an afterschool youth organization based in Southfield, Michigan. Under Fowler's leadership, Powerstroke's mission is to develop positive characteristics and values in youths through hard work, discipline, education and relationships.

Fowler is currently serving as a member of the Board of Overseers for the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program at The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In 2017, he was elected to the Board of Directors at the Celanese Corporation, a global technology and specialty materials company. Fowler served as a member of Beaumont Hospital's Board of Directors for five years (2009 - 2014).

Fowler, a native of Augusta, Ga., holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and an MBA in operations management from Indiana University.