SAE Foundation to Honor Edsel B. Ford II

25th Anniversary Celebration Slated for May

WARRENDALE, Pa., March 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The SAE Foundation will honor Edsel B. Ford II with its "Industry Leadership Award" at a celebration on May 16 at Ford Field in Detroit. The celebration will also mark the SAE's Foundation's 25th Anniversary.

"Leaders such as Mr. Ford are a key element of our efforts to attract, educate, and retain engineers," said Matt Miller, director of the SAE Foundation. "Our programs are among the most effective in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, and we are honored to include Mr. Ford among our leaders and supporters. Our 25th Anniversary Celebration promises to be a great evening for the industry."

Mr. Ford is a member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and also is a consultant to Ford, active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations. Ford also is a Board member of the International Speedway Corporation and the former Chairman of the Detroit Branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank. Ford is very active in several charitable, philanthropic, and community organizations. He is the former Chairman of the National Advisory Board of The Salvation Army, Chairman of the Detroit 300 Conservancy and a board member of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and the Skillman Foundation. (For a complete biography of Mr. Ford, see below.)

The 25th Anniversary Celebration – "The Future STEMs from You!" – will bring together companies, volunteers, teachers, and students who participate in and benefit from SAE's programs: A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. In addition to the Industry Leadership Award, the Foundation will also present its annual Stefan Pischinger Young Industry Leadership Award in recognition of young men and women with significant accomplishments in their careers and potential for leadership growth in the industry. Two recipients will be named at the dinner, and nominations are currently being sought. Nominees must be under 35 years of age. The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2012. For more information or to complete a nomination form, visit www.sae.org/news/awards/list/youngmfg/.

The 25th Anniversary Celebration will also recognize its major donors and supporters as well as the teacher and volunteer of the year. The evening will include VIP and sponsor receptions and attendees will be able to meet with students who participate in SAE International's award-winning STEM education programs. To become a sponsor or supporter, or for more information on the SAE Foundation 25th Anniversary Celebration, visit http://www.saefoundation.org/banquet or contact Renee Hayes (724) 772-8508 or [email protected]. Interested media should contact Shawn Andreassi (724) 772-8522 or [email protected].

About the SAE Foundation
The SAE Foundation is the charitable arm of SAE International that strives to encourage and increase student participation and achievement in science, technology, engineering and math through educational programs, including A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. SAE International is a global association of more than 134,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries. SAE International's core competencies are life-long learning and voluntary consensus standards development.

Biography of Edsel B. Ford II

Title: Member of the Board of Directors, Ford Motor Company

Edsel B. Ford II is a member of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company. He was elected to the Board in 1988. As a consultant to Ford, Mr. Ford is active in company affairs and corporate dealer relations.

Mr. Ford began his career at Ford Motor Company in January 1974. He was named president and chief operating officer of Ford Motor Credit Company in May 1991 and elected a company vice president on December 9, 1993.

Mr. Ford is the owner and chairman of Pentastar Aviation, an aviation services provider headquartered at the Oakland County International Airport in suburban Detroit. He is also the majority owner and chairman of Marketing Associates, a Detroit based marketing services organization. He is a Board Director of the International Speedway Corporation and also the former Chairman of the Detroit Branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.

Mr. Ford is very active in several charitable organizations and is the former chairman of the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. He is a Trustee of both The Skillman Foundation and The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. In November of 2010, Mr. Ford was awarded with the inaugural Placemaker Award by the Urban Land Institute for his dedication and role in the development of Campus Martius Park and the revitalization of Detroit.

Born on December 27, 1948, in Detroit, Mr. Ford received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Babson College in 1973 and completed the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School in 1981.

Mr. Ford is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company. His grandfather is Edsel B. Ford, company president from 1919 to 1943. His late father, Henry Ford II, was president of the company from 1945 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1980.

Mr. Ford is married to the former Cynthia Layne Neskow, and they have four sons. The family lives in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.

- www.saefoundation.org -

Inquiries: Shawn Andreassi (724) 772-8522 or [email protected] – MEDIA
Renee Hayes (724) 772-8508 or [email protected] – SALES

SOURCE SAE International