Benson Ford

Benson Ford
Born(1919-07-20)July 20, 1919
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedJuly 27, 1978(1978-07-27) (aged 59)
Cheboygan, Michigan, U.S.
EducationPrinceton University (did not graduate)
OccupationAutomobile executive
Title
  • Vice-President of Ford Motor Company
  • CEO of Lincoln-Mercury Division (1948–1956)
  • Director of Lincoln-Mercury Dealer Policy Board (1956–1978)
  • Chairman of the Board, Edison Institute
  • Chairman of the Board, Henry Ford Hospital
  • Co-Chairman, National Conference of Christians and Jews
Spouse
  • Edith McNaughton
    ​
    (m. 1941)​
Children2
Parents

Benson Ford Sr. (July 20, 1919 – July 27, 1978), originally named Edsel Ford Jr, was an American businessman in the automotive industry, a vice-president of Ford Motor Company, and national co-chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Benson Ford remains famous for: being the first prominent person in the Ford family to actively preach religious harmony between faiths through his NCCJ co-chairmanship (in direct contrast to his grandfather Henry Ford); through the internationally famous Benson Ford Research Center in Dearborn, Michigan, which bears his name; and the now historic 1924 Great Lakes freighter Benson Ford Ship named after him, now known as the Benson Ford Shiphouse, in Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Benson was also noteworthy as being the one member of the Ford family most closely associated with Lincoln-Mercury, rather than Ford, where under Benson's guidance the experimental Lincoln Futura car was developed. The Futura later became the most famous and recognizable car in the world for several years, television's Batmobile driven by Batman actor Adam West.

In addition to being a vice-president of the Ford Motor Company and Lincoln-Mercury director, Benson was chairman of the Board of the Edison Institute, chairman of the Board of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was the prominent key national co-chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, an organization espousing religious tolerance which evolved into one of the most important religious tolerance organizations in the United States today.[1] Benson was a son of Edsel Ford I, and the grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford I.[2] He was a vice-president of the Ford Motor Company, chief director of the Lincoln-Mercury division 1948 to 1956, and director of the Lincoln-Mercury (Fomoco) Dealer Policy Board from 1956 to 1978.[3] He also served on the Ford Motor Company Board of Directors. Benson Ford was president of the Ford Motor Company Fund, a non-profit that makes substantial contributions to charitable activities, from 1961 until his death.[4]

  1. ^ "Benson Ford Takes Interfaith Office". The New York Times. October 5, 1951.
  2. ^ "Henry Ford Biography: Ford Motor Company Founder". Corporate.ford.com. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  3. ^ "Benson Ford, 59, Dies". The New York Times. July 28, 1978.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).