LETTER FROM ALAN MULALLY To Ford Employees December 2, 2008
Alan Mulally Note to Ford Employees December 2, 2008
This morning, we are submitting our business plan to the U.S. Congress as part of our ongoing discussion regarding bridge loans for the U.S. automakers. It is important to know that what we are sharing is the same ONE Ford transformation plan that we have been implementing and that we will continue to accelerate. I will be discussing our plan today with members of the news media and key influential national leaders. We also are issuing a press release, and both our submission and release are attached below. As we have seen in recent weeks, the conversation about the auto industry in the U.S. affects the entire Ford team and our business globally. The important message we are conveying is that Ford has a different story to tell than our domestic competitors. We already are working to make changes to transform our business, and we are seeing solid progress. We do not anticipate a liquidity crisis in 2009, and we are seeking access to the bridge loan only as a safeguard against further deteriorating economic conditions or the bankruptcy of one of our competitors, which would affect us dramatically. Clearly, we have more work to do, and the external environment is not getting any easier. But we will continue to take fast and decisive action implementing our plan and responding to our challenges. Today’s environment requires shared sacrifice. Toward that, I pledged today that, if we need to access the bridge loan, I will work for a salary of $1 a year – as a clear sign of my confidence in our transformation plan and our future. Today’s filing and the hearings this week in Washington will generate more discussion about Ford and our plan. To help tell our story, a new website thefordstory.com is launching today. It is full of information about Ford and its importance to the U.S. economy. I encourage you to get involved in these discussions and share it with anyone you think might benefit from understanding more about our plan to create a viable and profitably growing Ford for the future. One Team. One Plan. One Goal. ONE Ford. Alan