1987 College graduate Jon Huntsman Jr. was re-elected to the Ford Motor Co.’s board of directors to provide international business expertise as a former diplomat.
Huntsman graduated from Penn in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in international politics. He was elected to two terms as governor of Utah, serving from 2005 to 2009, and has served as a United States ambassador to Singapore, Russia, and China.
Huntsman was a member of the Univerisity’s Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2000 and his family has been a prolific donor to Penn. In 2010, Huntsman spoke at Penn's 254th Commencement. The University named the Hunstman Program in International Studies and Business and Jon M. Huntsman Hall after his father, Jon Huntsman Sr.
Huntsman was originally elected to the Ford Motor Co.’s board in 2012 after serving as the United States Ambassador to China. He then departed in 2017 to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Russia.
"[Huntsman’s] career and accomplishments in global policy and trade are incomparable," Executive Charmain Bill Ford told The Detroit News.
Huntsman serves on the Nominating and Governance, Compensation, and Sustainability and Innovation committees, increasing the total number of board directors to 14. Automative industry experts say Huntsman has extensive knowledge in trade, international policy, and politics that he can bring to the board, The Detroit News reported.
“Jon Huntsman is exactly the right guy at the right time for Ford. He knows China, he knows business and he is highly respected on both sides of the Pacific," Michael Dunne, CEO of Hong Kong-based advisory firm ZoZo Go LLC told The Detroit News.
Dunne told The Detroit News that Ford is currently constructing a comeback in China in which Huntsman could play a pivotal role.
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