Tony Brown, group vice president, global purchasing, Ford Motor Company, along with the Ford purchasing leadership team will participate in a panel discussion at the OESA Ford Town Hall meeting on Dec. 13, 2011, at the Dearborn Inn, Dearborn, Mich.  This members-only town hall offers a unique opportunity to participate in an open question and answer session and meet with Ford purchasing executives informally before and after the meeting.  This meeting is open to OESA regular and affiliate members only.

The Ford purchasing staff and its supply base have been challenged this year with supply chain disruptions from the Japan earthquake, significant material cost increases, rising global production and numerous product launches.  Attendees will hear Brown’s assessment of 2011 and his general outlook for 2012.  Following his remarks, there will be a 60-minute session for attendees to ask questions and comment on Ford’s procurement initiatives.  Joining Brown for the question and answer session will be:

• Birgit Behrendt, Executive Director, Global Programs and The Americas Purchasing
• Burt Jordan, Executive Director, Global Vehicle and Powertrain Purchasing
• Dave Velliky, Executive Director, Global Supplier Technical Assistance
• Jeff Wellman, Executive Director, Facilities Materials and Services Purchasing, Business Strategy and Global Purchasing Information Management Systems

More than 300 executives attended the 2010 OESA Ford Town Hall.  The ability to access senior purchasing executives, hear Ford’s purchasing direction and communicate major issues affecting the entire value chain are key value propositions of the town hall.  As one of the 2010 meeting supplier participants noted, “Ford is an important player in the market.  Their way of sharing information and rolling out their strategy is very helpful for suppliers and at the end, reduces cost and effort.”  These forums are an important form of two-way communication to assist customer-supplier relations.

Ford has invited additional purchasing executives to attend the session and be available before and after the town hall. Registration and networking begins at 2 p.m. with Ford purchasing executives available during this time.  The town hall program runs from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes prepared remarks by Brown with a majority of the time allocated for the question and answer session.  With all the purchasing areas represented, Ford is supporting this meeting to assure supplier questions are answered.

OESA members may register in the events section of http://www.oesa.org. For registration assistance, contact Felece Hickman at 248.952.6401 ext. 237 or fhickman@oesa.org.  For program information, contact Dave Andrea at 248.952.6401 ext. 228 or dandrea@oesa.org.