Henry Ford II Henry Ford II Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), sometimes known as "HF2" or "Hank the Deuce", was the eldest son of Edsel Ford and eldest grandson of Henry Ford. He was president of the Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1960, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman for several months thereafter. Notably, under the leadership of Henry Ford II, Ford Motor Company became a publicly traded corporation in 1956. From 1943 to 1950, he also served as president of the Ford Foundation. Henry Ford II was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Eleanor Clay
Henry Ford II key financial roles for several decades and helped to establish Ford Finance's reputation as one of the best Finance organizations in the world. As a team, the "whiz kids" are probably best remembered as the design team for the 1949 Ford, which they took from concept to production in nineteen months, and which re-established Ford as a formidable automotive company. It was reported that 100,000 orders for this car were taken the day it was introduced to the market. Henry Ford II was president of Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1960. In 1956, under his leadership, the company became