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The Ford Experience Center (FXC) was dedicated to longtime Ford Motor Company Director Edsel B. Ford II
Ford, great-grandson of company founder Henry Ford and son of former Ford Motor Company President and Chairman Henry Ford II, served on the Board of Directors for more than thirty years before retiring in 2021.
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Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford delivered a personal message to Edsel Ford II in a video played during the dedication ceremony
“I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to your service to our company,” said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford in a video played during the ceremony. “Edsel has given so much to Ford Motor Company, and we’re a better company because of him.”
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Ford President and CEO Jim Farley presents Edsel Ford II with a framed photo of the late Ford racing legend John Holman.
During the event, Ford President and CEO Jim Farley acknowledged their shared passion for racing and presented him with a photo with John Holman, who was widely regarded as the “genius” behind Ford race cars for many years. Farley also praised Ford for his commitment to the company’s dealer body.
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The dedication ceremony was attended by dealers from all over the U.S.
“Dealers see lots of management teams come and go. To have that continuity and that bond, that’s everlasting,” he said. “For me, it’s one of the most important reasons why you’re so revered at the company.”
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Edsel Ford II thanked employees for their support throughout the years
“This building represents the future of Ford, focused around collaboration and bringing people together,” he said.
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From left to right: Elena Ford, Alexandra Ford English, Cynthia Ford, Edsel Ford, Henry Ford III and Albert Ford
Ford went on to thank his wife Cynthia and his children - Henry III, Calvin, Stewart and Albert - for their support throughout his career. He also thanked the company for raising more than $75 million over the last 25 years for JDRF, a cause near and dear to his heart; his son Albert suffers from Type I diabetes.
“We are a company made up of people who care deeply about who we are and what we do,” he said. “That is the ultimate success.”
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More than 120 guests were invited to attend the FXC dedication
In addition to Ford’s family and close friends, the FXC dedication was attended by more than 120 invited guests, including Ford senior leaders, those who helped design, renovate and operate the facility and a number of Ford dealers.
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Edsel B. Ford II chats with dealers Bob Tasca III (center) and Paul Sabatini
“The relationship between the Ford family and the dealers is a special one, and Edsel has really, in my opinion, led the way in keeping that relationship strong for many, many years,” said Bob Tasca III, vice president of Tasca Automotive GroupCEO of Tasca Racing.
Ford joined the company as a product analyst in 1974, which led to serving as Ford Credit president and as a Ford Motor Company vice president. He later consulted for the company on dealer relations, customer advocacy and corporate history.
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Regarded as “the Godfather of Ford Racing” for his role as an ambassador for Ford’s motorsports, Ford has a long history of involvement with charitable organizations, including The Henry Ford, The Empowerment Plan and Race Against Dementia. Ford has received the Keith Crain/Automotive News Lifetime Achievement Award and the Carroll Shelby Spirit Award.
When asked following the dedication ceremony if he would like to share a message with employees, Ford said, "The building is named after me because of employees, because of their work, not because of my work," he said. "It's because of all the people that have supported me since I joined the company in 1974. ... This building should be dedicated to them with a little parenthetical underneath it that says Edsel."
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“I’ve been around a long time, and I appreciate every relationship I’ve ever had with our Ford employees,” he said. “This building should be dedicated to them with a little parenthetical underneath it that says ‘Edsel.’”
Ford employees and their teams can reserve space in the building using Ford Onsite. Individual workspaces are also available on a first-come, first-served basis.
With an emphasis on Ford OS and delivering excellence, the FXC, formerly known as Ford Conference and Events Center, has been completely redesigned to support employees in collaborative and individual work settings as we strive to deliver the Ford+ plan. The facility opened in early 2022 after a two-year renovation project.
Located on Village Road in Dearborn across from the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, the Ford Experience Center renovation was designed with Ford’s legacy of racing and performance in mind. The domed ceiling of the building’s main space, the Dream Arena, traces the shape of a tire tread, and is mirrored on the white terrazzo floor beneath. The art collection throughout the facility includes painted hoods of Mustangs and a Mach 1 and is complemented by historic photographs and racing graphics.
“You look across the street at the Henry Ford Museum and the rich history of Ford Motor Company being represented over there, and then you come to this facility where we’re creating the future of Ford every day,” said Jim Dobleske, chairman and CEO, Ford Land.
The many and varied spaces of the 76,000-square-foot building will serve as a template for the nearby central campus building, which is under construction and scheduled to welcome workers in 2025. Workspaces and technologies that employees will engage with in future campus buildings are being piloted at the Ford Experience Center, as well as at other recently renovated spaces like the Rotunda Center and Advanced Engineering Center.
Collaborative spaces include conference and training rooms, classroom-style spaces and boardrooms. Traditional conference tables and seating, as well as high-top tables and seating, are featured throughout. There is phonebooth-style and in-wall niche seating, as well as individual workspaces.
Jennifer Kolstad, Ford global design director, said the team has made adjustments in the design of the spaces to elicit creativity and innovation.
“We’ve redesigned spaces, so they’re meant to be used in a different, more direct way that encourages open dialogue and the principal point of presentation,” Kolstad said. “The spaces are meant to teach a new way of working. The Central Campus Building is going to be very much like this: open and collaborative. This brings teams together in a new way.”
With a hospitality approach to guest service, concierge staff welcome guests at the entrance and offer amenities like coat check or personalized travel assistance for out-of-town guests.
A 1,000-person grand hall, which now features a green room for presenters, also includes a large window that incorporates natural light — an emphasis throughout — into the dividable space. The window looks out onto a terrace that can support vehicle displays, while a 25,000-square-foot makerspace with garage includes a vehicle lift and training area that can be used by various teams. Created with wellness in mind, the Ford Experience Center features a scratch-kitchen restaurant, The Hive, as well as a barista-staffed coffee bar and a 24/7 café serving food and beverages.
The décor, designed to celebrate a multicultural community, features a two-story living wall, and an art collection that celebrates both local and national artists whose work supports diversity, equity and inclusion rotates throughout the building.
“This speaks to our brand in a different way,” said Kolstad.
The building, previously open to the public, is now available exclusively to Ford team members, providing a host of additional options for gathering. The event space is free to Ford teams to reserve. Click here for more information about the Ford Experience Center, including how to reserve space.
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