Jim Vella is the President of Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. In this role, he leads all philanthropic and community service-related activities, including coordination of volunteer efforts by Ford employees and all activities of Ford Motor Company Fund, a separate philanthropic organization funded by Ford Motor Company. To say he’s involved with community efforts is an understatement, serving as a member of the board for a dozen community-focused organizations.

You can join the chat with Jim here on December 11, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. EST to hear what he’s working on now and ask him questions about Ford’s philanthropic efforts.

Ford Fund’s primary focus is education, and it also supports organizations and innovative programs that promote automotive safety education and assist communities with a variety of needs.

Jim was named to his current position Dec. 1, 2006.  Prior to this assignment, he served as Visiting University Professor at the University of Michigan Dearborn, a position he assumed in December 2005.  In June 2004, Vella became Ford Motor Company’s chief of staff, after serving as vice president, Public Affairs and chief of staff since April 2003.

Jim was appointed vice president, Public Affairs in August 2002 after having been elected a vice president of Ford Motor Company and named vice president, Corporate Public Affairs in November 2001.  Prior to that, he had been executive director, Corporate Communications, since June 2000.

Jim joined Ford in 1988 as a producer for the Ford Communications Network coordinating internal television programs.  He held a series of Public Affairs positions, including broadcast news manager, regional news manager for the Northeast region, director of Public Affairs for Ford’s global manufacturing operations and director of Public Affairs global operations.

Before joining Ford, Jim worked in television news at local affiliate stations for 14 years.  His television career included news management assignments at WJBK-TV in Detroit, KNSD-TV (formerly KCST-TV) in San Diego, and WBNS-TV in Columbus, Ohio.

He is a native of Detroit, Mich., and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Detroit-Mercy.

Jim serves on a number of Boards, including:

• Chairman of Ford Motor Company Fund Board of Trustees
• Board of Trustees, America’s Promise
• National Museum of American History, Smithsonian
• Hispanic Association of Corporate Responsibility (HACR)
• Executive Committee, United Way for Southeastern Michigan
• Executive committee, New Detroit
• Executive Committee, Detroit Renaissance
• Board of Advisors, The Ad Council
• Board of Advisors, the Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute
• Dean’s Advisory Council, University of Michigan Dearborn
• Corporate Advisory Board, University Musical Society
• National Steering Committee, We The People (an IMAX education program that explores American democracy using the lessons of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights)

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