DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. said Monday that Mark LaNeve, vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service since 2015, is leaving the company effective immediately to pursue the "next chapter of his professional life."
He will be replaced by Andrew Frick, who becomes vice president, sales, U.S. and Canada, effective Monday. Frick, a 25-year company veteran, previously served as the manager of marketing, sales and service for the Lincoln brand, as well as in marketing and sales director roles for Ford Motor.
Ford said Frick, 47, will oversee sales, customer care and dealer relations for the Ford brand in both Canada and the U.S. He will report to Kumar Galhotra, president, Ford Americas and International Markets Group.
"Andrew brings deep product knowledge, a passion for customers, excellent dealer relations and a proven track record of results to the critical role of leading the sales organization in our largest market," Galhotra said in a statement.
"His leadership will be critical as Ford continues to turn around its automotive operations, especially with exciting new products and ever-improving quality, modernizing all aspects of the company and disrupting our conventional automotive businesses to better serve customers."
A Ford Canada spokeswoman said the announcement “is not a change in management structure.”
“We moved to a matrixed reporting structure for Canada sales during the global restructuring in the spring of 2019,” Lauren More told Automotive News Canada in an email.
She said Ford Canada CEO Dean Stoneley and Frick both report to Galhotra.
FORD AND GM ROLES
LaNeve, 61, is one of the few auto industry executives to serve in high-level executive positions at both Ford and Detroit rival General Motors. He leaves Ford after a nearly six-year tenure where he forged a close bond with many of Ford's retailers.
Prior to his role at Ford, he served as COO of the company's marketing and ad agency, Global Team Blue. He's previously served as CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, general manager of Cadillac and vice president of sales, service and marketing at GM. LaNeve also served as chief marketing officer at Allstate Corp. from 2009-2012, where he helped create the insurer's "Mayhem" ad campaign.
"Mark LaNeve has been a tireless advocate for customers and dealers and helped lead Ford over the last six years, to improved dealer relations and record sales of F-Series pickups, while improving the retail experience," Galhotra said. "In this extraordinary year, Mark and his team did a great job of safeguarding dealers and customers as well as increasing market share. He leaves a strong foundation from which to build on and take the Ford brand to new levels for customers and dealers."
