Wagner To Retire From Ford Motor Credit Company

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 22 -- Ford Motor Company today announced that A.J. Wagner, president of Ford Motor Credit Company North America and a vice president of Ford Motor Company, has elected to retire after 33 years with the company. His retirement is effective January 1, 2007.

Since October 2003, Wagner has led the sales, marketing, credit and brand functions for Ford Motor Credit's business in the United States and Canada, which accounts for 75 percent of the company's receivables. Ford Motor Credit's North American operations provides retail and lease vehicle financing, dealer inventory financing and commercial lending for the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Mazda brands.

"A.J.'s outstanding dealer relations and business skills have made a major contribution to our credit organization in North America," said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. "He is an excellent sales leader who has used his considerable energy to support our product sales and our profitable financial operations. He also has been a strong advocate for our dealers and for the value that Ford Motor Company provides to them."

Wagner joined the company in 1973 and held numerous positions throughout the Ford Motor Credit organization in leasing, marketing, dealer credit, operations services, field operations and strategic planning. He was executive vice president of Ford Credit North America handling the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands. He served as senior vice president of Western U.S. Operations, vice president of Major Accounts and vice president of Marketing. Wagner was also Field Operations manager and regional manager at Ford Motor Company's Ford Division.

Wagner served on three company boards: Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Credit Canada, of which he was chairman, and Ford Direct, LLC.

Wagner holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin and a master's degree in business administration and finance from the University of Detroit.

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive- related services include Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.fordvehicles.com/ .

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