A band of satin encircled the waist, accented in back with white satin bow and circular train. Lions brass scuttle rumor of sale to Amazon chief, LB Barrett's 2-year-old daughter drowns in pool, Deion 'ashamed' after only 1 HBCU player drafted, Sources: NFL eyes May 11 to release schedule, Teams set NFL record with 43 trades during draft, Jets coach Saleh: Rodgers making 'presence felt', Cowboys scout emotional as team drafts his son, Rams use 'Mr. Martha Ford took over ownership of the Detroit Lions in 2014 following the death of her . Mr. Morse is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Granville A. Morse of Palm Beach, Fla. Miss Ford, who has been teaching in New York, attended the UniversityLiggett School in Grosse Pointe, and graduated in 1966 from Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Conn., and with the class of '70 from Vassar College. Her husband was the sole owner of the Lions since he bought out all other owners in the year 1963. His father is privately engaged in real estate investment. Dont get it twisted, this was already Sheilas team. Her smart decisions have given me a solid foundation to take the team forward.. Ford Hamp's role within the organization rapidly expanded following the passing of her father, William Clay Ford in 2014. Upon Mr. Ford's passing in 2014, the Lions remained in the family and Mrs. Ford assumed majority ownership. Mr. Morse is an alumnus of Georgetown University, class of '69, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Business, class of '71. Mrs. Ford succeeded her husband, William Clay Ford, who passed away on March 9, 2014, after serving as the sole owner of the franchise for 50 seasons (1964-2013). 04 76 70 39 00. International: +33 4 76 70 39 00. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. She was the Ford child who was the consistent face around the club., Make no mistake, Sheila Ford Hamps been groomed for this for some time. Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia are safe, and the organizational commitment to them remains unchanged under Sheila. Anyone can read what you share. My mother has inspired all of us since taking on leadership of the Lions over six years ago, Ford Hamp said. [7], Ford first met her husband, William Clay Ford, a grandson of Henry Ford, at a lunch in New York arranged and attended by both of their mothers, according to the biography The Fords. The former is chair man of the Ford Motor Com pany. Martha Ford has been in attendance at almost every game, at home and on the road, since taking over ownership of the franchise -- often with other family members, including Ford Hamp. Born in Akron, Ohio, Mrs. Ford is the granddaughter of one of America's great automotive industrial icons, Harvey Firestone. The bride, who has been teaching in New York, was graduated from the Univer sityLiggett School in Grosse Pointe, Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Conn., and with the class of '70 from Vassar College. Watch as Good Morning America and Michael Strahan preview 'A Lifetime of Sundays' featuring Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford. Firestone Ford, 94, steps down after six years as the teams owner, a role she took over following Clay Fords death. On Tuesday, the team announced Martha Firestone Ford would be stepping down from her principal leadership role and handing the reins to her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp. Dont expect sweeping changes for Lions under Sheila Ford Hamp, Detroit Lions players react to trade of DAndre Swift. Marthas son William Clay Ford, Jr. has followed in the footsteps of his father. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. 1957), and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis (b. Martha Parke Firestone Ford (born September 16, 1925) is an American businesswoman and former principal owner and chairperson of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). See the article in its original context from. She has been a tireless leader of our family, our team and our community. "Shes been a wonderful leader of this team, a role model for me, as well as a terrific teacher and mentor," Ford Hamp said. Detroit After she already had made a written statement about President Donald Trump's denouncing of athletes making political stances, Detroit Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford made a. "We've been approached about interest in buying the team, but there's been no serious discussions," Wood said. Her four children, Sheila Ford Hamp, William Clay Ford Jr., Martha Ford Morse and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis, are all vice chairs of the team and make up the club's board of directors. I am gratified that this family tradition, which my husband and I began almost six decades ago, will continue under Sheilas guiding hand. With the support of our players, who over the years have demonstrated a longstanding devotion to serving this community in which they live and work, we have successfully established the foundation of what we expect to be a multi-year platform in Detroit. Mr. and Mrs. Morse will live in New York. Martha Ford has 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Shes held power for some time too, including playing a key role in the decision to bring back Quinn and Patricia this season. Hamp Ford said while the buck now stops with her, organizational decisions of that magnitude will continue to be collectively made by the family, including her three siblings. Watch as GM Bob Quinn, head coach Matt Patricia, and Owner Martha Firestone Ford call first-round draft pick T.J. Hockenson. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Going forward, she's putting an emphasis on gaining a more intimate understanding of the organization's inner working. Jr, and Vice Chairman Elizabeth Ford Kontulis - in the organizational leadership of the franchise. The others are: Virginia Halas McCaskey, 91, owner of the Chicago Bears since 1983, when her father, George, died. Martha Ford is second from right, next to Bill Ford. She was linking her arms with her daughters. 4. But in this case, dont expect too many changes for the Lions at least right away. Martha Ford is among a small group of female NFL team owners. Their mothers arranged their first meeting and they accompanied them as well. The couple relocated to the Detroit area in 1952 and became active members of the Metro Detroit community. After getting married in 1947, Mr. and Mrs. Ford moved to New Haven, Conn., where Mr. Ford attended Yale. He sits on several of the NFLs most powerful committees and acted as the day-to-day chief executive of the team in his fathers place. Henry Ford the founder of Ford Motor Company has a net worth of $200 billion. Is it another me-too SUV or will it compete in an increasingly crowded market? Heres what it means for shareholders. "She is totally fine and healthy," Ford Hamp said. As someone with no football experience, many believed he had no business being part of the Lions organization. Let me explain. "At this point, I cant really say what those specific measures are going to be, because I dont know what the season is going to be like yet, but believe me, major improvement is a goal.". At that time, she was a student of Vassar. Following six seasons (2014-19) as the Detroit Lions Owner and Chair, Martha Firestone Ford now serves as Owner/Chair Emeritus and supports her four children - Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp, Owner/Vice Chair Martha Ford Morse, Owner/Vice Chair William Clay Ford Jr., and Owner/Vice Chair Elizabeth Ford Kontulis - in the organizational Irrelevant' pick on Toledo's Johnson, Chargers go all-in on TCU with Duggan pick in 7th, NFL Nation sizes up all 259 draft selections. The, bride wore a white silk organza dress with a high rolled collar of white satin and short puffed sleeves edged with satin. Multiple structures that are part of a resort and yacht club were ablaze on Harsens Island, a small communityin St. Clair County. Last winter, Ford Hamp joined her mother andWood in a meeting with a small group of local reporters to announce head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn would be returning for the 2020 season after the team had fallen well short of expectations in 2019. The Memo is Forbes global weekly newsletter curating the latest in future trends, entrepreneurship and sustainability. "Been a huge fan and supporter of the Lions my entire life. One specific example she noted was the football analytics department. She is the daughter of Harvey S. Firestone, Jr. and Elizabeth Parke Firestone. They were joined by owner Martha on the field for the protest. Martha Parke Firestone Ford (born September 16, 1925) is an American businesswoman and former principal owner and chairperson of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Following six seasons (2014-19) as the Detroit Lions Owner and Chair, Martha Firestone Ford now serves as Owner/Chair Emeritus and supports her four children Principal Owner and Chair Sheila Ford Hamp, Owner/Vice Chair Martha Ford Morse, Owner/Vice Chair William Clay Ford Jr., and Owner/Vice Chair Elizabeth Ford Kontulis in the organizational leadership of the franchise. What Detroit Lions GM Brad Holmes said about each 2023 draft pick. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. But a tragedy occurred when William expired on 9th March 2014 at the age of 88 after 67 years of togetherness with his wife. At present, she is the majority owner of the team. A change in ownership has the potential to turn a franchise around on a dime. Her husband had an estimated net worth of $1.2 million. [6], She stepped down as Lions' owner on June 23, 2020 to be succeeded by her daughter Sheila Ford Hamp. But his status with the team may be even more solid than that of Quinn and Patricia. Likewise, Martha has 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Negative and disrespectful comments suggesting otherwise are contrary to the founding principles of our country, and we do not support those comments or opinions.. The couple received gifts from F.B.I. Martha Parke Morse is the eldest daughter of an American businesspersons couple, Martha Firestone Ford and William Clay Ford Sr. Apart from Martha Parke Morse her parents had three more kids and their names are Sheila Firestone Hamp, William Clay Ford, Jr., Elizabeth Ford Kontulis. A change in ownership could mean a complete change in philosophy or an immediate change in administrative personnel. On 21st June 1947, they got married. firing longtime team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew, locking arms with the team during the anthem that week, Like father, like son: Lions scout PatrickMularkey puts family before football. The film debuted at the NFL Annual Meeting before airing on ESPN to a national audience. She has lived in Grosse Pointe Shores since 1960, when she and William had a house built on Lake St. Clair. The Detroit Lions changed ownership somewhat suddenly on Tuesday morning, announcing that Martha Firestone Ford was stepping down and handing over the organization to her daughter, Sheila Ford Hamp. After the death of her husband of Martha, it was announced that the controlling interest in the Lions would pass to her. The others are Virginia Halas McCaskey (Chicago Bears), Kim Pegula (Buffalo Bills), Carol Davis (Las Vegas Raiders), Dee Haslam (Cleveland Browns), Amy Adams Strunk (Tennessee Titans), Gayle Benson (New Orleans Saints), Janice McNair (Houston Texans), Denise DeBartolo York (San Francisco 49ers) and Jody Allen (Seattle Seahawks). Miss Sheila Firestone Ford was maid of honor for her sister and Miss Elizabeth Ford, her other sister, was the bridesmaid. You have done your part. Donald Trumps real net worth? He became team president in 1961. She is a white, non hispanic female registered to vote in Martin County, Florida. We kind of thought this would be a good time because theres no football right now. Heres just a sampling of quotes from beat writers close to the situation. Your destination for buying luxury property in Seyssins, Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes, France. "I know theyre excellent, but I kind of want to get briefed on what they do. Now this isnt to say that shell be the exact same owner as her mother was. [3] By that time both families had acquired considerable wealth, and the matchup between the grandchildren of two empire-builders was reported by numerous news outlets. Shes in complete control of the franchise, as her son, Ford Jr. said. The couple had four children: Martha Parke Morse (born 1948), Sheila Firestone Hamp (born 1951), William Clay Ford, Jr. (born 1957), and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis (born 1961). She inherited the NFL's Detroit Lions in after her husband died in 2014 and she swept out the team's top executives. Mr. Ford is survived by his wife and son as well as his daughters Martha Ford Morse, Sheila Ford Hamp and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Ford Jr., 56, is executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. and has been the Lions vice chairman since February 1995. Clearly not her husband: Ford Sr. was known as a patient and loyal man, often to a fault. Firestone Ford, 94, has been owner and chairman the past six seasons, with her four children, Ford Hamp, Martha Ford Morse, Bill Ford Jr. and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis, serving as vice chairmen. When did Jim Caldwell coach the Lions? Her uncle, Henry Ford 2d, is chairman of Ford. He is the former chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company. To the far left are Sheila Ford Hamp and Elizabeth Ford Kontulis. GROSSE POINTE SHORES, Mich., July 7 Miss Martha Parke Ford, a greatgranddaughter of Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and of Harvey S. Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, plans to be married in the fall to Peter Christopher Morse, who is with Lehman Brothers, investment bankers in New York. Some EV automakers are beginning to eliminate AM radio from their dashboard. Now, it will just be more prominent. Carol Davis, along with her son Mark, has owned the largest stake in the Oakland Raiders since her husband, Al, died in 2011. In 2017, when President Donald Trump attacked the leagues players for protesting the national anthem, Firestone Ford backed the Lions players,both in a statement and locking arms with the team during the anthem that week. Mrs. Ford is the current owner and chairwoman of the board for the Detroit . Share Background Report Overview of Martha Ford Morse Lives in: Hobe Sound, Florida Phone: View phone number Age: 74 Gender: Female Race: White, Non Hispanic The 88-year-old widow of William Clay Ford Sr. has assumed ownership of the National Football League franchise her husband bought in November 1963, the team said in a statement this morning. Click below to see everything we have to offer. In June 2016, she was honored with the 2016 Zero Tolerance Award from the Detroit Public Safety Foundation at the annual "Women in Blue" banquet for the team's stance on domestic violence. You deserve a Lions football team that is a consistent winner and one that competes for championships.. Lions team president Rod Wood reiterated Tuesday during a meeting with a small group of reporters that the plans for the franchise are to remain in the Ford family, responding to a local media report that said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had interest in buying the team. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, Meet Sheila Ford Hamp, sports fan, tennis standout, new owner of the Lions, would be returning for the 2020 season after the team had fallen well short of expectations in 2019. In addition to her contributions to the football team, Mrs. Ford also has made a positive impact in the community. The organizational changes I made last week reflect not only our disappointment with this season, but also underscore our commitment to each of you, the letter said. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Mrs. Ford also serves on the board for Detroit Lions Foundation and is an Honorary Trustee on The Henry Ford Health System Board of Trustees. Theres a very good chance that his hiring was heavily influence by the opinion of Ford Hamp. Staying current is easy with Crains news delivered straight to your inbox. It is clear to me that Sheila will provide superb leadership and is fully committed to competitive excellence and community involvement.. Martha Firestone Ford (born September 16, 1925) is the majority owner and chairwoman of the NFL team the Detroit Lions, and is on the board of the Henry Ford Health System. Their engagement has been announced by Mr. and Mrs. William Clay Ford, parents of the future bride. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. All siblings of Martha Parke Morse are in the family business. Her husband paid $4.5 million to buy out 144 other Detroit Lions shareholders in November 1963 and assumed full control of the team on Jan. 10, 1964. The ushers were William Clay Ford Jr., brother of the bride, and G. Anthony Morse Jr. and Michael Morse, brothers of the bridegroom. Her father is owner of the Detroit Lions football team as well as vice president for product design and a director of the Ford Motor Company. Back when the team announced theyd be retaining both for 2020, it was Ford Hamp who was the carrying voice of the decision. ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford made a stunning move Thursday, firing team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew.