Alfred Ford

Alfred Ford
Ford in 2007
Born
Alfred Brush Ford

1950 (age 73–74)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Other namesAmbarish Das
OccupationBusinessman
TitleProject Chairman of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium[1][2]
Board member ofFord Motor Company
SpouseSharmila Ford[3]
Children2

Alfred Brush Ford (born 1950), also known as Ambarish Das (IAST: Ambarīśa Dāsa),[4] is an American businessman and the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company.[3]

Background

See also: Ford family tree

Alfred Ford's father was Walter B. Ford II (1920–1991), whose family was prominent in chemical manufacturing in the Downriver area south of Detroit. His mother, Josephine Clay Ford (1923–2005), was the daughter of Edsel Ford (1893–1943), who was the son of Henry Ford (1863–1947).[4]

Alfred and William Clay Ford Jr. (b. 1957), the current executive chairman of the Ford Motor Co., are first cousins. Alfred's mother was the sister of William Clay Ford Sr. (1925–2014), William Clay Ford, Jr.'s father.

Alfred Ford currently serves on the board of directors of privately held digital marketing firm ChannelNet, where he is also an investor. Ford Motor Company was one of ChannelNet's early clients.[5]

Association with ISKCON

Part of a series on
Vaishnavism
Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
Supreme deity
Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities
Dashavatara
Other forms
Consorts
Related
Holy scriptures
Puranas
Sampradayas
Others
Teachers—acharyas
Related traditions

He has been an initiated disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srila Prabhupada) since 1974. He first met Bhaktivedanta Swami in Dallas, USA.[6] Alfred Ford joined the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (the Hare Krishnas) in 1975, and that same year he made his first trip to India with Prabhupada. He assisted in the establishment of the first Hindu temple in Hawaii and also donated $500,000 to help establish the Bhaktivedanta Cultural Centre in Detroit[7] which was completed in 1983.[3] Alfred Ford has made many significant donations to ISKCON over the years, which have assisted ongoing projects to build the Pushpa Samadhi Mandir of Prabhupada. He is the chairman of the Sri Mayapur Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (also called TOVP).[8]

In October 2003 Ford spent a week in Moscow lobbying for the construction of a proposed $10 million Vedic cultural centre. It was said that Ford would "make a significant financial contribution for the project" if it happened.[9]

He also bought a $600,000 mansion to house a Hare Krishna temple and learning centre in Honolulu.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Alfred B Ford On Gujarat Tour To Raise Funds For ISKCON Temple". Vishwa Gujarat. India. January 29, 2017. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  2. ^ "Ford scion in Gujarat to raise funds for ISKCON temple". The Times of India. India. January 29, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Sangghvi, Malavika (March 6, 2005). "The Billionaire Bhakta". The Times of India. Retrieved August 25, 2006.
  4. ^ a b "Alfred Ford is Building a Multi-Million Dollar Monument in India". Town & Country. November 23, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  5. ^ Alfred ford is member of Board of Directors and Advisory Board, archived from the original on May 19, 2022, retrieved November 2, 2020
  6. ^ Video on YouTube
  7. ^ Krebs, Albin; Thomas, Robert Mcg. Jr (November 9, 1981). "Notes on People; Alfred Ford Takes a Turn to the Spiritual". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2006.
  8. ^ "Temple of Vedic Planeterium – meet-the-team". Temple of Vedic Planeterium. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
  9. ^ "Alfred Ford Lobbies For Vedic Centre In Moscow". Hindustan Times. October 21, 2003. Archived from the original on August 5, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2006 – via VNN Vaishnava News.