Ford's (F) CEO Gets Pay Increase of 48 Percent

Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) Chief Executive Alan Mulally has had his overall compensation package boosted by 48 percent to $26.5 million in 2010, on the heels of the company's best net profit performance in 10 years.

Not only has Mulally received credit for turning things around, but for doing in the throes of the worst economic downturn in America since the Great Depression. Add to that his ability to do it without being bailed out by the U.S. government like General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Chrysler had to be, and it's an even more impressive accomplishment.

While the union is already whining about this, much of the problems in the auto industry are the result of them being overpaid, pushing the price of vehicles up beyond the ability of consumers to pay.

Any time there is a bump in the economy, the auto industry is crushed because of that fact.

Now wages and benefits are finally falling to the place where it may be manageable and sustainable over time.

What the unions need to do is thank Mulally for saving their rear-ends in spite of them being the problem.

Executive chairman Bill Ford also had a big bump up in compensation, rising 57 percent to $26.4 million. That includes a salary of $4.8 million. Some of that salary was deferred from 2008 and 2009.

For Mulally and Ford, each had a base salary of $1.4 million in 2010, which will jump to $2 million in 2011.

Ford's (F) Mulally Gives Escape Preview

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) CEO Alan Mulally gave a preview of the next vehicle to be made at its Kentucky facilities, a smaller SUV which will start to be manufactured at the retooled plant.

Mulally also praised the automaker's partnership with Louisville, calling the city where Ford has two manufacturing plants a "center of excellence."

The executive credited with steering Ford back to profitability spoke to more than 1,500 people at the annual dinner of Greater Louisville Inc., the metro chamber of commerce.

Mulally said Ford plans to make millions of the new Escapes at five locations around the world -- including the Louisville Assembly Plant, which is shut down for a $600 million renovation. The automaker has said it intends to hire 1,800 more employees at the Louisville plant to help build the new Ford Escape.

"The next version of this is going to change the world," Mulally said.





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Ford (F) CEO Says Not Afraid of Big, Bad Gas Prices

Saying his company is positioned strongly for rising gas prices with their changed lineup in vehicles, Ford (NYSE:F) CEO Alan Mulally said he believes Ford can handle the pressures at the pump.

"We thought this was going to happen. We didn't think it was going to happen as fast as it is, but we feel like we're positioned with the right product line now," Mulally said. "We've got the best smaller and medium-size vehicles we have ever had."

If gas prices continue to rise, Mulally said the larger number of small and mid-size cars should enjoy better sales than when gas prices rose to over $4 a gallon in 2008.

Mulally noted last time around the company had a much heavier emphasis and inventory of sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks than they do now.

Of course that leads to another problem: what happens when gas prices fall again?

Ford closed Thursday at $14.06, down $0.23, or 1.61 percent.

Ford (F) CEO, Chairman Awarded $98.9 Million in Shares

Ford Motor (NYSE:F) CEO Alan Mulally and executive chairman Bill Ford Jr. were rewarded with a combined $98.9 million in shares of the automaker after generating the largest profits at the company in over ten years.

Alan Mulally was rewarded with $56.5m of shares while Ford was given shares valued at $42.4 million.

Mulally received 3.8 million shares valued at $14.76 each on Thursday, according to the filing. But the company held back 1.56 million shares worth $23 million to pay taxes on the stock award, giving Mulally a net award worth close to $33.4 million.

Bill Ford was given 2.87 million shares valued at $14.76 each, and the company held back 1.17 million shares to pay $17.3 million in taxes, giving him a net stock award valued at $25 million.

Ford closed at $14.47, gaining $0.46, or 3.28 percent.