Bruce W Hettle

Bruce Hettle, group vice president of Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, will retire Oct. 1 2018 after a 32-year career with the automaker. In this role, Hettle oversees the global operations of 67 assembly, stamping and powertrain plants. He is also responsible for the company’s worldwide engineering support for stamping, vehicle and powertrain manufacturing, as well as Ford’s Material Planning & Logistics, Ford Production System, Manufacturing Business Office and Labor Affairs organizations. In his previous assignment as vice president of North America Manufacturing, Hettle was responsible for Ford’s North America manufacturing footprint – the company’s largest in the world with more than 30 manufacturing plants. He has played a key role in Ford’s ongoing efforts to improve manufacturing flexibility and efficiency and also oversaw Ford’s product expansion in North America and the company’s seamless conversion to global platforms. Hettle joined Ford in 1986 and has spent his entire 32-year career with the company in manufacturing. Prior to leading North American Manufacturing, he managed Ford’s manufacturing engineering group as executive director, Global Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering. In addition to other leadership roles, Hettle served as director for Ford’s Manufacturing Business Office, and was plant manager for Wayne Stamping and Assembly and Edison Assembly. Born in 1961, Hettle holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oakland University and a master’s degree in engineering management from Wayne State University.