American Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD) has named former Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields to its board of directors.
Fields recently joined TPG Capital, a private equity firm and ATD shareholder, to focus on TPG’s industrial practice. ATD says Fields’ forward-thinking approach to supply chain operations and deep expertise in the automotive industry aligns with the company’s growth strategy.
“We are honored to welcome Mark to our board,” says Stuart Schuette, ATD’s CEO and president. “Mark’s automotive experience combined with his passion for optimizing growth-oriented, technology-enabled businesses will be a catalyst to our go-forward business strategy.”
ATD says Fields joins the board during a transformational time for the company. In 2017, ATD began implement key changes to the organization, including the functionalization of the sales and supply chain teams, piloted new capabilities and value-added services, innovated with new technology, and expanded their hub-and-spoke network to optimize inventory management.
Fields says he is excited about ATD’s business strategy. “They are well positioned to drive innovation, change and support to their customers allowing them to lead in the market and stay competitive as the industry and consumer behaviors continue to evolve.”
Fields is a Harvard Business School graduate with 28 years of service at Ford. He managed many of Ford’s turnarounds and organization restructuring, including the company’s North American operations. During his tenure as CEO, Ford delivered record profits in both 2015 and 2016.
Headquartered in Huntersville, N.C., ATD operates more than 140 distribution centers, serving about 70,000 customers in the North American market. ATD and its affiliates employ more than 5,000 people across the U.S. and Canada.
