BUSINESS LEADERS IN PROFILE:
Gary Roe

FLAT ROCK — It would be an understatement to say life is good right now for Gary Roe. As AutoAlliance International Inc.'s new president and CEO, Roe is riding the wave of success of Ford's new Mustang and he couldn't be happier.

“We have world-class products, people and facilities here, what more could you ask for,” Roe said. “I feel very, very fortunate and honored to be asked to come here and run this operation.”

Roe has taken over the reigns of AAI, a 50-50 joint venture between Mazda and Ford Motor Co. He succeeds Phil Spender, who left Downriver earlier this year to take over another joint venture, Changan Ford Motor Co. in Chongqing, China.

Roe, 41, went to school at the Royal Institute of Technology University in Australia. Directly after graduating, he joined Ford Motor Co. at its Broadmeadows Assembly Plant in Victoria , Australia , working on designing facilities in a body plant for the Ford Falcon.

Since then, Roe has held various automotive manufacturing positions with Ford Motor Co. the past 20 years, from running body shops to final line, to plant manager of assembly and stamping plants.

Born and raised in Australia, Roe and his family have been working on their American accents the past four years as he worked out of Ford Motor Co.'s world headquarters in Dearborn as director of manufacturing for Ford Asia Pacific. In that position, he was responsible for 11 plants in nine different countries, including South Africa , India , Philippines, Malaysia , Vietnam , Taiwan , China and Australia.

Now that he doesn't have to spend 40 percent of his time traveling the world, Roe — and his family — have settled down and have come to love American life. He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Grosse Pointe with their three daughters, Caley, 10, Brianna, 8, and Shannen, 6.

“I love it here. Everybody has been wonderful,” Roe said. “My family has been happy here and the kids love it here. It's been a good base for us and now with this job, there's a lot less travel and more time for my family. My wife enjoys the fact that she can plan a weekend now.”

While his weekends may be less busy, there's nothing slow about his workweek as AAI is running at full capacity to keep up with the demand for the hot new Ford Mustang, GT and convertible models.

“We have the hottest product in America right now,” Roe said. “Dealers are reporting the Mustangs they do have don't stay on their lots for very long.”

Things will get even hotter when the highly anticipated 450-horspower Shelby Cobra GT500 begins production at AAI soon. Still, Roe said the plant is currently running at full capacity and should set a production record this year thanks to the Mustang.

“We have a great range of products that everyone here should be proud of,” Roe said. “Mustang sales were about 19,200 the last two months (March-April) and over 20,000 units in May. We're fully maxed out, but we're meeting demand at this time. There's a great demand for the Mustang, but our production is matching sales at this time.

“At last count, there were 12,000 orders for retail and another 20,000 orders from dealers, so there's a good, healthy order bank there.”

Roe said AAI has two 10-hour shifts maxed out building Mazda6 and the Ford Mustang. Overall, the plant is employing close to 3,800 people, he said.

“We have great people here,” Roe said. “The challenges and the growth this plant has gone through the last few years is a tribute to our people. With the production of the Mazda6 products and now the Mustang, we've doubled the capacity of our plant. This is a very, very dedicated group of people and they've done a fantastic job.”

Roe said American autoworkers take a lot of pride in the products, just as other workers do across the globe.

“There is no doubt as you go across the world, the common thing that you see is the dedication of the people,” he said. “Everybody wants their plant, their company and their products to succeed. The dedication of the people, whether it be at a plant at Manila in the Philippines or here in Flat Rock, is no different.”

With other auto companies such as GM closing plants and struggling to maintain market share, what is making a difference for AAI is the quality of the products, Roe said.

“The product has been very good,” he said. “The latest J.D. Power results have shown that we're doing very well and are nearly best in class for a sports car. To launch a new product at that level is a great achievement.

“I think the Downriver community should be very proud of what AutoAlliance has done in terms of bringing such a great product as the Mustang, the hottest-selling car in North America, here to Flat Rock. The Mustang is outselling the Chrysler 300, even after all of the buzz that car has had. The Mustang is much bigger and hotter than that and we should be very proud of that.”

An auto enthusiast all of his life, Roe restored a yellow Triumph Spitfire convertible to award winning status while he lived in Australia. He said the reason the public has embraced the new Mustang with such vigor is not just because it has a classic nameplate, but a traditional design and power.

“The Mustang is different because it has always been a great car, all the way back to 1964-1/2 to the muscle cars of the late 60s,” he said. “It's always been here, where cars like the Firebird, the Camaro and GTO, have come and gone. We've successfully recaptured that buzz about what a real Pony car is.”

Roe said the success of AAI in Flat Rock as well as the company's Thailand plant, prove that joint ventures can succeed and may prove to be a model for the future in the competitive auto industry.

“Ford and Mazda have a very special relationship,” Roe said. “They've been together for many years now and have become closer and closer in terms of sharing technology, people and systems and I think that relationship will continue to grow.

“Mazda brings a great technical skill to the partnership as does Ford. They compliment each other well and as we continue to learn to work together, it benefits both companies.”

Roe has enjoyed his time working in Downriver thus far as well as such community events as the Relay For Life and Cruisin' Downriver, of which AAI serves as title sponsor.

But what's the best part about his new job?

“I get the pleasure of driving a fun convertible yet again,” he said.