Mark W. Hutchins was named general manager of the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company in May 1998, a month before the division began moving its corporate headquarters from Detroit to Irvine, California. The Massachusetts-born Hutchins joined Ford in 1965. He spent much of his career in Lincoln-Mercury field offices around the country, and in 1984 moved to Detroit, where he held a number of management posts with the division. Before becoming Lincoln-Mercury general manager last year, he was the division's general sales manager
Q Why the move to Southern California for Lincoln-Mercury last year? A It wasn't a move to Southern California. It was a move out of Detroit. We felt, in order to grow our brands, we needed to break out, to look at the brands differently, to have a different perspective. So we decided to move out of Detroit.
Q Why the decision to locate in California? A California for the car business is like New York City for show business. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. And I want to make it here. I want the buzz here to be: "I've got to drive a Lincoln Navigator or a Lincoln LS or a Mercury Cougar." That would give me a high degree of confidence that we can make it in the rest of the U.S., the rest of North America, and the rest of world.
Q What message did the decision to move send internally? A The move sent a signal internally that Ford Motor Co. is serious about the Lincoln-Mercury brand. With Ford President Jac Nasser, then-chairman Alex Trotman, and the board of directors signing on the dotted line, it told everyone in product development, purchasing, design, and planning that they'd better line up behind this venture to make it work. We're dead-serious about improving these brands and making them relevant to new customers while maintaining current ones.
Q What message do you think the decision to move sent to the outside world? A Externally, the move let people know things are changing. That something different is going on at Lincoln-Mercury.
Q The move occurred with surprising speed. Why? A It was the best-kept secret in Detroit mainly because we made the decision and the announcement quickly. We announced it in January and started moving here in June, with the last wave of people arriving in September. About 70 percent of the people offered positions took them. We rounded out staff from a diversity standpoint by hiring people in California from inside and outside the industry, including more ethnic groups, women, and younger people.
Q How is it working?A We have a great deal of autonomy, more than I thought. They've given us enough rope to hang ourselves or pull ourselves up. But a lot is expected of us.
Q What will be the impact of the move on product?A That's where it will have its biggest impact. On the Mercury side, we've been saddled with badge engineering. I used to go to design reviews on, say, the Sable with the Taurus. No body panels would be alike and 80 percent of the parts would be different, but going down the highway at dawn, you couldn't tell the Sable from the Taurus. Now we're moving in a direction of more common platforms but highly differentiated products-like Mondeo to Mystique to Cougar. By the year 2003, our products will look like they are exclusive, though they won't be from a platform standpoint.
Q What about Lincoln?A With Lincoln, we've got a job to do. In research, Lincoln is a great name, a global brand. Unfortunately, people in focus groups say Lincoln isn't building products relevant to their wants and needs. The Navigator has given us credibility and the confidence that we can expand the Lincoln brand. The LS, which will be sold in 30-plus countries, will expand it further.