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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday November 3, 2007 - 3 Truck man steers course for Ford of Canada By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF When William H. Osborne, the president of Ford of Canada, Limited, retires he'd like to run a bistro -- as long as he's the chef. The 47-year-old Detroit native, who confesses to being a truck guy, admits he also loves to cook. Osborne, who climbed into the driver's seat of Ford Canada in late 2005, recently took time out of his hectic schedule to talk about something other than the new Edge and auto industry -- Bill Osborne. "Oh, that's much easier," said Osborne, who oversees Ford Canada's headquarters, regional and branch offices, five assembly and engine manufacturing plants, parts distribution centres, and affiliates, including Ford Credit, Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover. As president, Osborne manages more than 13,000 employees and an additional 19,000 in more than 470 Ford and Lincoln dealerships. Osborne was born in 1960, an only child whose parents, William and Mamie, are now both deceased. He was born and raised in Detroit. His dad was a musician who played saxophone and upon giving up touring, turned his musical talents to teaching. Osborne's mother was a beautician, who eventually purchased and ran her own store. "When you grow up in Detroit, everyone has a fascination with cars and the auto industry," said Osborne explaining he was like everyone else. He later enrolled in engineering at college because that's what his mother and counsellor decided he should study based on his ability in math. "It's not that I had any great love for it. I was pretty good at it and I didn't know what I wanted to do, so they decided and I stuck with it," recalls Osborne. "I was really into sports and music, but neither one seemed to be a career choice," he said. Engineering did pay off in what Osborne dubs "a very rewarding career choice for me." Though it's some years away for him, Osborne now looks to his retirement and said what he'd like to try his hand at is running a small bistro -- one that doesn't have to make money, one he'd operate on a reservation-only basis and one in which he was the chef. The topic of cooking then leads Osborne down an entirely different path. It's here that he introduces his wife of 13 years, Amie, a family law attorney, who he's known since they were about seven years old. They went to the same high school, and Amie grew up in the neighbourhood in which Osborne's mom ran her store. The childhood friends were reunited after Osborne's divorce from his first wife. A lengthy courtship followed -- half a dozen years or more -- before they tied the knot. Osborne explains that after his divorce, he was not keen on rushing down the aisle again too soon. During that courtship, Osborne said they rarely ate in. It wasn't until some time later that Osborne, while visiting some of his wife's relatives in New York, learned from them about his wife's culinary expertise. "She'd been scamming me all those years," laughed Osborne. "I told her, `I'm never ever taking you out again,'" he joked. Taking on the presidency of Ford Canada is Osborne's first "When you grow up in Detroit, everyone has a fascination with cars and the auto industry." Bill Osborne, Ford of Canada president See Ford page 4 PREPARE FOR THE ROAD AHEAD. Next course: Nov. 5 ­ Mon. & Wed. ­ Evenings ­ 4 weeks, 6:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Nov. 24 ­ Sat. & Sun. ­ 2 weekends, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. www.youngdrivers.com 905.845.7200 MTO APPROVED BEGINNER DRIVER EDUCATION COURSE PROVIDER