Occupation CEO | Name Katie Ford | |
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Full Name Mary Katherine Ford Spouse(s) Andre Balazs (1985-2004; divorced; 2 children) Parent(s) Gerard W. FordEileen Ford | ||
How katie ford battles modern day slavery
Mary Katherine "Katie" Ford (born 1955) is the former CEO of the modeling agency Ford Models, Inc. from 1995 until 2007.
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Life and career
Ford is the daughter of Eileen Ford (née Otte) and Gerard William "Jerry" Ford, who started the agency in 1946. She holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College and an MBA from Columbia University.
Ford worked for Strategic Planning Associates as a management consultant and TeleRep as a television sales representative.
Ford now is active in the fight against human trafficking.
Ford Models
She joined her parents' company in 1980. She took over as head in 1995 and moved operations from the Upper East Side to SoHo. She also expanded the company's reach by setting up offices in 10 other cities, including Chicago, Cleveland, Paris, Brazil and Argentina.
Still one of the largest modeling agencies in the world—they represent more than 2,500 clients, but smaller boutique agencies have grown in popularity. In recent years Ford has also have lost some of their most bankable stars, including Karen Elson, Maggie Rizer, and Erin O'Connor, who were 'poached' by other agencies. Nonetheless, Ford's vast network of modeling scouts ensures that it has "fresh faces" alongside more established models like Sophie Dahl, Camilla Finn, and Chanel Iman. Other stars Ford has repped over the years include Kim Basinger, Adriana Lima, Rachel Hunter, and Christie Brinkley.
In 2007, Stone Tower Capital, which manages about $14 billion of assets, injected a significant amount of capital into Ford that will allow it to continue expanding globally. John Caplan, became Ford Models' Chief Executive Officer, and she remained on the board of directors.
Family
Her younger sister, Lacey, lives in L.A. with her husband, John Williams; her older sister, Jamie, lives in Washington with her husband, lawyer Robert Craft; her older brother, Bill, lives in Florida.
Ford married hotelier André Balazs on November 16, 1985; they divorced in 2004. They have two daughters, Alessandra (born 1991) and Isabel (born 1994). Ford now lives in SoHo with her two daughters.