Gerald L. Shaheen was elected to the Ford Motor Company board of directors in 2007. He serves on the audit committee and as chair of the nominating and governance committee.

Shaheen is retired group president of Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois. He had responsibility for design, development and production of Caterpillar’s large construction and mining equipment, as well as the company’s U.S. operations division. He was also responsible for marketing and sales operations in North America, Caterpillar’s components business, and the company’s research and development division.

Over 41 years with Caterpillar, Shaheen held numerous marketing and management positions in the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and former Soviet Union.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1966 and an MBA in 1968, both from Bradley University, where he has since served in several capacities including president of the alumni association and chair of the board of trustees. Shaheen was recognized as a distinguished alumnus in 1993 and inducted into the Centurion Society that year. In 1988, he completed the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth College.

Shaheen is a board member and past chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and serves on the board of the National Chamber Foundation. He is also on the board of directors of AGCO Corporation and is chairman of Illinois Neurological Institute. He is a former chairman and current board of trustee member of Bradley University.