The new owner of Pentastar Aviation is described as an “aviation enthusiast,” and his acquisition of the former DaimlerChrysler Aviation is his first venture into an aviation service company. Edsel Ford II was elected to the board of directors of Ford Motor Co. in 1988. His career at Ford spanned more than 25 years. He was named president and COO of Ford Motor Credit Co. in May 1991 and elected a company vice president in December 1993. Ford is also a board member of the Detroit branch of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.

Ford was born on Dec. 27, 1948, in Detroit. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Babson College in 1973 and completed the program for management development at Harvard Business School in 1981. He is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor. His grandfather is Edsel B. Ford, company president from 1919 to 1943. His late father, Henry Ford II, was president of the company from 1945 to 1960 and chairman from 1960 to 1980.