Mae Smitherman-Smith is Executive Director, Supply Chain Finance, leading a global team focused on lean transformation to deliver competitive Material Cost, Raw Material, and Supplier Risk Management.
From March 2021 to January 2023, Mae was Controller, Global Manufacturing, MPL, and Warranty, leading a global team responsible for Manufacturing facilities worldwide, Inbound Material, Outbound Vehicle, Duty/Customs, Inventory, and SOX Warranty Reserves.
Between July 2016 and March 2021, she served in Treasury as Director of Automotive Strategy, Risk Management, and Affiliate Finance, responsible for Ford’s Automotive Balance Sheet strategy (Cash/Liquidity, Debt, Shareholder Distribution), plus FX/Commodity risk strategy and Balance Sheet strategies for Ford’s Regional Affiliates, including funding.
Mae began her Ford career as an intern in 1994, joining officially in August 1995 as a Finance Ford College Graduate. She has held 14 positions across nine organizations in her 31-year tenure. Mae holds a BS in Business Administration (Marketing) and an MBA (Finance/HR) from Ohio State. Prior to Ford, she worked at Eastman Kodak as a Marketing Representative.
Mae serves as Executive Champion for FAAN Finance, leads Finance Recruiting, and is a Women of Ford Mentor, passionate about mentoring employees. In 2022, she was named a Top Woman in Finance by the Women of Color STEM Conference and received CADIA’s Champion for Diverse Talent Award. In 2023, she was featured in Automotive News for her DEI work.
Mae serves on the Fisher College of Business Alumni Board & Student Engagement Committee, and on the Board & Finance Committee of Alternatives for Girls, a Detroit nonprofit.