• by Tanya Gazdik , April 17, 2019

Longtime Ford Motor Co. executive Robert Parker is retiring from his position as director of marketing, sales and service for The Lincoln Motor Co., he tells Marketing Daily.

Parker attended MediaPost’s Marketing: Automotive conference at the New York International Auto Show. The Lincoln “Nautilus Ultimate Control” campaign from Lincoln AOR Hudson Rouge was recognized by MediaPost as Best Integrated Automotive Campaign in 2018.

Parker, who started his career with Ford in 1989, has been responsible for expanding and solidifying the brand’s identity in the global market. He retires effective June 1.

He came to the position in 2016, having served as president of Lincoln China since 2014. Under his leadership, Lincoln sold 11,630 vehicles in China in 2015, its first full year of sales there  -- a record for a new luxury brand in the country.

Parker is one of several high-level Ford executives taking early retirement buyouts from the company, sources say. Ford's offer was open to most salaried employees in North America 55 or older with at least 10 years with Ford, those 65 or older with at least five years with the company or any age with 30 years of service, Karen Hampton, Ford spokeswoman, told the Detroit Free Press. 

Ford’s luxury division got a new leader March 1, 2018 when Joy Falotico became group vice president, Lincoln Motor Company and also chief marketing officer.

According to his bio on the Ford media website, Parker’s enthusiasm for his job has never wavered, something he credits with being raised in a household in which character and creativity were always encouraged.

“I’ve enjoyed every day I’ve worked in this industry,” states Parker. “Cars have always been my passion.” In his spare time, Parker enjoys restoring classic Ford vehicles.