Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), sometimes known as "HF2" or "Hank the Deuce", was the oldest son of
Edsel Ford and oldest grandson of
Henry Ford. He was president of the
Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1960, chairman and
chief executive officer (CEO) from 1960 to 1979, and chairman for several months thereafter. Notably, under the leadership of Henry Ford II, Ford Motor Company became a publicly traded corporation in 1956. From 1943 to 1950, he also served as president of the
Ford Foundation.