Jim Hackett

Jim Hackett
Born	James Joseph Hackett 1 10, 1877
Birthplace	Jacksonville, Illinois, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Douglas, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional baseball player, executive
Known for	Former CEO of Ford Motor Company (2017–2020); former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals

There have been at least two notable Americans named James Joseph Hackett — one a Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century, and the other a prominent business executive who served as president and CEO of Ford Motor Company from May 2017 to October 2020. The baseball player, nicknamed "Sunny Jim," was born on October 1, 1877, in Jacksonville, Illinois, and played two seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1902 and 1903 as both a pitcher and first baseman. The business executive Jim Hackett came to Ford after a long career at Steelcase, the office furniture manufacturer, and a stint as interim athletic director at the University of Michigan. Both men left distinctive marks in their respective fields — the ballplayer as a versatile if modest contributor to early professional baseball, and the executive as a leader tasked with transforming one of America's largest automakers during a period of rapid technological change. This article covers both individuals, with separate sections devoted to each.

Jim Hackett (Baseball Player)

Early Life

James Joseph Hackett was born on October 1, 1877, in Jacksonville, Illinois, a small city in the west-central part of the state. Details about his family background and upbringing are limited in the historical record, as is common for ballplayers of the era who did not achieve lasting fame. What is known is that Hackett was a right-handed batter and right-handed thrower who developed skills both as a pitcher and as a position player — an uncommon versatility that would define his brief major league career. He earned the nickname "Sunny Jim" during his playing days, though the precise origin of the moniker has not been documented in surviving sources.

Professional Baseball Career

1902 Season

Hackett made his Major League Baseball debut on September 14, 1902, with the St. Louis Cardinals. During that first season, he was used primarily as a pitcher, appearing in four games on the mound. His pitching record for the 1902 campaign was 0–3, indicating that he did not record a victory in any of his pitching appearances that year. As a late-season call-up, Hackett's opportunities were limited, but his ability to play multiple positions kept him on the roster and in contention for a more significant role the following year.

1903 Season

In 1903, Hackett returned to the Cardinals with an expanded role. The club shifted his primary position to first base, where he saw considerably more playing time than he had the previous season. As a first baseman, Hackett batted .228 over the course of the season. He was not entirely removed from the pitching staff, however; he still appeared in seven games as a pitcher during the 1903 campaign, compiling a 1–3 record on the mound. This gave him his first and only major league pitching victory.

His final major league appearance came on September 27, 1903, also with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Career Statistics

Over the entirety of his two-season major league career, Hackett compiled a batting average of .231, hit zero home runs, and drove in 40 runs. On the mound, his career win–loss record stood at 1–6 with an earned run average of 4.69. While these numbers were modest by major league standards, his ability to contribute meaningfully at two positions — first base and pitcher — was noteworthy for the era, reflecting the more flexible roster construction common in early twentieth-century baseball.

Hackett also had a career in the minor leagues, as documented by historical baseball records. The extent and details of his minor league service beyond what is captured in aggregate statistics are not fully documented in available sources.

Later Life and Death

After his playing career concluded, Hackett lived for many decades beyond his time in professional baseball. He died on March 28, 1961, in Douglas, Michigan, at the age of 83. The circumstances of his post-baseball life — including any subsequent career, family, or community involvement — are not well documented in surviving sources.

Jim Hackett (Business Executive)

Career at Steelcase

The business executive Jim Hackett spent the majority of his career at Steelcase, the Grand Rapids, Michigan–based office furniture manufacturer. He rose to become the company's chief executive officer, a role in which he led the firm through significant periods of growth and transformation. His tenure at Steelcase established his reputation as a leader with expertise in organizational design, workplace innovation, and corporate strategy. Hackett's background in manufacturing and design thinking would later be cited as a key reason for his selection to lead Ford Motor Company.

Interim Athletic Director at the University of Michigan

Before joining Ford, Hackett served as the interim athletic director at the University of Michigan, a high-profile role at one of the nation's largest collegiate athletic programs. His tenure in that position began in late 2014 and concluded in early 2016, when Warde Manuel, previously the athletic director at the University of Connecticut, was hired to fill the permanent role.

During his time as interim athletic director, Hackett made several consequential decisions for the university's athletics program. One of his most prominent actions was the hiring of Jim Harbaugh as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team, a move that generated significant national media attention. Hackett's management of the athletic department during a transitional period was generally well received, and the experience further raised his public profile in Michigan's business and civic communities.

President and CEO of Ford Motor Company

Appointment

In May 2017, Ford Motor Company announced that Jim Hackett would succeed Mark Fields as the company's president and chief executive officer. The appointment came at a time when Ford was grappling with a stagnant stock price, intensifying competition from technology companies entering the automotive space, and the broader industry transition toward electric and autonomous vehicles. Hackett was seen by Ford's board of directors, led by Executive Chairman Bill Ford, as a leader whose background in design thinking and organizational transformation could help the automaker navigate these challenges.

Prior to being named CEO, Hackett had already been working with Ford in a leadership capacity. He had been heading the company's Ford Smart Mobility subsidiary, which was focused on developing autonomous vehicles, ride-sharing, and other mobility solutions.

Restructuring Efforts

Upon taking the helm, Hackett launched an ambitious $11 billion restructuring plan intended to streamline Ford's global operations, reduce costs, and reposition the company for a future centered on electric vehicles, connectivity, and autonomous driving technology. The restructuring included significant changes to Ford's product lineup, with the company notably deciding to phase out most of its traditional sedan models in the North American market in favor of trucks, SUVs, and crossovers — a strategy that reflected shifting consumer preferences but also carried risk.

Hackett also oversaw investments in electric vehicle development and partnerships with technology companies aimed at advancing Ford's autonomous driving capabilities. His leadership emphasized a philosophical approach rooted in design thinking, a methodology he had championed during his years at Steelcase, which focused on human-centered problem-solving and iterative innovation.

Challenges and Criticism

Despite the scope of the restructuring plan, Hackett's tenure was marked by persistent challenges. Ford's stock price declined approximately 40 percent during his time as CEO, a trajectory that frustrated investors and drew scrutiny from analysts and business commentators. The company reported billions of dollars in losses, and critics questioned whether the restructuring was producing tangible results quickly enough to justify its cost and disruption.

Some observers noted that Hackett's background — primarily in the office furniture industry and university administration rather than in automotive manufacturing — may have contributed to difficulties in translating his strategic vision into operational execution at a company as large and complex as Ford. His communication style, which frequently drew on abstract concepts and design-thinking terminology, was at times criticized as lacking the specificity and directness that investors and employees expected from the leader of a major automaker.

Quality issues with certain Ford vehicle launches during Hackett's tenure also drew negative attention, as did the perception that Ford was falling behind rivals — particularly General Motors and Tesla — in the race to develop and market electric vehicles.

Retirement

On August 4, 2020, Ford announced that Hackett would retire as president and CEO, effective October 1, 2020. His successor was Jim Farley, who had been serving as Ford's chief operating officer and was regarded as having deeper roots in the automotive industry. The transition was described by CNBC as unexpected, coming in the midst of the ongoing restructuring plan and during the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following his departure from the CEO role, Hackett transitioned to a position as special advisor to Ford Motor Company, providing counsel to the company and its leadership.

Assessment of Tenure

Hackett's three-year tenure as Ford's CEO has been the subject of considerable analysis in the business press. A Forbes analysis published on the day of his retirement announcement characterized his leadership as a failure, pointing to the stock price decline, financial losses, and what the author described as a "complete lack of" momentum in key strategic areas. CNBC similarly noted that the restructuring plan had "failed to reignite" Ford's stock performance.

However, some of the strategic decisions made during Hackett's tenure — particularly the pivot away from sedans and toward trucks and SUVs, and early investments in electric vehicle platforms — continued to shape Ford's direction under his successor. Jim Farley, who succeeded Hackett, subsequently built upon several of these foundational choices as he pursued his own vision for the company.

Personal Life

Publicly documented details about the business executive Jim Hackett's personal life are limited. He has longstanding ties to the state of Michigan, having spent his career at the Grand Rapids–based Steelcase, served at the University of Michigan, and led Ford Motor Company, which is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan.