ARMONK (dpa-AFX) - IBM (IBM) board of directors today elected Mark Fields to the board effective March 1, 2016. Mr. Fields, 55, is president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company.
Fields joined Ford in 1989. In 2014, he became president and chief executive officer and was elected to the company's board of directors, where he serves on the board's finance committee. Previously, he was chief operating officer, a position to which he was named to in 2012. Prior to these positions, he was executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and president of Ford's Americas division. In this role, he led the development, manufacturing, marketing and sales of Ford and Lincoln vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America and was responsible for overseeing the transformation of the company's North American operations and record profitability.
Fields also previously led Ford's European operations, served as president and CEO, Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan and was the managing director of Ford Argentina earlier in his career.
Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and chief executive officer said the company is grateful for the service of two long-time board members, Alain J.P. Belda and William R. Brody, who, due to retirement, will not stand for re-election at the company's April annual shareholders meeting.
The IBM board of directors today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $1.30 per common share, payable March 10, 2016 to stockholders of record February 10, 2016. IBM has paid consecutive quarterly dividends every year since 1916.
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