Jacques or Jac? Either Way, He’s Imported

In your feature “The Year in Rearview,” you identify the chief executive of Ford Motor Co. as Jac Nasser. His actual name is Jacques Nasser, and it’s revealing how the American press seems to need to “butch up” his first name, perhaps to keep the locals from catching on that he “ain’t from around here.”

Indeed, Nasser is Ford’s second CEO in a row brought over from the company’s European operations, the first being Alex Trotman. A news story I’ve yet to see is why Ford can’t find an American executive up to the task of meeting the challenges faced by the auto industry at this point in history. Ford has been the relatively most successful of the Detroit Big 3 in responding to Honda, Toyota, BMW and the other importers, and word is it has done so by importing many executives from Europe.

The business pages report that DaimlerChrysler has replaced Chrysler’s American execs with men from the home country. General Motors just announced that it will be buying engines and drive trains from Honda--has GM given up the struggle?

Is there something in American business culture not up to the task?

KENT SOUTHARD

Dana Point

Editor’s note: Nasser’s business card--at least the one he gave Times staff writer John O’Dell during a Southern California visit last winter--lists his first name as Jac.