Andy Acho

Andy Acho's Key Accomplishments Include . . .
Andrew G. Acho is a nationally recognized expert on practical environmental initiatives that help make the world a better place and save money. Since retiring in 2006, Acho has become a valuable resource for other organizations interested in protecting the environment and improving performance.

In his role as Worldwide Director of Environmental Outreach and Strategy for Ford Motor Company, a job Bill Ford created for him, Acho championed the development and implementation of more aggressive proactive environmental stewardship actions that not only protected the environment but also saved the company millions of dollars annually.

Acho began driving environmental stewardship efforts for Ford Motor Company in 1990. He launched and led Ford's Recycling Action Team, nicknamed The RAT Patrol. The team has worked for more than a decade proactively developing and implementing uses for post-consumer recycled materials including plastic and rubber. These materials are developed to make good business sense by performing as well as or better than the materials they replace, while being financially viable. The team's success includes the annual transformation of the equivalent of more than 50 million two-liter soda bottles, one billion bottle caps and 27 million square feet of old carpeting into reliable vehicle components. He also led Ford's success in recycling more than 8 million tires into environmentally responsible rubber products used for athletic fields, mulch, playground materials, therapeutic riding arenas, and roads.

More About Andy Acho . . .
In 2001, Acho was one of the first people to be honored nationally with the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) President's Award for his outstanding commitment to preserve and protect the environment for future generations, and for his global vision of environmental and economic sustainability. He now is a member of the WHC Board.

Beginning in January 1996, Acho was appointed chairman of the Great Lakes Recycle Board, made up of eight Midwest governors, including former governors John Engler (Michigan), Tom Ridge (Pennsylvania) and Tommy Thompson (Wisconsin). Acho led Ford's global Conservation and Environmental Grants program in more than 40 countries, recognizing organizations and individuals making significant and exemplary contributions to protect and preserve the environment in their regions. In addition, he is active with numerous educational and environmental organizations supporting a variety of initiatives. He is Chairman of the Corporate Advisory Board at Smith College's Picker engineering program, where women engineers are being educated to be environmentally responsible and socially conscientious.

In addition to helping protect the environment, the initiatives Acho champions have enhanced the work environment for employees, benefited surrounding communities, and improved the company's bottom line. Acho's pragmatic leadership on environmental initiatives is formed by his in-depth experience with business operations over his 46 year career at Ford.

Acho joined Ford in 1960 as a cooperative trainee and served at the Engine and Foundry Division as a quality control engineer and product development engineer, before being named Chief Analyst for Truck Planning and Merchandising at Ford Division in 1968. Between 1969 and 1976, he served at Industrial and Chemical Products Division, Corporate Planning Staff, Marketing Staff and Transportation Systems Operations with teams of specialists analyzing and developing new company business.

• Environmental Stewardship and Pro-active Actions
• Environmental Responsibility and the Bottom Line
• Sustainable Environmental Strategies
• Creating A Better World and Saving Money
• Green with a Touch of Gold (Proactive Environmental Actions That Save Money)
• Doing Good and Doing Well
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Reap Rewards