FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 29, 2012

This December on KERA’s CEO with Lee Cullum

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – On the December episode of CEO, chairman and CEO of Diamond A Ford Corp., Gerald J. Ford, speaks with host Lee Cullum about his recapitalization strategy for troubled banks. Although his company managed to sidestep the recent banking crisis, Ford says the industry learned important lessons. Ford states, “Credit requires a real discipline. Most people don’t want to make a bad loan, but that’s why banks get in trouble by and large. There are other reasons but the central issue is credit.” Also, learn what motivated the CEO to seek opportunities beyond his father’s West Texas auto body shop and what experiences have shaped his business philosophy.

KERA’s CEO features insightful discussions with successful North Texas business leaders from the corporate and not-for-profit sectors about what it takes to make a company successful in today’s global marketplace and changing economy. The December episode featuring Gerald J. Ford airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 7, 2012, on KERA TV with rebroadcasts at noon Sunday, December 9, and at 10:30 p.m. Monday, December 10, 2012. CEO also can be heard at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, December 9, 2012, on KERA 90.1 FM. Following the initial on-air broadcast, the half-hour program will be available on www.kera.org/ceo. Previous CEO episodes are available on demand at www.kera.org/ceo.

CEO is sponsored by Executive Education at the Naveen School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas, Hodges Capital Management and Sewell Automotive Companies.

ABOUT GERALD J. FORD

Mr. Gerald Ford is one of the nation’s most accomplished financial services executives. He has acquired, managed and sold banking businesses and other financial services companies for over 35 years, including First United Bank Group, Inc., First Gibraltar Bank, FSB and Golden State Bancorp. Mr. Ford currently serves as Chairman of Hilltop Holdings Inc, which expects to complete its acquisition of PlainsCapital Corporation in 2012. He also is the Managing Member of, and the principal investor in, Ford Financial Fund, L.P., a private equity firm that owns a controlling interest in Pacific Capital Bancorp. Pacific Capital Bancorp is expected to be sold to UnionBanCal Corporation, a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, in 2012.  Additionally, Mr. Ford is the principal shareholder of First Acceptance Corporation, a non-standard auto insurance company, and a Managing Member of, and the principal investor in, Ford Financial Fund II, L.P., a private equity fund. He also serves as a director of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., McMoRan Exploration Company, Scientific Games Corp. and SWS Group, Inc.  He previously served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Southern Methodist University (S.M.U.) and currently serves as a trustee. As well, he is on the Executive Board of S.M.U. School of Law, as a trustee of Southwestern Medical Foundation and Children’s Medical Foundation, is a member of the Board of Overseers of Weill Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University. Mr. Ford holds B.A. and J.D. degrees from S.M.U.

ABOUT CEO

Host Lee Cullum conducts insightful discussions with successful North Texas business leaders from the corporate and not-for-profit sectors about what it takes to make a company successful in today’s global marketplace and changing economy. CEO episodes are available on-demand at www.kera.org/ceo.

ABOUT KERA

KERA is a not-for-profit public media organization that serves the people of North Texas. The station broadcasts to the fourth-largest population area in the United States. KERA produces original multimedia content, carries the best in national and international public television and radio programs, and provides online resources at www.kera.org. The station’s extensive coverage of the arts can be found at www.artandseek.org. KERA-TV broadcasts on Channel 13.1. KERA WORLD broadcasts on 13.2. KERA-FM broadcasts on 90.1 in Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton, 88.3 in Wichita Falls, 100.1 in Tyler and 99.3 in Sherman. The music station KXT 91.7 FM is also streamed online at www.kxt.org.

###

Gerald J. Ford