Bringing Transformative Change to the Auto Industry
Ford’s Spencer leads with passion and courage.
The Ford Motor Company builds more than just cars. The automaker has also built a reputation for innovation in its desire “to create a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams,” says Travis Spencer, the automaker’s head of Supplier Diversity and Inclusion (SD&I). He embodies that vision by bringing passion and courage to his work.
“You have to be courageous to work in supplier diversity,” he says. “You can’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. It takes courage to say we’re doing a good job but also acknowledge that we need to do more to make transformational change in our industry.”
Born and raised in Detroit, Spencer grew up with manufacturing in his blood as several family members worked in the industry. After graduating from the University of Detroit Mercy with a degree in accounting, he landed a purchasing internship at Ford.
“The internship provided valuable insights into the demanding nature of manufacturing and the importance of discipline to be successful in the automotive industry,” he recalls.
After spending several years in various purchasing roles, Spencer was named head of Supplier Diversity and Inclusion in 2019. His team includes two program managers and two analysts, who, he says, are as passionate about working with diverse suppliers as he is.
One Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) can help uplift their communities, and Spencer points to LM Manufacturing as an example. A joint venture between Magna International and LAN Manufacturing, LM Manufacturing designs and assembles seats for several Ford vehicle lines. Spencer says the company is intentional about making an economic impact and has created more than 400 jobs within the Detroit metro area as a result of its business with Ford Motor Company.
LM’s business model though isn’t about making car seats, he adds, but about being a successful contributor to the community.
“They’ve gone out to Detroit schools and invited students to their facility to teach them about the auto industry and manufacturing,” Spencer says. “Some students have had opportunities to work as interns at their facility. The students see that manufacturing is more than assembly line jobs, and they can see that there are more careers in manufacturing than they thought.”
Spencer is just as intentional about identifying opportunities for diverse suppliers in all areas across the enterprise. When Ford opened the BlueOval City mega campus in West Tennessee to build electric vehicles, Spencer and his team developed a strategy to reach out to local advocacy groups, civic organizations and government leaders in those markets so minority businesses could get involved with the new development.
The strategy paid off, resulting in more than $2.35 billion sourced to diverse businesses through their general contractor Walbridge leading the construction of BlueOval City in Tennessee. Ford also sourced more than $214 million to diverse businesses to support the production of the next-generation electric truck being manufactured in Stanton, Tennessee.
“That initiative resulted in 40% spend with minority, women-owned, veteran and small businesses in the Tennessee market alone,” says Spencer.
Looking ahead, he wants to continue to champion transformational change in the auto industry. Many of the electronics found in vehicles today are produced by larger tech companies, which leaves small and diverse companies out of the mix. Spencer says he’d like to see Ford facilitate alliances between these tech leaders and small, minority businesses to produce electronics and emerging commodities for the industry.
“Without those types of alliances, there will likely be less involvement by diverse suppliers,” Spencer says.
Spencer’s contributions to supplier diversity has earned recognition from numerous organizations and publications, including Minority Business Development Leader of the Year by the National Minority Supplier Diversity Council in 2023.
“Working with Travis is inspirational,” says his colleague, LaTara Brown, Program Manager of Supplier Diversity and Inclusion. “He thinks about the future, and he cares about people. Having that combination in a manager is special.”
Spencer says leading the supplier diversity team for Ford is “the most fulfilling and rewarding” of his career.
“It’s helped my personal growth in the company and given me a chance to prove myself.”
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