Black Engineer Online is thrilled to share that Alicia Boler Davis, a distinguished recipient of the top award at the BEYA STEM Conference, has been honored on the Forbes 50 Over 50 list. This recognition celebrates inspiring leaders and entrepreneurs reaching impressive milestones later in their journeys.
At the end of July, Ford Motor Company announced that Davis has been named president of Ford Pro, effective Oct. 1st. Davis was most recently CEO of Alto Pharmacy, an online pharmacy that grew revenue to more than $1 billion under her leadership before its acquisition in March.
From 2019 to 2024, she served in senior roles at Amazon, joining as vice president of global customer fulfillment and was then promoted to senior vice president in 2022. In that role, she guided Amazon’s global fulfillment network through the intense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, driving major advances in robotics and technology that kept goods moving for millions of customers around the world.
Before Amazon, Davis worked for 25 years at General Motors. She started as a manufacturing engineer and rose through leadership roles in manufacturing, quality, and connected customer experience. In her final GM post, as executive vice president of global manufacturing and labor relations, she oversaw 22 vehicle launches and managed 150 facilities in 20 countries. Davis was also honored with the top award at BEYA.
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“Alicia’s unique skillset and experiences make her the ideal leader to guide Ford Pro into the next era – accelerating our move into software and services and growing Ford Pro’s already strong profitability,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO, in a press release. “She combines deep automotive and technology knowledge with an entrepreneurial and customer-obsessed mindset. Importantly, she builds high-performance teams and fosters a culture of innovation, speed, and smart risk-taking.”
Davis, who was born in Detroit and had several family members, including her father and grandfather, who worked at Ford over the years, said the challenge of leading Ford Pro resonated deeply on a personal and professional level.
"I’m thrilled to return to a city and an industry that has meant so much to me, and join an iconic company like Ford," Davis said.
I’m thrilled to return to a city and an industry that has meant so much to me, and join an iconic company like Ford, Davis said.
Davis added that her experiences and all she has learned in 30-plus years at GM, Amazon, and Alto led to this opportunity to help Ford Pro reach its potential as an agile, technology-driven growth business that provides a competitive advantage for customers.
"If I had to create a role in the auto industry that would best utilize my experiences in both automotive and technology, it would be leading Ford Pro at this pivotal time," she said.
As the top 2018 BEYA winner, Davis was recognized as a goodwill ambassador for underrepresented minorities in science and technology, and for women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She keynoted the 2018 Council of Engineering Deans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities meeting at one of the historically black colleges and universities with ABET-accreditation.
Gooden, top 2006 BEYA winner, said Boler Davis would be a “positive role model to the next generation of women. At the time, Gooden was one of the few women to have received the top award. The list includes Shirley Ann Jackson, former president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Wanda Austin, former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, Lydia W. Thomas, former president and CEO of Mitretek Systems (now Noblis) and Stephanie C. Hill, current president of Rotary and Mission Systems at Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Davis.
"I'm well aware that over three decades, I'm the sixth woman to receive this award," Davis said in her acceptance speech. "But I sincerely hope it doesn't take another 32 years for six more women to get up on this stage. And I believe it won't, because of our commitment to open doors for our younger sisters."
Organizations like BEYA must ensure the next generation of engineers gets the education, access, and opportunity to succeed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers, Davis added.
"I loved math and science," Davis told the BEYA audience. "And I loved to tinker with things. I loved to figure out how things worked. So I taught myself to rewire appliances, fixing things around the house, things I usually had a hand in breaking in the first place. My family encouraged me to be better, and I had more encouragement along the way. People like my middle school teacher, who quickly identified my aptitude for math and science, and who truly encouraged me to be an engineer."
Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in engineering science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. Currently, she serves on the board of directors of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
