Willis Ward and Jesse Owens, Ford Motor Company, November 23, 1942

Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. In 1942, his friend Willis Ward encouraged Owens to join Ford Motor Company and ultimately succeed Ward as director of its personnel department for African American employees. Owens later worked in public relations at the company. He remained with Ford until 1946.