The Purchasing Pro
Nicholas Walker is driven by solving complex procurement challenges and keeping production lines for one of the world鈥檚 leading automotive companies running smoothly. As a central buyer with Ford Motor Company, Walker has managed $200 million in spending for all of North America鈥檚 seat foam sourcing. He has also led purchasing for the company鈥檚 front-end module and managed inbound supplier quality on interior parts.
As Ford shifted to a virtual work environment in 2020, Walker was part of the purchasing onboarding team that progressed ideas and processed changes from the 鈥渢hink鈥 stage to implementation.
Walker firmly believes that a company鈥檚 culture should provide a welcoming and exciting environment that makes every workday worthwhile. He has joined Ford鈥檚 culture team in every department he has served, and is especially enthusiastic about mentoring new hires and working with the company鈥檚 volunteer initiative program.
Best Learning Experience at WMU: 鈥淢y short-term study abroad trip to Germany. This trip sparked my interest in how companies work in a global market, staying competitive in both price and customer needs.鈥