The Toro Company named Tim Ford, 39, vice president and general manager of its Commercial Division effective August 20, 2001. Ford brings a host of experiences in manufacturing and service to his new role. At Toro, he'll oversee all aspects of product development, sales, marketing, service and manufacturing of golf and grounds maintenance products.

Prior to joining Toro, Ford headed Honeywell's Home and Building Controls North American Service Solutions operations as its vice president and general manager, and also led global marketing and business development for the $2 billion business unit. In addition, he led integration planning during Honeywell’s proposed merger with General Electric.

Ford also moved through the ranks at General Electric prior to joining Honeywell. He started in sales and marketing for GE Plastics, then served as an audit consultant within eight of GE's worldwide business units where he gained a wealth of knowledge on manufacturing, service and distribution systems. He went on to a four-year term in product management at GE Lighting.

Ford earned a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration from the University of Maine and an MBA from Bentley College in Waltham, Mass. He and his wife Joellen and their daughters live in the Minneapolis area.

The Toro Company has more than 4,700 employees around the world and is a leading provider of outdoor maintenance and beautification products for home, recreation and commercial landscapes.