Henry Ford III sees it as a competitive advantage. He was part of the automaker's negotiating team during last year's pivotal contract talks with the United Auto Workers, and says he saw first-hand the difference the Ford family can make in the company today. Now, the 28-year-old Ford is taking a leave of absence to complete his Master's of Business Administration at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But he took a few minutes to meet The Detroit News here, at the Piquette plant in Detroit where his great-great-grandfather changed the world, to talk about his decision to work at Ford, the company's future and the family's continuing role in it. What follows is an edited transcript of his exclusive first interview with the press. Q: What does it mean to you, personally, to work at the company your great-great-grandfather founded, a company that bears your name? A: It's really not something that I think a lot about. I come into work, and I feel like any other employee there. We've all got a job to do. But it's important for me to play a role in helping to turn the company around. Q: Did you always know you would work at Ford? A: In the back of my mind, I knew that was something I always wanted to do. Q: What has been the most interesting part of working at Ford? A: I was a member of the negotiations team working with the UAW on our contract negotiations in '07. That was a great experience. I met great people on the company and the union side. It was an honor to be a part of that. Q: Did your participation in those contract talks, as a member of the Ford family, make a difference? A: Yes. I tried to. But the family concept goes beyond just my family. Yes, Bill (Ford Jr., Ford's executive chairman), my father (Ford Director Edsel Ford II), and Elena (Ford, executive vice president, Ford Credit) and I -- the company is really important to us, and it's a great honor to be part of that. But I think a lot of that transcends the immediate Ford family. So many of these people have worked there so long, and their fathers have worked there, and their grandfathers have worked there, and their great-grandfathers have worked there. And I know that the company means so much to them. For me to have a chance to work with people like that, who have that same kind of passion for the company that I do, is pretty incredible. Q: Why have you decided to go back to school? A: I really enjoy the learning process. I learned a tremendous amount during the UAW contract negotiations, and I learned a tremendous amount during my purchasing experience. But to have the opportunity to go back to school and get a broader look at not only the automotive industry, but the business climate and how it fits together from a global perspective -- it's something that I didn't necessarily have a strong background in and wanted to learn more about. Q: CEO Alan Mulally is trying to create 'One Ford' out of the company's different regional divisions. Do you think that is the right strategy? Do you see Ford becoming a more truly global company? A: Yes. He's done a great job of strengthening the Ford brand. His mantra of 'One Ford' is absolutely right. We are really starting to leverage our global position. We truly are a global company, and we're finally starting to take advantage of that. Q: Is it important that members of the Ford family continue to play an active role as employees of the company? A: Yes. I think so. I think people appreciate the fact that this really is a family company. I think that adds some value to our brand. And, as I said, so many of our employees are Ford family members themselves, so I think to have us around is for them -- I hope -- an added benefit. It means an awful a lot to us as well to know that so many of our employees are so tied to the company. Q: Are you optimistic about the company's future? A: Yes, absolutely. I think that we have fantastic products out there. We've got even better products in the pipeline. We're finally starting to leverage the fact that we're a global company. We've got great small cars coming out of Europe. The Fiesta is an unbelievable car. The new Focus is wonderful. I'm very optimistic. Q: Is it daunting to walk in the footsteps of someone like Henry Ford, to look around a place like this factory that is so central to the history of America, and know that one day your generation of the family has got to take over that legacy? A: I don't know if it's daunting. I think it's an honor to play a part in continuing that legacy. Yes, we've got challenges in front of us, but I think we're certainly poised to overcome those challenges. For me, Ford means a lot more than just building cars, and I think it means a lot more than that to our employees, and our dealers and our suppliers. The company is so interwoven into the fabric of the history of the United States and, really, all over the world. I think that comes through in a lot of the things the company does, and that's important. You can reach Bryce Hoffman at (313) 222-2443 or bhoffmandteom.