MAYSVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

 According to J Mays, vice president of design for Ford Motor Corporation, the most important lesson he learned from vocational education was craftsmanship and what he describes as "the satisfaction of doing something well."

That's what makes Mays, the designer of the new Volkswagen Beetle and Ford Thunderbird, one of Oklahoma's Career Tech Champions.

Career Tech Champions are alumni of the system's programs or student organizations who have found success in a career and attribute much of that success to their vocational experience.

Thousands of car enthusiasts have enjoyed Mays' craftsmanship by either driving or viewing his creations. Mays was responsible for redesigning the new Volkswagen Beetle and his concept for the Ford Thunderbird made its debut at the 1999 North American International Auto Show.

His career has taken him from a small town in Oklahoma to Munich, Germany and now Detroit, Mich. where he is one of Ford's top designers. That journey began in a occupational drafting program at Mid-America Technology Center, Wayne.

While a student at Maysville High School, Mays enrolled in Mid-America's drafting program because he wanted to become an architect. He thought it would be good preparation for college.

"I was looking for a creative outlet and I saw it (the drafting program) as a chance to sharpen my skills," Mays said.

After graduating from Maysville High School in 1972, Mays enrolled in the University of Oklahoma as an art student. He later switched to journalism and studied that for three years before returning to his first love, art.

Mays went on to study at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. After graduating in 1980 he was recruited by Audi to work as a designer in Germany.

He said his background in drafting gave him a good foundation for design school.
 
"My vocational training made me understand the execution of clarity that is needed for commercial art or automotive design," Mays said.

Mays was also employed by BMW in Germany where he worked on exterior design proposals for the BMW 5 and 8 series.

He returned to the U.S. in 1989 and took a position as chief designer in Volkswagen of America's Design Center in Simi Valley, Calif. At Volkswagen he was responsible for the design and branding of the Volkswagen Concept 1, the precursor to the new Beetle.

In 1997 Mays was named vice president-Design of Ford Automotive Operations. In that position, he is responsible for designs on all Ford cars and vehicles produced by Ford's sister companies such as Mazda, Lincoln and Mercury.

Mays said his vocational training not only gave him a good foundation for college, but it was also a change of pace from regular high school classes.
 
"I think career and technology education offers young people a different insight that it is away from the high school routine," he said.

At Mid-America, Mays said he met people from different walks of life and experienced perspectives that were not normally available to a student from a small town like Maysville.

Story by: Manny Otiko
Communications and Marketing
Email: motik@okcareertech.org

Send mail to mysvllbk@wilnet1.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 05/15/03