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Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, coordinator of the Interfaith Community Outreach (ICO), and Hasina Abdu (leadership team), visit the August 2nd event.

The automotive industry is moving toward the production of driverless, autonomous vehicles, with manufacturers and suppliers developing technology to move toward that end.

Canton Township officials would like to see some of that industry set up shop in their hometown.

Toward that goal, township officials last week hosted an informational session designed to introduce local stakeholders to that technology.

More than 70 residents — a crowd large enough to force officials to move it from Canton Township Hall to the Summit on the Park — turned out for the session.

Township Trustee Anne Marie Graham Hudak has worked over the past four years in autonomy and electrical infrastructure for vehicles at Ford. She knows many Canton residents work in similiarly high-tech industries.

“I believe it is important for Canton to be part of moving forward with this technology in order to serve both its high-tech residents, as well as its under-served populations,” Graham Hudak said. “Many in the area want technology to work for them. Other residents do not have transportation readily accessible or available, including seniors, the disabled and those without vehicles.”

Graham-Hudak was singled out for her role in proliferating Ford’s electric vehicle charging access for employees: “While leading vehicle electrification adoption, Graham-Hudak created and executed a plan to add 300 electric vehicle charging stations for employees and collaborated with communities across North America to create additional infrastructure. She managed a network of 500 workplace chargers, one of the largest in the country, and worked with university programs focused on confidential advanced electrical vehicle infrastructure implementation.”

“It is such an honor,” said Graham-Hudak, who also serves on the Canton Township Board of Trustees. She has been with Ford for five years and previously had a six-year Ford stint.

She worked at Chrysler for four years and the Federal Aviation Administration for four years. Graham-Hudak has a bachelor of science degree in electrical/electronic engineering from Boston University and an MBA from Lawrence Technological University, which she earned this past December.

“Many girls have a very strong desire to change the world from a very young age – I know that was true of my four sisters and myself-three of us are engineers, one is a special education teacher, and the youngest is a physical therapy assistant. Microsoft conducted a poll and found that 72 percent of the girls polled said it was important for them to have jobs that directly helped the world, but only 37 percent thought of STEM as being creative or making the world better,” said Graham- Hudak.

“Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers are a very powerful way to make these changes, whether it be through finding cures for diseases, launching ways to reduce pollution, inventing or implementing technology in their communities, teaching children with special needs, even composing a symphony, to name a few. STEM will bring the future to our communities and workplaces and it is important our daughters be there to lend their creative and unique perspective. I have been in many engineering meetings where women have brought ideas to the table that the men did not consider – we are unique and a large percentage of the consumers of technology and decisions in our home and world,” she said.

“I love math and science as it opens the doors to so many fields and possibilities, and everything around us can be described by math and science. The acronym is now STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics – it is all important,” she concluded.

Anne Marie Graham-Hudak Subject Matter Expert, Sustainability, Environment & Safety Engineering, Ford Motor Co. Education: Master of Business Administration, Lawrence Technological University

Before she began directing a team on advanced university collaborative projects in electric mobility, carbon footprint reduction and charging, Anne Marie Graham-Hudak led teams within the radio, audio infotainment and connectivity development.

“Anne Marie is enthusiastic in her passion for technology. This is exemplified in how many chargers she has placed across Ford sites, and her continual push for infrastructure improvements to move our world forward,” said Julie De Hagen, Ford Motor Company STEAM business partner mentor.

While leading vehicle electrification adoption, Graham-Hudak created and executed a plan to add 300 additional electric vehicle charging stations for employees and collaborated with communities across North America to create additional infrastructure. She managed a network of 500 workplace chargers, one of the largest in the country, and worked with university programs focused on confidential advanced electrical vehicle infrastructure implementation.

In addition, she received a Ford Motor Company “secret” patent for a process to digitize equalizer amplifiers for audio systems and has patents pending for a vehicle app and for an advanced confidential electrical vehicle project.

Moreover, as planning commissioner and a board trustee for Canton Township, she uses technology to better the lives of residents.

“Anne Marie brings her technical expertise and engineering background to her role as a township trustee and as the board representative on the planning commission. As Canton Township grows exponentially in population and development, she is at the vanguard, ensuring we embrace economic trends to create a 21st century community,” said Canton Township Clerk Michael Siegrist.