Ford Motor Co. sent its employees an email early Wednesday, inviting them to attend what many expected to be a routine town hall a few hours later at 10 a.m.
There was no mention of the agenda or preview of a major announcement.
But it would prove to be what analysts and industry watchers consider one of the most pivotal days in the history of the 118-year-old automaker. Ford CEO Jim Farley captured the attention of Wall Street and saw the stock price climb after announcing at 7 a.m. plans to split Ford into electric and gas-powered vehicle divisions.