I recently had the chance to visit Gerald Ford’s Presidential Library...

...and his former office/meeting space in Ann Arbor, Michigan…

…and I’m excited to say it marked my 19th presidential site. 🇺🇸

Every one of these visits teaches me something different about leadership, decision-making, timing, pressure, and legacy.

Gerald Ford is fascinating because he’s often overlooked, but the more you study him, the more interesting he becomes.

Here are a few things that really stood out to me:

1. He was the only U.S. President never elected President or Vice President.
Think about that. He stepped into the highest office in the land during one of the most turbulent moments in American history, not through an election, but through constitutional necessity.

2. Before politics, he turned down offers from both the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers.
Ford was a star football player at Michigan. He had the toughness and discipline of an athlete long before he ever stepped into Washington.

3. He survived two assassination attempts in the same month.
Seventeen days apart in 1975. That alone is wild. Most people have no idea.

4. He pardoned Nixon and knew it could cost him politically.
Agree with it or not, it was one of the boldest and most controversial presidential decisions of the 20th century. He believed the country needed to move forward, even if it damaged his own standing.

5. He helped steady the country after Watergate.
Ford may not have had the flash of some presidents, but there’s something powerful about a leader whose greatest strength is calm, steadiness, and restoring trust after chaos.

That’s one of the reasons I enjoy these visits so much.

Some presidents are remembered for charisma.
Some for vision.
Some for force.

Ford reminds us that sometimes leadership is simply about stabilizing the room when everything feels shaky.

And now, on to the next one…

JFK’s Presidential Library and Museum is next.

That one has been on my list for a long time, and I can’t wait.