DEARBORN, Mich. — FordDirect's Valerie Fuller will be stepping down as COO on Sept. 1 to pursue other opportunities, the company announced last week.

Fuller’s tenure at the FordDirect spanned 11 years. During that time, she played a leadership role in product development, marketing and sales, customer support, analytics and technology, the company stated. During the first half of the year, Fuller served as interim CEO until current CEO Mike Jurecki took over in June.

"In addition to building a strong product portfolio to lead Ford Motor Co. and dealers in the retail digital space, Valerie has helped cultivate important relationships with our Ford and dealer customers," Jurecki said.  "Her strong leadership has positioned FordDirect for continued success long into the future. We are truly grateful for her many years of service."

During her tenure, Fuller aided FordDirect’s growth from a startup company to one with more than 200 employees and a digital portfolio of more than 20 products. Last year, that porftolio of products helped Ford and Lincoln dealers deliver sell nearly one million vehicles.