Jack Ford

Who is Jack Ford?

Jack Ford is an American Democratic politician who served as the mayor of Toledo, Ohio, from January 2002 to January 2006.

A graduate of Ohio State University, Jack Ford received his Master's degree in Public Administration and his law degree from the University of Toledo. He spent most of his working life as an educator, teaching primarily at the University of Toledo for 22 years, but also at Bowling Green State University and Owens Community College.

Ford served in the Ohio House of Representatives for seven years, and was Democratic leader of the Ohio House for the final three. He was a speaker at the 2000 Democratic National Convention. In November 2001, he was elected Toledo mayor, replacing another Democrat, Carty Finkbeiner who, four years later, on November 8, 2005 was returned to office, defeating Ford in his re-election bid. Ford was Toledo's first African-American mayor.

On March 7, 2006, media reports revealed that Ford would be returning to Bowling Green State University as a practitioner-in-residence in the College of Arts and Sciences effective March 13, 2006. According to reports, Ford will mostly teach in the department of political science.

In June 2007, Ford was selected to fill a vacancy on the Toledo Board of Education.