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.
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.
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.
[1] In June 2007, Ford was selected to fill a vacancy on the Toledo Board of Education.
In his public career as a legislator and city executive, Ford was responsible for the creation of the Toledo Youth Commission, the lead abatement program, the medication education for the elderly program, the Toledo curfew law, and the drug paraphernalia law.