Prior to his election to the Oklahoma State Senate, John had a 34-year career with Phillips Petroleum Company. Ford has a business degree from the University of Tulsa. He has lived, worked and worshiped in the area for over 40 years. He is a founding member and past president of both the Bartlesville Area Friends of the Parks and the Daybreak Rotary Club. His wife, Mary, is a past public school teacher. They have two married children, Jennifer and Jack and four grandchildren. John and his wife reside in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and attend the Good ShepherdPresbyterian Church.
Political career
Ford was elected to the state Senate on November, 2004, and re-elected without opposition in 2008. His priority issues are education, tort reform, Workers' Compensation and Highway 60 from Ponca City to Vinita. Ford represents District 29, consisting of Craig, Nowata, and Washington Counties. He has distinguished himself as a strong advocate for Oklahoma's children and for excellence in education. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy listed Senator Ford as having earned an "A" voting record on children's issues in the 2008 session. John also annually visits local classrooms as part of the "Legislators Back to School Program" which is a bipartisan national program to give children the opportunity to get to know their elected officials. In addition, the Oklahoma Youth Services Association recognized John by presenting him the "2008 Youth Advocate Award." During his first term in the State Senate, John was honored with the Senate "Legislator of the Year" award by the Oklahoma Association for Home Care. John earned one of the highest scores possible in the "2008 Legislative Report on Aging Issues" published by the Oklahoma Aging Partnership. The report featured legislation in the areas of financial security, long-term care issues and health care issues. The legislation and issues rated of top concern are determined by OAP, a non-partisan coalition including AARP Oklahoma, Oklahoma Alliance on Aging, Oklahoma Silver Haired Legislature Alumni Association and the Oklahoma State Council on Aging. Senator Ford has been named Majority Caucus Chair for 2009-2010 by his fellow members of the Republican majority. He has also been appointed Chairman of the Education Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee.
