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At the start of his
career, he worked for the Ohio Department of Youth Services
and the Lucas County Mental Health Board. He later founded
the Substance Abuse Services, Inc (SASI), Adelante, Inc. and
the J. Frank Troy Senior Center.
Jack began his political
career in the late 1980’s with his election to Toledo City
Council. He was elected to and served in the Ohio House of
Representatives for seven years. He held the position of
Democratic Leader during his last three years in the state
legislature, the first African American to hold that
position.
Jack was elected mayor of
the City f Toledo in 2001 – the first African American to
hold that office. During his tenure in office, he created
CareNet, a health care safety net for the uninsured;
implemented the first city-wide smoking ban in the state of
Ohio; increased minority inclusion in city contracts;
launched the Youth Entrepreneur Program and sought to have
Toledo known as an “Elegant City.
He later served on the
Toledo Board of Education from 2007 to 1011 and was elected
to Toledo City Council in 2013
He also was a political
columnist for The Sojourner’s Truth newspaper.
On March 29, hundreds of
family members, friends and acquaintances packed Warren AME
Church for a celebration of his life. His pastor, the Rev.
Benjamin Green of New Covenant Baptist Church, served as
officiant and remarks were offered by former State
Representative Peter Lawson Jones of the Cleveland area,
State Representative Kevin Boyce of Columbus, former local
director of UAW Lloyd Mahaffey, former Mayor Carty
Finkbeiner, Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, Bishop Michael Pitts,
Ravi Perry and Kevin Burris
Remembering a Toledo
Giant: Jack Ford |
