John B. Ford, Ph.D.
Professor of Marketing and International Business and Eminent Scholar, 51Ç鱨վ
Dr. John Ford is a distinguished Professor of Marketing and International Business, Eminent Scholar, and Haislip-Rohrer Fellow at 51Ç鱨վ (51Ç鱨վ) in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Ford earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Georgia. Since joining 51Ç鱨վ in 1985, he has demonstrated an impressive commitment to academia and community service.
Throughout his tenure at 51Ç鱨վ, John has been deeply involved in committee work across the departmental, college, and university levels. He has chaired several strategic planning committees for the Strome College of Business and co-chaired the Branding, Marketing, and Communication Committee for 51Ç鱨վ’s most recent Strategic Plan. His dedication to service has been recognized with the Strome College of Business Service Award, which he has received three times.
Beyond the university, John has made significant contributions to non-profits in the region, assisting them with strategic planning. For the past thirteen years, he has also served on the Steering Committee for Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, overseeing the $14 million renovation of its buildings and grounds.
John’s research interests lie in cross-cultural perceptual studies, focusing on areas such as advertising, branding, nonprofit organizations, and research methodology. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, several books, and numerous book chapters. From 2014 to 2022, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Advertising Research and now serves as the Associate Editor for Advertising at both the Journal of Business Research and the Italian Journal of Marketing. His work has appeared in leading marketing and international business journals, earning him the Strome College of Business Research Award four times. Additionally, John is a Distinguished Fellow of the Academy of Marketing Science and serves on its Board of Governors and on the Executive Committee as the Co-Director of International Programs.
Before embarking on his academic career, John gained extensive industry experience as an account executive and municipal bond specialist at Watling, Lerchen, and Company in Detroit, Michigan; a bank trust officer at Manufacturer’s National Bank of Detroit; a sales manager for import-export firm Gentrex Company in Detroit; and a management consultant and executive recruiter specializing in mergers and acquisitions with the Blunt Company, Detroit.