Former New Mexico Tech President Kenneth Ford remembered for transformative leadership

Kenneth W. Ford, the former president of New Mexico Tech, whose vision NMT reshaped the campus and strengthened its academic reputation, is being remembered in Socorro for the deep devotion and determination he brought to the community he served from 1975 to 1982.

Ford recently passed at the age of 99 according to his obituary.  NMT historian Paige Christiansen said Ford had presided over one of the most significant periods of growth in Tech’s history. 

His presidency is perhaps best remembered for the creation of the Macey Center, now a cornerstone of Socorro’s cultural life. 

“I personally am indebted to Dr. Ken Ford for his vision and fortitude in getting the Macey Center built against all odds,” said Ronna Kalish, retired Director of the Performing Arts Series and current Community Engagement Manager. “It allowed the Performing Arts Series to become a leader in arts presenting in the region for which I will be forever grateful.”

The performing arts venue, today widely embraced by the community, was fiercely debated at the time. Ford pushed the project forward despite intense opposition, a decision that ultimately contributed to the end of his presidency, said his son Jason Ford.

Ford’s commitment to New Mexico Tech extended well beyond administrative decisions. Jason Ford recalls him flying his small airplane to Santa Fe to lobby lawmakers on Tech’s behalf, a reflection of how personally invested he was in the institution’s future. 

“He was so devoted to Tech,” Jason Ford said.

According tohis son, he also made a point of participating in campus traditions, even those he didn’t particularly enjoy. Each year, Ford ran Tech’s annual 9‑miler, a race he openly disliked, his son said. He would begin training about six weeks beforehand so he could make a respectable showing and help promote the event. Jason Ford recalled one athletic director saying Ford wasn’t really in shape for the run, but he did it anyway.

Under Ford’s leadership, Christiansen said that Tech expanded its facilities, budget and academic reach. 

Though his career later took him to other institutions and national scientific organizations, Ford’s family said that his years in Socorro marked one of the most consequential chapters of his life, and some of the most transformative years in New Mexico Tech’s history.