Alumni Advocates of the Year

James R. Ford
Sonoma State University

In 1993, James (Jim) Ford became a principal of The Fifth Resource, Inc., a Cotati, California-based firm committed to helping businesses grow in Sonoma and Napa counties. The company promotes sustainable economic development through good business practices and employment advocacy, and utilizing industrial engineering tools to develop business and facilities plans.

Ford was the recipient of Sonoma State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004 and has been an active community volunteer. As board chair and advocate for the partnership between the Rancho Adobe Fire District and Sonoma State, he was instrumental in the development of a FEMA grant for more than $300,000 to replace breathing apparatus and other necessary equipment.

In numerous capacities, Ford has advocated at a local and state level on behalf of Sonoma State University and the California State University. He served as president for the Sonoma State University Alumni Association from 2000 to 2001 and was instrumental in the creation of the Alumni Grove, Alumni Amphitheater and Alumni Brick Path on campus. He earned a BS in industrial engineering from Cal Poly Pomona in 1972 and a master’s degree in management at Sonoma State in 1979.