Joe T. Ford was CEO and is a co-founder of Alltel, a global communications giant.
Joe T. Ford graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He went to work for Allied Telephone Company upon his graduation from college. He is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity.
Allied merged with Mid-Continent Telephone Corporation in 1983. The name of the newly expanded corporation was changed to Alltel, and Mr. Ford became its first President. Ford was promoted to CEO in 1987 and he became Chairman of the Board in 1991.
Under his leadership, Allied, now Alltel, grew from a predominantly rural Arkansas-based land line telephone company to a telecommunications giant with over 15 million customers and 10 billion dollars in annual revenue.
Ford is the Vice-Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club.