Calabar High School

"The Utmost for the Highest"

Dr. Ricardo Ford to give Lecture on Founders' Day

The Calabar High School, founded 1912 will be commemorating its 106th anniversary with a lecture on Founders Day, September 12 starting at 6 p.m. at the Jamaica Theological Seminary. The lecture, ‘Determination for one’s self value and how it fits in today’s global work environment,’ will be delivered this year by Calabar’s Class of 1978 graduate, engineer and businessman Dr. Ricardo ‘Rique’ Ford.

Dr. Ford demonstrated an interest in mechanics from the age of seven, where he gravitated to the fast action of motorcycles, cars, airplanes and eventually performance offshore boats, which spurred his interest into modifying existing engine configurations and constructing his own.  Today he is highly regarded as an innovator in the silicone elastomer industry.

With a PhD in Chemistry, he has spent three decades spearheading numerous engineering designs development and delivery of technical solutions and has achieved global patents on buoyant silicone rubber, thermally conductive silicones, and fuel and performance enhancing additives, due to his varied experience in the field of Aerospace, Government Military, Marine and Automotive engineering, Bio-Chemistry and Quality certification.  His work has been cited numerous times in industry trade periodicals.

He is also well known for his Ragamuffin Offshore Racing Team, which was globally recognized as a marine brand cumulating three APBA/UIM world championships and three Unbroken World UIM speed records and has consulted and acted as a stunt driver for several movie and television productions.

Mr. Ford certainly embodies the school’s motto, ‘The Utmost For The Highest’, as his businesses, chemical and mechanical engineering background along with his racing acuity has propelled him to the top of this very competitive industry.