He was born in Youngstown, Ohio on June 13, 1924, to Greek-American parents, Rubena (Markakis) and Angelo Michelakis (sometimes spelled Mechilakis), whose surname was Americanized to Meshel.
The Americanization school displays hints of Art Deco while also taking in North African–Islamic influences that he picked up from his brief partnership with Frank Mead, another San Diego architect.
In his book, The Arab Americans: A history, writer Gregory Orfalea describes Ford's inspiration by quoting him, "Their family life, their clean way of living impressed me and I decided that the Americanization of such a race was a big factor in making the "melting pot" one of the greatest nations of history".
Jean de Kervasdoué, a health economist, believes that French medicine is of great quality and is "the only credible alternative to the Americanization of world medicine." According to Kervasdoué, France's surgeons, clinicians, psychiatrists, and its emergency care system (SAMU) are an example for the world.