Hospitality Industry Consulting & Marketing Services For
Nightclubs, Bars, Restaurants & Hotels since 1983

Greetings! My name is Ray Ford. I've been in the Hospitality business most of my adult life. My career has provided me with the opportunity to work in many challenging situations. From mom & pop neighborhood bars to huge nightclubs to restaurants to hotels, from small companies to large national chains to my own food & beverage venue.,, even a cruise ship along the way.

I was one of the creators of the legendary Bobby McGee's food/dance chain… We were the first successful restaurant chain to provide an in-house DJ Entertainer nightclub concept as part of the venue.

I was the first club DJ/programmer. I created & supervised our BMC company music menu… created an in-house DJ training program (over 50 DJs) that resulted in stronger controls, lower turnover, long-term sales growth & created a career path for my DJs. (many advanced to become mangers & supervisors)

I was part of the Executive Team that combined to design, build, open & operate the first 16 Bobby McGees Food/Dance venues. When building a company, you wear many hats & participate in operations at all levels. I also was active in R&D, market research & scouting new locations.

As V P, Marketing & Entertainment, I was responsible for all lounge/club beverage sales which accounted for nearly 50% of the $35,000,000 annual sales for theb16 unit chain.

In addition, I was a corporate trainer for 10 years, active in recruiting, hiring & training personnel at all levels. I was part of the supervisory team that assisted in all store pre-opening activities.

In 1983, I resigned from Bobby McGees & sold my stock so I could focus on developing my own business model, FORD Management Services, which provides consulting & marketing services for the Hospitality Industry. 

We assist clients in creating new & renewed concepts for hotels, restaurants & nightclubs. To date, we've been privileged to participate in the creation or upgrade of over 100 unique new concepts throughout the US, Canada & beyond.

In 1995, I created FordManagementServices.com. As a result of this learning experience, we now provide a number of customized technical services including website creation & management for our clients. For more, see "Internet" below

In addition, we also offer tech support services combined with a marketing approach using website, email & text message marketing…. all managed as one program which is very efficient & cost-effective for the client. This concept increases traffic & lowers advertising costs. Bottom Line: I can now provide a package of Big-Time, Major Market type services for any client at a very reasonable rate.

For more about FORD Management Services, see our Nightclub & Bar magazine cover story on the Waterfront in Cincinnati.

Training Seminars - A service that we've provided for many of our clients. In addition, we feel our public workshops conducted in conjunction with Nightclub & Bar Magazine & their industry trade shows have set a high standard for excellence & results. Over the years, more than 10,000 people from all 50 states, foreign countries & the world-wide military club systems have attended my seminars & workshops.

The Management Best Seller - An e-book adventure in learning on CD entitled, "Bar/Nightclub Management & Marketing - 101 Ways To Make The Cash Register Ring!" is based on 30+ years of my own real life experiences. It’s a detailed, “hands-on" workbook jam-packed with proven systems, controls, procedures A-Z PLUS, traffic & sales generating ideas that work! We feel it's one of the most complete packages of its kind for food & beverage managers. A mini-college course packed with ways to help you become a more successful! operator committed to “MAKE THE CASH REGISTER RING!”

For more details & how to order, click here.

CONTACT US - email: HospitalityCenter@msn.com

Babes Sports Bar Entertainment Center – Albuquerque, N. Mex.

Baja Beach Clubs – Florida, Georgia

Bally's Corp – Chicago, Milwaukee, Houston
Billiard Palace – Anchorage, Alaska
Bobby McGees – Arizona, Texas, California, Colorado, Hawaii
ceverything.com - San Francisco, CA
Cyber City Cybercafé - Las Vegas, NV
Culver Companies (hotels) - Portland, Salem, Oregon
Dick Clark Productions – LA
Dimensions/Planet Zir Entertainment Complex - San Jose, CA
Disney's Pleasure Island – Orlando, FL
Entertainment One – Multiple Texas Locations
Fantasy Show Bar – Mt Ephran, NJ
Finnegan's Pub – Bangor, Maine
Gables Nightclub - Bunker Hill, West Virginia
Gilliam Investments – Texas, Minnesota
Graham Entertainment – Arizona, Texas
Harborage Corp. – Texas, various US
Holiday Inns – Various US
Holly’s Inc. (2 Holiday Inns & restaurants) –  Grand Rapids, MI
Hospitality Corp. of Manitoba (5 locations) – Winnipeg, Canada
Hot Rod Dinin’ & Dancin’ – Honolulu, HI
Landmark Hotels – FL, PA, Michigan
Legends – La Cross, WI
McFadden Partners – USA Café – Ft. Worth, TX
Mister Lucky's – Phoenix, AZ
Outer Limits Entertainment Complex – Bradenton, Florida
PCDJ (Visiosonics) - Clearwater, FL
Pier 34 and Mushalu Floating Restaurant – Philadelphia, PA
Portland Spirit Dinner Cruises - Portland, Oregon
Precinct Steak House – Cincinnati, OH
Sterling Hotels – WA, OR
Studebaker's – FL
Toby Restaurants - Manchester, UK
US Air Force – US Army - US Marines - seminar/workshops
US Navy MWR – CA, MD, WA, SC, DC, Iceland
Waterfront Entertainment Complex – Covington, KY (Cincinnati)
Waterside Live! Entertainment Center – Norfolk, VA
Web City Cyber Café –  VA Beach, VA
Weingartner/Hammons (hotels) – OH, Various US
Ziggy's/Buzz Cyber Café – Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

Related Activities

Internet

In 1995, we made the transition to cyberspace by creating our highly acclaimed business sites on the Internet. FORD Management now offers a full line of Web Marketing services including web page design & webmaster services. Some of our web design credits include:

FORDManagementServices.com - This website,
   online since 1995
Hospitality Industry Resource Center
B-21 Fine Wines & Spirits - High volume beverage
   retailer
digitalDJstuff.com  - Site for DJs, music & MP3
Gables Nightclub - Bunker Hill, West Virginia
Tropic Zone - Gift Shop, Clearwater Beach, Florida 
Blanch - Worldwide listing of Bars, Nightclubs,
   Restaurants & Cybercafés
NLBA.org - National Licensed Beverage Assn.
Solitude Wines
Marietta Cellars

Some Technology Credits

I've been a Microsoft beta tester since Windows 95.

In March, 1999, I was recruited by RealNetworks to join the alpha team that developed the RealJukebox mp3 audio player, the first complete all-in-one device for ripping, recording, creating playlists for mp3's & then dubbing your music to CD. That was a really kewl experience!

And, I am a proud to have served on the board of The Hampton Roads Internet Association.

For more on the services we provide for our clients, click here.

From The Bookstore

"Bar/Nightclub Management & Marketing!"

The manager's guide to creating traffic & increasing sales using easy, proven formulas for success

To order, click here.

Hospitality Industry Resource Center "News You Can Use" for the worldwide nightclub, bar, café,  restaurant & hotel community.

Go there now.     

The Ford Report, Established in 1988, a FREE newsletter, with subscribers in all 50 states & 42 countries worldwide.

The Ford Report gives you the latest on managing, marketing, promotion entertainment & technology that effects the Hospitality Industry.

Subscribe here.