Ashley Hodge, CRFP
Panda Restaurant Group
Regional Facilities Manager

What year did you join RFMA? Why did you join RFMA? I joined RFMA November 2016 to prepare for the CRFP exam.

What groups are you involved in with RFMA?
- Females in Facilities
- Young Professionals
- Restaurant Members
- CRFP Group

What do you like most about RFMA and why? I love that RFMA provides a great community, support and a vast facility knowledge base for those within the Restaurant industry.

Which RFMA Resource do you utilize the most and why? I use Peer to Peer calls the most because I get to discuss and exchange knowledge with my peers & vendor business partners. 

What’s your hometown? Buffalo NY

What is your proudest accomplishment? Why? Jan 2017—I won 3^rd place in the USPA Powerlifting Competition lifting over 670lbs combined doing squat, bench press, and deadlift. Sometimes weightlifting is less about the weight. And more about what you are channeling through the challenge of hundreds of pounds crushing your back. The weights are objective. Will you let them dominate you? Or will you dominate them? Fitness is my therapy. Each of us has more strength than we know and can use it to make an impact in the world and in the lives of others. Why do I give my all? "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice your gift" - Steve Prefontaine

If you weren’t in the Facilities Industry, what would you be doing? I would manage a health/wellness center

What’s your favorite type of food? A classic PB & J sandwich

What is your favorite book? The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals

What is one of your favorite quotes? “I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.” - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Who knows you the best? My mom


Connect with Ashley on InSite! Click here to view Ashley's profile and connect now. 

Ashley has achieved her CRFP through our education program and she is involved in the Females in Facilities and Young Professionals groups. If you know of someone that you think should be highlighted in our Member PRO Files Blog please nominate them by emailing rheagan@rfmaonline.com.

Teresa Phelps
DENTCO
National Sales Director

What year did you join RFMA? Why did you join RFMA? 2006 I believe. To become a part of an association that focused on the services and needs of Facility Directors, managers and teams in the Restaurant & foodservice industry.

What groups are you involved in with RFMA? Females in Facilities, The RFMA  Community, The Vendor Community and RFMA Gives

What do you like most about RFMA and why? The people, the networking and this industry! This is the friendliest, most professional and hardworking group of people.  

Which RFMA Resource do you utilize the most and why? The national Show, FIF and both the magazine and website.  Each resource provides a different avenue for me for networking, researching, and doing business.  Jeff’s blog’s are funny and interesting as well as informative.  I love the Females in facilities.  What we have accomplished together and the bond we have formed is great. I learn from the magazine about our members and their accomplishments as well as keep up on our vendors.  What is there not to love about our national show every year?  Such a great time, well organized and fun place to do business and learn at our educational break-outs.

What’s your hometown? Where were you raised? I was born and raised in Lansing Michigan during the booming automobile industry.  General Motors, Oldsmobile and Fisher Body were in my backyard.  In 1980 I moved to a small town in northern Michigan for 25 years where my husband and I raised our 3 children. I worked for a foodservice distributor as their marketing and office manager. I moved back to Lansing in 2004 to accept the Sales Director position with DENTCO.  It was a huge bonus to be back with my 6 siblings and their families and my parents.

What is your proudest accomplishment? Married for 37 years and raising 3 great kids. 

Who is your favorite sports team? Michigan State Spartans – Go Green!

What is your ideal vacation? Anywhere warm and beautiful, preferably on the Gulf, no cooking, cleaning or laundry involved.  Adult beverages, good food with my friends and family in tow.

What’s your favorite type of food? Pasta – preferably with homemade sauce and ice cream as a hard second.

What is your favorite book? “Good to Great” by James Collins

What is one of your favorite quotes? “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.” John Templeton.   I read it first in 6^th grade and it has always stuck with me.  I strive to live this.

What is your favorite song? Growing up in the 70’s we had the best music so it’s hard to pick just one.  “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen remains at the top of the list along with America’s “A horse with no name”. Just try not to sing along….I dare you!

If you could meet an iconic person from History, who would it be? Helen Keller


Connect with Teresa on InSite! Click here to view Teresa's profile and connect now. 


Teresa has been a member with RFMA for over 10 years and she is involved in our Vendor Community, Females in Facilities, and RFMA Gives. If you know of someone that you think should be highlighted in our Member PROfiles Blog please nominate them by emailing rheagan@rfmaonline.com.

Kevin Carringer, CRFP
Senior Director of Facilities
Ruby Tuesday 

What year did you join RFMA? 2011.

Why did you join RFMA? Saw the organization as the industry leader for education and wanted to brainstorm with peers.

What do you like most about RFMA? The open dialogue with industry leaders. It’s a one stop shop for answers. 

Which RFMA Resource do you utilize the most and why? The magazine articles are great and I love to be able to search past articles. 

What is your guilty pleasure? Cookies, mostly chocolate chip, but really any kind. Oh! And cheesecake!

What is your ideal vacation? Anywhere I don’t get cell service.

Who is your favorite sports team? Pittsburgh Steelers.

What was the last book you read? Jesus Calling

Describe your best day. That’s an easy one. Every day is my new best day. I have learned to try and seize life each day and make sure I do not miss any “open windows- opportunities” in my life. I have found there are always going to be some tough days but if they are few and far between then I am right in the middle of a blessed life.

If you weren’t in the Facilities Industry, what would you be doing? College Coach or motivational speaker. Crowd attendance could be an issue but I would enjoy it…..

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Cooking for myself.

What is one of your favorite quotes? “Get busy living or get busy dying.” 

What is the most-played song? Motivational sports audio clips.

Do you have a secret talent and if so, what is it? It’s a secret.

If you could meet an iconic person from History, who would it be?  I want to meet the people that shaped, mentored and changed the lives of people such as Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther King, Abe Lincoln, General Patton, etc. It’s the people that shaped them I want to meet. 

Connect with Kevin on InSite! Click here to view Kevin's profile and connect now. 

Michael Kurland
CEO
Branded Group

What year did you join RFMA? Originally joined RFMA in 2009, have been a member with BG since 2014.

Why did you join RFMA? For the Networking opportunities with the industries finest.

What do you like most about RFMA?  The ability to keep up with this fast paced industry.

Which RFMA Resource do you utilize the most and why?  I utilize the website often.

What would be the title of your autobiography? Happiness, The Key

 What is your guilty pleasure?  Cassidy’s Cheeseburger, if you have never been to Newport Beach CA, put this on your list.

 What is your ideal vacation? Sand, Ocean, Surfboard and Scuba Gear, Drink with an umbrella.

 Who is your favorite sports team? New York Mets.

 What was the last book you read?  Conscious Capitalism

 Describe your best day.  Run on the beach, followed by brunch with friends and an afternoon sail with a special lady, sunset with a glass of wine.

 If you weren’t in the Facilities Industry, what would you be doing?  I’d love to say working in professional sports.

 What chore do you absolutely hate doing? Laundry.

 What is one of your favorite quotes? "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

Shawn Black, CRFP
Regional Vice President
CGP Maintenance & Construction Services, Inc.

What year did you join RFMA? 2014

Why did you join RFMA? When I started with CGP they were already a part of the organization. I saw it as a way to connect with new people and get the opportunity to learn more about our clients. I was not disappointed!

What do you like most about RFMA? I love the energy. The members aren’t like other organizations. I feel like I could walk right up and start a conversation with anyone and they would be open to it! It’s one of the best things about RFMA, you just feel WELCOME!

Which RFMA Resource do you utilize the most and why? For me it’s using the find others feature of InSite. Always needing contact info and I know right where to find it when I am on the go.

What would be the title of your autobiography?  How to Survive being a Creative Mind.

What is your guilty pleasure? I am a big foody and love watching Bizarre Foods.

What is your ideal vacation? My ideal vacation would be somewhere tropical, I thinking Fuji. I would be sitting on the beach with a cool ocean breeze blowing. Relaxing while sipping on an ice cold drink!

Who is your favorite sports team? Kansas City Chiefs

What was the last book you read? I am currently reading The Power of Body Language by Tonya Reiman & Unshakeable by Tony Robbins. The last book I finished was Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by: John Maxwell.

Describe your best day. Honestly my best day happens as soon as my feet touch the ground. If I am above ground it’s the best day. I have very little rules when it comes to being happy. Being surrounded by my friends and family is just the icing on the cake.

If you weren’t in the Facilities Industry, what would you be doing? That’s a great question; I think I would still be in construction. I love the idea of it! To create and build something that last for years and years. There is so much good that comes out of building.

What chore do you absolutely hate doing? The Dishes 

What is one of your favorite quotes?  That’s hard because there are so many influences on my life. One that shows up every day would be: “Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will”― Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.