Kerri Ford
Baltimore,MD
Summary
Experienced with managing front-of-house operations and guest relations. Utilizes effective communication to ensure smooth operations and guest satisfaction. Track record of coordinating staff and resolving conflicts efficiently.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Head Host
Pusser's Landing Canton Waterfront
07.2025 - 11.2025
- Responsible for day-of duties such as, but not limited to:
- Opening duties: Creating server sections, ensuring servers arrived on time and made aware of said section, ensuring all staff- Managerial, kitchen, bar, & wait staff - were aware of upcoming reservations/parties/ or special events for the day/week, calling to confirm large parties, & tiding up the entire restaurant to ensure customers would be welcomed into a warm, clean environment
- Handling all customer questions and special requests
- Researching new products and trends to stay on top of customers' potential needs/wants
- Training additional hosts to ensure they knew our day-to-day routines & standards
- Handling hosting schedule for the week(s)
- Closing duties: Ensuring all staff were up-to-date with changes and additions to the schedules/reservations, ensuring host area is clean & presentable, & closing meeting with manager on duty
- Often trusted and able to work shifts (anywhere from 6 - 12+hrs) at the host stand by myself
General Manager
Dorsey's Search Wine & Spirits
01.2024 - 06.2025
- Responsible for day-of duties such as, but not limited to:
- Opening duties: Ensuring shelves are stocked, cash register is balanced, store is cleanly, and doors are unlocked by opening time.
- Handling all customer transactions, questions, and special requests
- Managing inventory and placing orders for additional product(s) when needed
- Ensuring all shipments come in complete and on time
- Ensuring all invoices are paid on time and budgeted correctly
- Researching new products and trends to stay on top of customers' potential needs/wants
- Closing duties: Ensuring all shipments have been entered into the system, ensuring all product is put away, counting and balancing the register, locking and securing the building before leaving
- Often trusted and able to work shifts (anywhere from 6 - 12+hrs) by myself.
Maître D'
Martin's West Caterers
03.2023 - 01.2024
- Working directly with the Sales Department to ensure all event contracts are always up to date with the client's specific requests and needs.
- Working directly with the Kitchen staff to ensure the menu matches the client approved contract, ensuring the meals were to be served on time according to the client's approved timeline, and dietary restrictions, if applicable, have been addressed.
- Responsible for day-of duties such as, but not limited to:
- Setting the ballroom(s) to match client approved floor plan (placing and dressing tables and chairs, ensuring the decorations are up to standards, etc.)
- Responding and handling any client requests, changes, and/or questions day of
- Managing staff (Wait staff, porters, bartenders, back-of-house) to ensure they are on time, in proper uniform, and are fulfilling their assigned tasks during the entirety of the event
- Stepping into any role at any time to ensure we stay on time and up to Martin's West standards throughout the entirety of the event
- Breakdown and reset of ballroom(s) after the event has ended
- Filing of Maître D' report in a timely manner after the event has ended
Community Event Coordinator
Historic Oakland at Columbia Town Center Association
02.2022 - 12.2022
- Single-handedly scheduled, organized, budgeted, and executed (if applicable) all community events for the 2022-2023 calendar year for the Village of Historic Oakland, Columbia which included duties such as:
- Registration set-up and monitoring using CMS programs (Zoho, Eventbrite, etc.)
- Responded to customer inquiries pre- and post-event
- Responsible for making sure all events stay within the yearly budget
- Responsible ensuring money-generating events were profitable
- Breaking a company-wide record for most attendees at any one community event in Columbia
Executive Administrator/ Event Coordinator
Money Map Press
01.2019 - 02.2022
- Progressed from Administrator to Event Coordinator in less than six months.
- Managed multiple investment conferences with 20-300 attendees, which included:
- Registration set-up and monitoring using CMS programs (Zoho, Eventbrite, etc.)
- Travel and hotel coordination for event staff and speakers
- Responded to customer inquiries pre- and post-event
- Produced swag and print collateral for attendee distribution
- Created comprehensive schedules for successful programs
- Coordinated live event - managing speakers, schedules, staff, registration, livestream production, and breakout sessions
- Coordinated hotel and travel for all MMP employees, editors, contractors, and guests.
- Assisted with Marketing Production - including ad and email set-up and reporting.
- Planned and executed company's annual holiday party with 300+ guests, corporate gifts, and multiple pre-event get-togethers.
Marketing Representative
Tradewinds Studios
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Managed upwards of 20 customer contracts at a time, which included:
- Sourcing different garments and products from numerous manufacturers
- Drawing up detailed contracts and price quotes for the customer's specific order
- Liaison between the customer, art department, and production team and between the customer and shipping department
- Invoicing orders and collecting payment for all open contracts
- Completed duties that included answering telephones, organizing customer files, and detailed filing and record keeping.
- Responsible for all checks and bank account activities for the company.
National Event Coordinator
Media Star Promotions
01.2014 - 11.2017
- Managed up to seven nationwide tours at a time, which included:
- Booking travel for over 30 employees
- Negotiating pricing for exhibitor space at festivals
- Negotiating dates and times with retail locations and facilities for staff to execute promotions for clients
- Liaison between event organizers and our staff
- Handled Internal Reporting to outline our progress towards any and all client-set goals, including entering each of our tour's weekly numbers into several different reports to compile our year-to-date standing with the client.
- Adhered to and managed the client's large budget for both event and yearly goals.
- Trained Division Managers on paperwork, client's software, federal guidelines, and organization of information both electronically and in-house; trained new hires on event coordinator positions.
- Researched festivals that aligned with brand's demographics.
- Helped coordinate a Fortune 300 company's first annual nationwide tour.
- Ensure activations comply with federal, state, and local regulations.
Office Administrator
Exit Results Realty
11.2009 - 01.2014
- Brought over from Exit First Realty by Jim Hyatt when he opened his own office, Exit Results Realty.
- Corresponded with over 50 agents to make sure all contracts and listing agreements were complete and up-to-date before settlements; released agent's commission checks after settlements.
- Responsible for all checks and bank account activities for three office locations.
- Completed duties that included, greeting clients, answering the telephone, and detailed filing and record keeping.
- Maintaining office websites in addition to posting all ads on multiple websites.
- Trained new agents on contract and listing forms, as well as office websites.
- Organized and co-hosted office events.
Education
Centennial High School
2005
Skills
- Exceptional communication
- Team management
- Guest relations
- Complaint handling
- Promotional strategies
- Strong leadership
- Customer service
- Effective multitasking
- Detail-oriented
Timeline
Head Host
Pusser's Landing Canton Waterfront
07.2025 - 11.2025
General Manager
Dorsey's Search Wine & Spirits
01.2024 - 06.2025
Maître D'
Martin's West Caterers
03.2023 - 01.2024
Community Event Coordinator
Historic Oakland at Columbia Town Center Association
02.2022 - 12.2022
Executive Administrator/ Event Coordinator
Money Map Press
01.2019 - 02.2022
Marketing Representative
Tradewinds Studios
01.2018 - 01.2019
National Event Coordinator
Media Star Promotions
01.2014 - 11.2017
Office Administrator
Exit Results Realty
11.2009 - 01.2014
Centennial High School