Title: Owner
Company: Reliable R.V. Repair
Location: Brunswick, GA
Education: Coursework, Nationally Accredited Institutes
Career History: Owner, Reliable RV Repair (2022-Present); Operations Director, Service Director, Service Manager, Service Rider, Technician, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (12 Years); U.S. Army (Eight Years); Police Officer (Five Years)
Christopher Ford, Owner at Reliable R.V. Repair, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the fields of repair and maintenance.
Attributing his career success to his upbringing and natural perseverance, Mr. Ford grew up predominantly raised by his grandmother, Heidi. As a teenager, he aspired to follow in the footsteps of his only male role models by joining the military, like his uncle Tony, and become a police officer, like his uncle Ralph; despite doubt from his great-grandfather, who believed he did not have what it took to handle both roles, he strived to prove him and any other naysayers wrong. With nothing given to him, he worked extremely hard to become the man he desired to be. Upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998 and served for eight years as an infantryman before ultimately working as a police officer for five years, only leaving that career after being injured in the line of duty.
Subsequently, Mr. Ford shifted his focus to automotive service, working as a technician at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. He excelled here for 12 years, advancing from service rider to service manager to service director and operations director. In addition, during this time, he grew as a company leader who put priority on care for employees and customers; he attended the National Automobile Dealers Association school to better understand automotive financial statements and learn how to compensate technicians and charge customers properly. As a testament to his success, he was recognized by the American Honda Motor Corporation with a President’s Award.
Mr. Ford relocated to Southeast Georgia, wanting to do something different and on his own. One afternoon, he visited a restaurant in front of an RV park, where he had lunch and thought about what he could do to raise money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Looking out, he saw a beautiful but dirty RV, so he took it upon himself to Google to see if there were any people washing these massive motorhomes in the area. After a short search, he found there was an opportunity to make money for the Shriners (he’s both a Mason and a Shriner). He made a quick drive to Walmart and purchased some Avery business cards he could print a name on and put under the door handles of the RVs to see if he would get any calls. It didn’t take long for the calls to come; after washing hundreds of RVs, he stated that there was one common question asked at almost all the jobs he went to: “Do you know anyone reliable to work on these units?”
Wanting to help the customers, Mr. Ford searched again and after reading a few local repairmen’s reviews, he knew he wouldn’t want them to work on his own camper, and so, in good conscience, he couldn’t recommend them to anyone. Seeing the need for trustworthy and reliable service, he attended two nationally recognized RV institutes and received many months of vigorous hands-on training. He then created a name—Reliable R.V. Repair—made an RV business card and began distributing cards. He immediately started receiving calls and inquiries about repairs and ultimately started building a staff. Launching the company in 2022, he deals with customers, dispatches technicians, takes calls, sets appointments, goes to the location of the broken RVs, and makes sure all repairs are completed, which can include anything from electrical, rood reseals and repairs, plumbing, propane, Black and grey tank repairs, heating/AC work, generators, and more.
In addition, Mr. Ford has been active in the Masonic lodge and with the Shriners for many years. Over the course of his career, he has values his ability to train young men, equipping them with skills they could use throughout their lives, regardless of their circumstances. The skills they learned from him could enable them to build a house without needing to hire anyone. He also helped them secure employment and provided them with trades that could lead to lifelong success; his employees share his passion for caring for others. He has been invited as a speaker on career paths at a high school STEM event.
Looking toward the future, Mr. Ford plans to expand Reliable RV Repair and establish more concrete strategies for the business. He will eventually pass the management responsibilities off to an employee. He also intends to purchase a sailboat and travel to various destinations, such as Cuba and Southeast America for seven months out of the year, then return and travel the United States in his motorhome for the other five months. During these travels, he will continue to promote the company while exploring new locations.