Correctional Food Services is a Dallas-based, family-owned and -operated company dedicated to:

  • Delivering high-quality meals and products to correctional facilities

  • Providing an unparalleled level of personalized service

  • Helping clients maximize commission and efficiency

  • Achieving 100% customer satisfaction

 

Since its founding in 2003, CFS has built a tremendous reputation for enhancing the quality and efficiency of food and commissary operations in correctional facilities across the Southwest. Led by a senior management team with more than fifty years of experience in the industry, CFS has complete knowledge of the laws and regulations relevant to our services and a deep understanding of the range of our clients’ needs. We’ve served facilities with inmate populations as small as fifty and as large as 7,000, adapting our services to the unique requirements of each. We currently provide sixteen public and private facilities across Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma with commissary services, and five with full meal service for inmates and correctional staff. At every facility we serve, a qualified team of CFS supervisors works full-time managing our operations onsite and communicating with correctional staff to ensure that our clients are always fully satisfied.

We adapt menus extensively in response to input and guarantee that all meals are balanced, nutritious, properly prepared, and promptly served. Because we aim to increase clients’ commission, we stock our stores and carts with a customizable selection of name brand (rather than house label) products, design displays that encourage impulse buying, and offer ongoing marketing and product support. To help clients further maximize commission and improve efficiency in money management, we built and perfected the Inmate Trust Fund, a leading, secure and reliable inmate banking system.

Company History

Correctional Food Services founded in Dallas by Larry Hanson; first commissary contract obtained in Ellis County (TX) in June, followed by a food service contract in September; Victoria County (TX) commissary contract entered in August.

2003—

East Caroll Parish (LA) commissary contract executed in January; Saint Mary Parish (LA) commissary contract executed in June.

— 2004

Lafayette Parish (LA) commissary contract effective in March, followed by Saint Martin Parish (LA) commissary and food service contracts in April and November respectively.

2005—

Multi-facility contract executed with the Emerald Companies (TX) in January.

— 2007

Iberia Parish (LA) commissary contract entered in September; Terrebonne Parish (LA) commissary contract effective in October.

2008—

Iberia Parish (LA) food service contract executed in January.

— 2009

Acadia Parish (LA) commissary contract entered in September.

2010—

Livingston Parish (LA) commissary contract executed in September.

— 2011

Rapides Parish (LA) commissary contract entered in September.

2012—

Saint Mary Parish (LA) food service initiated in September.

— 2013

Comanche County (OK), commissary contract executed in April.

2014—

West Baton Rouge Parish (LA) commissary contract executed in December.

— 2015

Terrebonne Parish (LA) food service contract effective in June; Vernon Parish (LA) commissary contract effective in July.

2016—

Rapides Parish (LA) food service contract at DC-2 effective in April; Natchitoches Parish (LA) commissary contract effective in August.

— 2017

Rapides Parish (LA) additional food service contract at DC-1 awarded in April; Plaquemines Parish (LA) commissary contract implemented in July.

2018—

Leadership

Larry Hanson

Chairman Emeritus

Larry Hanson’s vision for CFS comes from more than thirty years of experience in the correctional commissary and food service industry. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1974, he joined what was then a young Texas vending company called Mid-States Services, Inc. As he rose in the ranks, Hanson helped expand the small service into a large catering and commissary provider with clients across several southwestern states. When the corporation sold in 1999, Hanson looked forward to starting his own family business and teaching his trade to his sons. “Mr. Larry” passed away on January 7, 2022 though his vision lives on.

Brian Hanson

President and Chief Executive Officer

Brian Hanson has been with CFS for more than more than fifteen years and has extensive management experience in the foodservice industry. After earning a BBA in Management from the University of Texas and an AAS in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales, Brian owned and managed a large Dallas restaurant. Since joining his father in business, he has helped lead daily CFS operations, including managing customer account implementation and technology needs.  

Benjamin Hanson

Chief Operating and Development Officer

Holding dual degrees from the University of Texas and a JD from SMU, Ben Hanson pivoted from a career in law and healthcare to join his father and brother at CFS over a decade ago. As Chief Operating and Development Office, Ben is ultimately responsible for human capital, customer retention and satisfaction, and maintaining the steady growth of the business.

Bobby Rhyne Jr.

Vice President of Sales (Louisiana)

Bobby Rhyne came to CFS from Omni Energy Services Corp. in 2011, bringing a wealth of corporate management experience. Before serving Omni as vice president of sales and marketing, he spent nineteen years in the role of president and CEO of Preheat, Inc., which he co-founded in 1987, and Omni Energy Services bought in 2006. His decades of successful management and business degree from Nicholls State University make Rhyne a vice president of sales CFS is proud to have.

 

Chris Ducote

Senior General Manager

Joining CFS in 2017 as the Food Service Managers in both the Rapides and Ascension Parish Jails, Chris brings more than twenty years of experience in corrections and food service.  Chris retired from the Federal Bureau of Prisons after working at the United States Penitentiary located in Pollock, LA (~2,000 inmates) as a Food Service Cook Supervisor for five years.  Prior to that position, Chris worked at the FCI/FCC Federal Prison located in Oakdale, LA (also ~2,000 inmates) as a Safety Specialist for nine years and had experience as a Correctional Officer and Counselor for the prior six years.  His more than twenty years of service in the federal correctional system makes him a perfect fit to serve as Senior General Manager for CFS.