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PUBLISHER'S VIEWPOINT
August 2001
Tales of NAFEMs Past
I
am
thinking about
Orlando, Fla.—site of
NAFEM/01 hosted by the North American Association of Food
Equipment Manufacturers Sept. 7-10. It gets me thinking about
NAFEM shows past. I’ve been going to NAFEM—the most important
single event for anyone involved in equipment and supplies in
the United States (and the world), including those of us who
make magazines—since 1983. I’ve had some very interesting
experiences.
My first NAFEM,
when I was chief editor at Foodservice Equipment & Supplies
Specialist, was particularly memorable, probably because it
was my first. (It was in Dallas in ’83, as it often has been
since.) For example, I almost got killed, along with David Ek,
now president of Lang Mfg., by a blast of confetti at a dance
club. We’d mistakenly looked over a rail at precisely the wrong
moment. Another night I boarded an elevator at the Fairmont
Hotel, where we were staying, and realized the other occupant
was B.B. King. I told him I loved his music and shook his hand.
And I recall, vaguely, sitting on a bed very late at night with
Russ Prowse and Frank Radice from Garland Commercial Industries,
listening to E&S war stories. There will be more stories in
Orlando.
I remember
NAFEM/85 in New Orleans as the “punk-voodoo” NAFEM. Punk because
our staff hung out after hours at a bar at the edge of the
Quarter with a great juke box full of punk music (I was younger
then.) Voodoo because it was the first time I realized
New Orleans
has a spooky vibe. But I also remember it as a great show.
People were buying stuff in ’85. They will buy and spec and look
over stuff at NAFEM/01, too.
My personal
favorite NAFEM was Las Vegas in ’87. The industry was having its
best year ever—until ’97-’99, that is—and everyone was upbeat.
Even the blistering heat of
Las Vegas didn’t deter the high spirits, which might have been helped
by the casino environment.
I’d asked the
editorial staff to read Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear and Loathing
in Las Vegas” before we went. We tried to rent a “Great Red
Shark,” a red Chevy Impala convertible, like the car driven by
the main characters in the book, but we ended up in a two-tone
Lincoln Town Car. It looked so much like a limo, David Wexler,
then head of Cahners Foodservice Group, asked Brian to drive him
to all his meetings. After the show ended, we drove the Town Car
to the Hoover Dam.
Of course, we
also worked our tails off and did lots of business. And that
really is the reason we all go to NAFEM. But I especially
remember the fun. I think we’ll all have just as much fun in
Orlando—it’s at Disney World! I sincerely hope you’ll join us.
Cheers,
Robin Ashton
Publisher
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