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PUBLISHER'S VIEWPOINT
October 2005
In Disaster’s Aftermath, Counting Noses
Whew!
As I write this, it’s now a week and a day since Hurricane
Katrina plowed through New Orleans, Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss.,
and other locales. And while the death and destruction is
incalculable, I’m happy and terribly relieved that, as best we
know, all our friends are safe and sound.
It wasn’t like this last week. Then we were terribly worried
about many of our dealer and operator friends in New Orleans,
Gulfport and points north where the storm passed over or near
several significant manufacturers. As the week wore on, the
reports began to filter in, from buying group folks reporting on
members, from Dee Flynn at NAFEM, from calls and e-mails. Among
the news:
Dean Landeche from Enodis, whose brother’s home in New Orleans
was heavily damaged, told us he heard from Loubat Equipment Co.
Pres. Henri Louapre that nearly all of the New Orleans-based
dealership’s personnel had been accounted for and are safe.
Tedde Reid of SEFA sent out a report on Associated Food
Equipment & Supplies, a Gulfport, Miss., dealership that was
working on the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which was heavily
damaged (see below). Pres. Paul Watts said nearly all of their
employees have been accounted for, though half have lost their
homes. The dealership’s building is damaged.
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As the week
wore on, reports began to filter in from calls
and e-mails.
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The consultant Ken Schwartz forwarded us an e-mail from Eric
Rainville, senior manager of facilities for Hard Rock Café
Int’l., whose brand new hotel, casino and café in Biloxi was
scheduled to open Sept. 1. While the guitar still stands, it now
appears the building will need to be completely rebuilt. Hard
Rock has 500 employees affected in New Orleans and Biloxi—many
of whom have lost homes—and is matching outside contributions
dollar-for-dollar in an attempt to pay everyone for 90 days.
Harrah’s also is paying employees from three destroyed casinos
for 90 days.
Kathy English from ABC reported that Hotel & Restaurant Supply
in Meridian, Miss., weathered the storm. Principals Jerry Greene
and Bill Wolfe were cleaning as they could.
Manufacturers in the area, including DI Foodservice and Robot
Coupe in Jackson, Miss., and Master-Bilt Products in New Albany,
Miss., were up and running in a day or two after the storm. We
were worried about Thermo-Kool in Laurel, Miss. because we
couldn’t get through last week, but I spoke with Genny Cornell
this morning and the plant suffered little
damage.
We’ve heard from two sources that PRIDE, the New Orleans-based
buying group, has moved operations to Houston, and that
principal Robert Autenreith and employees are safe.
At times such as these, one just counts noses. Thank God
everyone we know is safe. As bad as it was, it could have been
worse, and was for many.
Cheers,
Robin Ashton
Publisher
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