Dennis Ball takes over this week as v.p.-sales for

Ten exhibitors received Editors’ Choice Awards at the Nov. 13 opening ceremonies of the 96th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show and 2nd annual Boutique Design New York. The awards recognize best new products within the categories of design, equipment & supplies, guest amenities, tabletop, and technology, as well as an eco-friendly equivalent to each…

Eugene “Gene” Vader, longtime member and past-president of the Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry, died Nov.11. He was 81. Vader began his career in foodservice equipment sales in 1957 at Koch Refrigeration of Kansas City, moving from inside sales to factory representative for their Chicago-based sales territory.  He joined Minneapolis-based Okinow Sales in `67,…

More changes at

The Blanco CS Group has named Friedrich Schock co-CEO of Blanco CS GmbH + Co KG. In mid-2012, Schock will also assume the title of chairman of the managing board. He will succeed Rolf Waldi, who plans to retire after more than 20 years with the Blanco Group.

The MAFSI Business Barometer, a reflection of equipment and supplies sales by manufacturers’ reps, rose 4.4% in the third quarter versus the year-prior quarter, marking its fourth consecutive quarterly gain. And sales in the U.S. appeared to be even stronger, as growth in three of four regions of the United States exceeded the average. Canada,…

Average wholesale food prices fell 0.9% in October, according to the National Restaurant Association’s analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released Nov. 15. The decline was a bit of a surprise after four months of strong gains that added 3.5% to average wholesale food prices. Still, over the past 12 months,…