Lin Sensenig has been appointed president of the Champion Group, a division of Ali Group North America. He’ll oversee day-to-day management of the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based companies, which includes Champion, Moyer Diebel, Bi-Line and Moffat USA brands. Sensenig also will have responsibility for developing and implementing the company’s strategic plan, and will report directly to Ali…

Close to 400 E&S dealers and manufacturers convened last week in Indian Wells, Calif., for FEDA’s annual convention. In addition to well-received speakers, seminars and workshops, the convention included the election of new officers and board members during the dealer association’s annual members meeting. Officers: President-Brad Pierce, Restaurant Equipment World Vice President-Joe Schmitt, Rapids Wholesale…

The largest food and beverage expo in the Pacific Northwest opens this weekend in Seattle. The Northwest Foodservice Show, April 13-14 at the Washington State Convention Center, includes a new interactive kitchen, a new products showcase, educational seminars, and a technology pavilion highlighting emerging technology tools and equipment geared toward the foodservice and hospitality industry.…

Fast-moving fingers managed to miss typing in the name of a very important company on the list of FEDA’s 2014 Exceptional Manufacturers: Cres Cor. Apologies to our friends in Mentor, Ohio. Here is a corrected (and complete) version of the Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association‘s list of manufacturers it recognizes as especially supportive of dealer-based distribution.…

I spent the weekend working on a presentation our Editor-in-Chief Beth Lorenzini and I will present in Shanghai next week. It details and analyzes how big U.S. chain and institutional buyers evaluate, spec and buy E&S products and how they select suppliers. It’s based on exclusive new research we’ve done over the past year. We…

Tom Szafranski, a 30-year veteran of Hobart and ITW Food Equipment Group, will retire June 30 from his post as president-sales for ITW FEG North America. In the March 24 announcement, ITW FEG Exec. V.P. Chris O’Herlihy stated: “Tom has been a highly respected leader in our business, and indeed our industry, who throughout his…

Although the Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association staff has decamped to California this week for its annual convention, the association is assuring members that its phones will be answered and messages relayed until the staff returns to its offices next week. FEDA members who did not make the trip to Indian Wells, Calif., for the March…

Two members of Supply & Equipment Foodservice Alliance have earned top status in the buying group’s SEFAPro Program. Jeff Dellon, director of sales and marketing at H. Weiss in Armonk, N.Y., and Cheryl Fichera, equipment specialist at Jordano’s in Santa Barbara, Calif., have earned SEFAPro Level 7 status, the highest achievable level in the training…

No fooling around with the date: Survey forms for Foodservice Equipment Reports’ annual Top Dealer listing, e-mailed earlier this month to past participants and other dealers, are due April 1. FER’s unique survey requires participating dealers to have a certified public accountant or other independent source verify their sales volumes. This procedure is necessary because…

Frances Gustafson, the matriarch of San Antonio’s family-owned Ace Mart Restaurant Supply empire, died Feb. 27. She was 85. She was preceded in death by her best friend and husband of 58 years, Norm “Gus” Gustafson. Ace Mart was founded in 1975, and currently is run by the three Gustafson children, Carl, Norma and Paul.…