One More Week To Weigh In On Motor Freight Issues Targeting Warewashers, Air Curtains

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Two weeks ago in FER Fortnightly, we gave you the full details on proposed rate changes for shipping commercial warewashers and air curtains. Both segments are targeted for shipping classification upgrades by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s Commodity Classification Standards Board. The board meets next Tuesday, Jan. 27, leaving industry members nearly a week…

Pittsburgh, Seattle Consider Letter Grades

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Pittsburgh and Seattle are the latest large metropolitan areas to consider requiring restaurants to post health department inspection letter grades on their doors. Operators in those two cities want more say in how the process will work Backers of the measures point to the self-proclaimed success of New York City, where the health department boasts…

New York State Mandates Carbon Monoxide Detectors For Restaurants

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Starting in June, New York State will require all restaurants and commercial buildings to install carbon monoxide detectors. The law was prompted in part by the February 2014 death of a Legal Sea Foods restaurant manager on Long Island from a carbon monoxide leak from a malfunctioning water heater pipe. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the…

Fink Heads To Milan As Ali Group Exec, Kelly Succeeds Him At Ice-O-Matic

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Kevin Fink has been named executive v.p. of the Ali Group. He will relocate from Denver, where he has been president of Ice-O-Matic, to join Ali’s corporate team in Milan. Beginning March 2, Fink will report to Massimo Giussani, COO, Ali Group, and assist in the group’s overall support, control and development initiatives of its…

Henny Penny Now Employee-Owned

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The more than 600 employees of Henny Penny are now owners of the company. The Eaton, Ohio, manufacturer became employee-owned through the sale of its stock to a newly formed employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) as of Dec. 30. The transaction ensures Henny Penny and Wood Stone, both previously owned by the Cobb family, will…

Lots To Do In The New Year

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I hope you all had a fulfilling and restful holidays with friends and family. We did. Jan, the kids and I even got out of the Chicago cold and snow and spent nearly a week in Phoenix—where we saw more cold and snow!—and Tucson, where it warmed up at the J.W. Marriott Starr Pass, site…

Deckelman To Lead Sales And Marketing At Montague

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The Montague Co., the Hayward, Calif., cooking equipment manufacturer, has appointed Joe Deckelman as v.p.-sales and marketing. The announcement was made by company Pres. Tom Whalen, who stated “Joe’s wealth of experience and leadership qualities will help Montague’s continued growth while maintaining our commitment to quality and service.” Deckelman has a wide-ranging 20-year background in…

In Memoriam: TriMark Gill’s Michael Halstead

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Michael Halstead, regional v.p. of TriMark Gill Group, died Dec. 14 in St. Paul, Minn. He was 59. Halstead, who enjoyed a 35-year career in the foodservice equipment industry, oversaw the Western region branch of TriMark Gill Group in Hamilton, Mont. Halstead, an active tennis player, soccer and basketball coach, is survived by his wife…

Personnel Moves

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Neal Hix has joined Bauer Marketing Group as a territory manager. Hix brings the Cincinnati rep firm more than 18 years of sales experience, 11 of them specific to the foodservice equipment industry. From his base in Louisville, he’ll be responsible for all dealers, consultants and end-users in Indiana and Kentucky; he will specifically work…

Heritage Parts Adds Saturday Service

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Starting Jan 10, Heritage Parts expanded the hours of operation for its customer service and distribution centers to include Saturdays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. EST. Online orders placed anytime on Friday night and Saturday morning will also be processed and shipments that are next day and second day air will be available for shipping on Saturday.  All…