You know, a recent item in the news got me to thinking again about dealers as community leaders, and how what goes around comes around.In our last edition of FER Dealer Report, we reported that George Tobia at Birmingham Restaurant Supply had recently donated a bunch of stainless tables and smallwares to Community Kitchens of…

Win-Holt Equipment Group has purchased Commercial Stainless Fabricators, located in Marietta, Ga. The acquisition gives Win-Holt the ability to offer refrigeration, heating, ventilation, customized millwork and woodwork and full on-site factory installation services. CSF’s Spectrum Mobile Serving Counters and Comm-Veyor Conveying Systems brands are now part of Win-Holt’s product offerings. CSF’s 60,000-sq.-ft. facility will join…

The graph is starting to look a little scary. The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index fell back sharply in July, dipping to 99.7. This puts the index below the 100 point that signals expansion vs. contraction. The expectations and capital goods indicators took especially hard hits. The overall index fell 0.9 point. All eight…

Kool Star is relocating its panel manufacturing from Nogales, Mexico to New Albany, Miss. Shifting the work stateside provides centrally located manufacturing and distribution, reducing shipping lead-times and costs while servicing the entire North America marketplace. In addition, the company said the move will allow it to expand and offer a complete line of walk-in panels…

Neal Robinson, senior v.p.-global projects at Bunn-O-Matic Corp., passed away Aug. 22. He was 62. The Louisiana native worked for more than 25 years at Bunn, and played a key role in expanding Bunn-O-Matic’s international business. Robins joined Bunn in 1986 as a southeast district sales manager, and was promoted to regional sales manager then…

Harold Hamilton, founder of one of the first manufacturers’ rep firms in Quebec and a leader in establishing MAFSI in Canada, died Aug. 28 in Ottawa, Ontario. His career started in 1945, when he joined Bell Rinfret Co. in Montreal. His resume includes posts with Moffatt’s commercial appliance division, a stint as v.p.-sales at Vulcan-Hart…

CRACKER BARREL OLD COUNTRY STORE President and COO Sandra Cochran adds CEO to her business cards this month. Michael Woodhouse, currently chairman and CEO, becomes executive chairman. Cracker Barrel is based in Lebanon, Tenn., and operates 603 company-owned locations in 42 states.

Pacific Gas & Electric’s FOOD SERVICE TECHNOLOGY CENTER, one of the industry’s most referenced technical experts, has begun what it calls “our journey into the world of social media” by opening an FSTC Facebook page. Events, educational and training opportunities, tips and updates on qualified appliances will be noted on the page. FSTC is based…

GARLAND, a Manitowoc Foodservice company, has appointed Bill Smithers as dir.-customer service. He will oversee global customer and aftermarket service for the Mississauga, Ontario, company. Smithers succeeds Dale Kostick, who retired after 33 years with Garland in leadership posts including v.p.-finance and v.p./ g.m.-Garland Ovens.