A Shout-Out To Our Dealer Awards Winners

In case you’ve missed it the past couple of weeks, we’ve announced the winners of our 2015 Management Excellence, Industry Service and Young Lion Awards. One of the most fun things I get to do every couple years is call and let the winners know they’ve won.

These awards will be presented during FER’s Industry Excellence Awards Gala, set for Feb. 20, 2015, during The NAFEM Show. It will be held at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, Calif.

Just to remind you what these awards are about, the Management Excellence Awards recognize excellence in management in the delivery and performance of equipment and supplies functions and services by E&S dealers. Created in 2013, these are juried awards with detailed criteria, which include honesty, transparency and integrity in dealing with employees, suppliers and customers; deeply knowledgeable management and personnel; and consistency and excellence in execution, creativity and innovation among other factors.

We give two dealer Management Excellence Awards: one for a dealer with more than $40 million in annual sales, and another for dealers with less. The winners this year are Hockenbergs Foodservice Equipment and Supply, based in Omaha, Neb., and Rapids Wholesale Equipment, with headquarters in Marion, Iowa.

The Industry Service Award, which we’ve presented since 2005, recognizes an individual who has made a significant, career-long contribution to the industry. There are five winners of this award, including one dealer. The Young Lion Award, which we revived in 2013, goes to an individual under the age of 40 who has made a meaningful impact on the industry; six individuals are honored this year.

The dealer winners for both awards are chosen with the help of the Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association. The Industry Service Award for 2015 goes to Paul Gustafson, Ace Mart Restaurant Supply, San Antonio. The Young Lion Award winner for 2015 is Mason Greene, Hotel & Restaurant Supply, Meridian, Miss.

We know you will want to congratulate the winners the next chance you get. We also hope that you will join us for our Industry Excellence Awards Gala in Anaheim. Information on the program can be found here. Dealers who are part of our annual Top Dealer verification program receive a special discount on the fee.

We also want to thank FEDA and our Dealer Selection Advisory Board members for their help in this process. The Management Excellence Awards judges were, in no particular order: Dennis Park, Vollrath; Mark Pumphret, Hatco; Gary Dykstra, Manitowoc; Penny Hutner, Advance Tabco; Todd Griffith, Alto-Shaam; Greg Fischer, Cambro Mfg.; Mark Brenner, Eagle Group; Tom Donovan, Unified Brands; Rich Packer, American Metalcraft; Jeff Duncan, American Panel; and Pat Kill, True Mfg.

Cheers,

Robin Ashton

Publisher